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Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT
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Middlebury College

Photo: Middlebury College. Retrieved from: www.middlebury.edu

Middlebury is one of the top colleges in the country, offering 44 majors in different fields of study, including literature, foreign languages, the arts and humanities, and social and natural sciences. Its distinguished roster of graduates includes US senators and prominent political figures as well as artists and writers. The college offers two four-course semesters, and one winter term in January. Middlebury has over thirty varsity teams, the Middlebury Panthers, and these teams compete in the Division III NESCAC conference.

The undergraduate population is around 3,000, which indicates the selective nature of the freshman admission process. It is considered one of the little Ivy League colleges, or “little Ivies”, a moniker given to colleges that are on par with big universities belonging to the Ivy League. Middlebury is renowned for its programs in modern languages, including undergraduate and graduate courses. Languages taught in this college include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. In addition to these, there are also great programs in writing and English literature. Middlebury is the home of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, which is among the most distinguished writers’ conferences in the USA.

Middlebury College has several counterparts in 16 countries. Graduates of Middlebury can also opt to attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies for further degrees in international environmental policy, international business, language teaching and interpretation, language translation and international relations.

School History

Middlebury College was founded in 1800, making it one of the most enduring liberal arts colleges in the country. Middlebury is historically significant as the college that granted a bachelor’s degree to an African-American, Alexander Twilight, in 1823. In honor of this man, Middlebury named its first college building after him.

Like many colleges established in the 1800s, Middlebury used to be all-male, but women joined the institution when the college turned coeducational in 1883. The institution had its first female graduate in 1886, May Belle Chellis. Another noteworthy mention is Mary Annette Anderson, valedictorian of the class of 1899 and the first African American woman to join the prestigious honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.

What started as an extension of the Addison County Grammar School, which was founded in 1797, is now one of the premier colleges in the country. Middlebury is the first college in Vermont. Originally, the college was affiliated with the Congregationalist religious group, but is now non-sectarian. Gamaliel Painter was the college’s benefactor in its early years, and he continues to be remembered during graduation ceremonies in Middlebury as each graduate is awarded a replica of his cane.

Campus Life

The aspects of student life away from their classrooms revolve around The Commons, which are living quarters made up of several residence halls in the campus. The atmosphere in these living communities is both intellectually stimulating and endearing. A student is welcomed via an integration program of freshmen students. Students signed into a particular first year seminar are designated in the same community or Commons. What results is a community of diverse individuals with various skills and talents to contribute to the group. Commons events include hosted meals, becoming a popular venue for students that wish to mingle with others and discuss various subjects over a hearty feast.

Financial Aid

The college accepts students regardless of their ability to pay the tuition fee for the duration of their stay in the college. This need-blind policy guarantees that the students best-equipped with the mental and physical capabilities for the academic challenges at Middlebury can enroll whether they are able to afford attendance, or not.

Middlebury’s financial aid process aims to meet 100 percent of the student’s financial need. Assessment is done by the Student Financial Services Office, after which the student is awarded a package that will help them complete their studies without thinking about the fees. On average, the grant award can be more than $30,000. Student loans are offered to graduate students and are computed on the basis of family income.

Rankings

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Overview

Despite college rankings and countless beautiful college websites, most students and families know very little about the actual student experience at particular schools. College websites, campus tours and conversations with high school guidance counselors provide very limited information.

The Voice of the Student Survey compares the responses of over 7,500 liberal arts college undergraduates on more than 40 questions about college life. As a result, we learned what “real life” looks like at individual schools.

Some of the best (and worst) performers in our research are surprising. Some are among the U.S. News & World Report’s top ranked liberal arts colleges in the country, while others are ranked much lower but provide a successful student experience.

Our Liberal Arts Insider members know exactly how these colleges compare.

We surveyed thousands of liberal arts students to help you get the real scoop about the student experience… the good, the bad and the ugly.

Campus Community Coach & Safety Sherpa

How safe, accepted, and comfortable students feel on their college campus is one of the largest influencing factors as to how satisfied they feel with their college experience. Having a tight-knit college community is the cornerstone of a successful college experience, as proven by our Voice of the Students survey.

We can compare what the college brochures advertise to what students are actually experiencing; sometimes the admissions representatives have no idea how students on their campus really feel. This “Community” section is a way to find out exactly what students think about their campus, in their own words. Here, we have data about student satisfaction, housing, social cliques, and student’s sense of safety.

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The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
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Academics Advisor

Without a doubt, academics are a major focus, if not the top priority, for many college students. Schools will often advertise their classrooms as collaborative, but we’ve found that students sometimes describe the academic environment as highly competitive. Are students helping each other with academic work or trying to get ahead? Do students spend every waking moment with their nose in a book?

We asked students both qualitative and quantitative questions to find out how the academics at this school challenge them, and contribute to their college experience. Find out directly from the students how they feel about academics, challenging or otherwise, at their school.

Get Our In Depth Analysis of Liberal Arts Colleges

The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
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Social Life Navigator

In addition to academics, social life is integral to the campus experience, and it’s dictated by a few different elements. Do students feel discriminated against based on their identities? Where do students spend most of their time socializing? Do drugs and alcohol dominate the social scene? This is the kind of information that schools will NOT advertise.

So, to find truthful answers these to questions, we asked students for their perspectives. We looked into social aspects such as extracurricular involvement, opportunities in the local community, and alcohol/drug culture on this campus.

Get Our In Depth Analysis of Liberal Arts Colleges

The smartest way to cut through the college marketing hype and pick a college that is a perfect fit for your child is to become a Liberal Arts Insider member. Our research reveals inside information that colleges will never tell you.
Learn More

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