What do you consider uniquely good about Midd versus other comparable NE liberal arts colleges, particularly Vassar and Wesleyan?
Thanks.
Languages (obvs offered at every college, but they are above and beyond at Midd)
Environmental Studies
Skiing
I’d say that Midd is more comparable to Williams/Amherst, though it’s def not so different than Vassar/Wesleyan.
The large global/international focus in the setting of a small LAC Is really what makes Middlebury unique.
Middlebury is also, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the LACs, and its sports facilities are unsurpassed. And it does not restrict access to its dining halls. Just show your student ID, and you can eat a dozen times a day if you like.
Some specific questions for Midd students or people who know:
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Midd has a rep of being a bit “preppy” – is that overblown? Are their ample social opportunities for people who aren’t preppy, sporty or into drinking much?
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How strong is the internship and job placement program?
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How active is the student performance scene? Some of Midd’s LAC peers have multiple student-led performances (plays, concerts, choir, dance, etc.) competing virtually every weekend. How active/frequent is it at Midd?
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How is the film studies program for people who want to either minor or double major (along with a more traditional academic major)? It appears to be a mix of critical studies and some video-based production. Same question with theater?
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Midd undoubtably is famous for is language programs. What is the minimum language requirement for those who don’t plan to take advantage of more than minimal language courses? It appears to be one of the 8 distribution requirements of which you have to do 7, so does that mean you could do as little as one class or opt out if you do the other 7? Also, is there some “secret sauce” to their language classes that makes even students who have never excelled in foreign languages suddenly have break-throughs or is the rep mostly focused on those who already are inclined toward language study?
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Midd has more distribution requirements than many of it’s LAC peers that have more open curriculums or limited distribution requirements, especially when you add the cultural studies component. Do students find it challenging to get through all those and still have enough class slots left to pursue 2 majors or a major/minor?
Thanks.
Some thoughts from D’s first year so far:
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So when I think preppy I am typically thinking along the lines of clothing, not sure if preppy means something different to you, but yes there is overall a bit of a preppy feel. I’m not referring so much to the Vineyard Vines type preppy (although it is there) but certainly more the Patagonia/North Face/Columbia/LL Bean preppy. That has a bit to do with the kids who are drawn to Middlebury’s location, kids who like to get out in the mountains tend to wear the brands that make technical clothing for being comfortable in the mountains. I don’t think Midd is any more preppy than its NESCAC cohorts, especially the ones in similar rural locations.
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Amazing! Midd’s alumni network is strong and the career center is very helpful. Check out what they provide students: http://www.middlebury.edu/studentlife/cci
One example- rising sophomores and juniors can apply for stipends for their summer internships and some are quite generous. Middlebury does a great job helping students pursue their interests. Since my D is still a freshman I can’t really comment specifically on success with job placement but if you follow the link you can see they expose kids to a variety of career paths and offer plenty of support. -
So my daughter is a dancer, won’t be her major but will likely be a minor. She was in 2 performances last semester and will be in two again this semester. She is definitely not performing every week or even every month, I don’t think she would go for that since it would take too much time away from her other passions. There is a lot going on at Mahaney, you can log onto their website and peruse the variety of performances that come through every year. Aside from what happens at Mahaney, there are plenty of ad hoc performances by the choir groups, poetry groups, student bands etc.
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Sorry, don’t know a thing about the film studies program
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That is correct, if you don’t want to study a language you don’t have to. Just fill each of the other 7 requirements. Since I am not too sure how other schools teach languages I’m not sure I can speak to any “Secret Sauce” offered by Middlebury but it works whatever it is. The first ingredient for sure is the professor- and Midd’s language professors are fabulous. D is taking Italian and can attest to that! We had a funny moment 2 falls ago when D was touring Dartmouth- tour guide was really excited to explain how languages were taught at Dartmouth. She said the languages are really strong, it’s just DRILL! DRILL! DRILL! as she snapped her fingers emphasizing each word. It was funny because we had just seen Middlebury where language learning was explained as immersive, free form, embracing of culture and the language, and definitely emphasizing immersion. My daughter was amused by the contrasting approaches, and definitely resonated with the immersion approach.
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Not a problem to fulfill the requirements. D hasn’t even been “trying” to fulfill them and has met all 8 academic categories even though only 7 needed. She has 2 left of the cultures requirement which will not be hard to meet (and she still has not registered for fall classes). Many classes fulfill multiple requirements. Some departments are harder than others to double major but students can easily major/minor. You just have to spend time exploring the departments to see how much flexibility each major offers.
Thanks for the detailed response.
Though not a unique factor, Middlebury’s economics department, as measured by faculty publishing, appears notably impressive: “Economics Departments at Liberal Arts Colleges,” IDEAS.