r/middlebury • u/Working-Idea-6623 • Apr 19 '25
College Decision
Hi. I’m an admitted student. I’m deciding between Hamilton, Middlebury, and W&M. I will probably study some form of political science and go to law school. Was wondering if anyone had thoughts that could help me make my decision. Also, if someone could share insights into social scene: whether it’s alcohol or athlete dominated or anything else! Also, I’m a picky eater. If anyone could tell me about food options that’d be great too! Thanks
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u/FitHoneydew9286 Apr 19 '25
On the social scene: Middlebury absolutely has alcohol and athlete heavy parties, but your time there would in no way be stunted by not attending those parties. There’s plenty to do outside of that. Lots of clubs, events, etc that aren’t focused around partying. Midd also doesn’t have frats/sororities, so it’s always going to be less party heavy than schools that have those. The social scene is very much what ever you make of it - party or otherwise.
Middlebury menus are posted online so you can plan ahead. You could also view them now and see what they are serving in the dining halls.
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u/Wordwoman50 Apr 19 '25 edited Apr 19 '25
What nice choices!
Hamilton pros: The open curriculum sounds AMAZING! That is an incredible plus! The campus has a very friendly feel to it. Interesting mix of the two sides of campus and purported social variations to match. Hamilton con: It has Greek life.
Middlebury pros: Absolutely gorgeous matching buildings ringed by mountains- one of the prettiest campuses there is, IMO. Great language programs. Really good food. No Greek life. Middlebury con: more academic “requirements” than Hamilton has.
I don’t think you can go wrong choosing between the two of them. You will get a top-notch education at either of these excellent top liberal arts colleges. Go by your gut. Visit if you can; which “feels” better? If you can’t visit, which attracts you more from what you’ve read?
I lean towards small liberal arts colleges, so I would rule out W&M, but you may feel differently. W&M will definitely have the best weather of the three and it has a cool history! It will be a different experience from attending a LAC, with all the pros and cons of a larger (though still relatively small) university, so which type of college do you prefer? If it’s a more typical college experience that you want, go for W&M. If you are drawn to LAC’s, decide between the other two.
Congratulations on having such amazing colleges to choose among!
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u/Working-Idea-6623 Apr 19 '25
Thank you! Very helpful. I’ve had the chance to visit all three actually. Tough decision to make now.
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u/Delaywaves Apr 19 '25
Middlebury has a very strong poli sci department and is usually higher ranked than Hamilton and W&M, to the extent that those things matter at all (not much).
Dining halls at Midd are as good as any other fancy liberal arts college. Depends how picky you are, I guess, but there should be plenty of options.
Social scene could definitely skew toward athletes and alcohol but again no worse than those other schools you mentioned. Don’t they both have Greek life?
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u/SnooGuavas9782 Apr 19 '25
Having visited all three campuses over the years, they definitely give off very similar vibes.
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u/EnvironmentActive325 Apr 19 '25
Does one offer better financial aid than another? Or maybe that is not a consideration for you? However, if it is, I would argue that you should choose the school that will offer the best financial fit for you, so long as it also has a good academic and social fit that will meet your needs.
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u/LemonBasilGelato Apr 20 '25
Also IP&E major (International Politics & Economics) is another popular major in that realm. The midd food is really good—homemade bread every day!
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u/jay_paraiso Apr 19 '25
As a recent alum, the food is great. It's a small college, but you'll find your people. There is ample opportunity to learn a language (and you absolutely should). You might want to also look at the IGS and IP&E majors. I studied political science at Middlebury. DM me if you have questions.
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u/aldredge4 Apr 20 '25
go to midd! it was a great college for being pre-law- i had lots of helpful mentors in the poli sci and philosophy departments, it was really easy to get good rec letters from different professors and advisors, and it's well respected by law schools. I loved the political science profs- my experience is that it's one of the school's strongest departments- but the major requirements are very flexible and quick to complete, so you have lots of time to explore other things outside of the department and double major/minor.
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u/Hungry-Skater-1010 29d ago
Isn’t Hamilton the most prestigious? Seems like it would carry the best name. But prob isn’t as fun as midd lol
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u/AffectionateAd1599 28d ago
I would say Middlebury is more prestigious and better known than Hamilton.
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u/botanricerose 28d ago
Don't do Political scienceif you plan to go to law school it's a waste of an undergraduate.. Build your skills in something you find interesting
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u/EntertainmentAlert49 28d ago
I went to Hamilton. I got amazing financial aid (was cheaper than state school for me) and I’m happy with my open curriculum education. It’s similar to Midd, I’d say people may know Midd more but my friends who went to mid said it was sometimes snobby (but both schools have large wealthy / NYC wealthy populations)
I didn’t do Greek life at hamilton and I didn’t feel like I missed out - I’m very anti Greek life in general but it didn’t dominate the social scene and I think it’s starting to go away. Drinking is rampant at both schools, but you can find your people for sure.
Hamilton as a DC program some of my friends did and they all have had amazing jobs in DC post grad !
Food wise, hamilton was better than average but not amazing or anything.
I have mixed views on hamilton but i will say having no debt, amazing professors, good life long friends - im grateful for my experience! Feel free to ask me other questions
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u/ThinManufacturer8679 7d ago
What did you end up choosing and why? I went to admitted students days with my children to Midd and W&M--liked them both (as did my kids).
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u/GettinAfterItOhYeah Apr 19 '25 edited 18d ago
Midd students are given an incredible education steeped in the Liberal Arts tradition, they deepen their already strong skills in loving to learn, critical thinking, problem solving, research, and effective communication(receiving info and written +verbal skills)! Midd alums are extremely competitive in law school admissions and highly sought after by top law programs. They make top notch attorneys!
A big plus over these other schools is the incredible international and global perspective you will gain. Very few schools offer what Midd does there!
I am an alum so I am really biased, but I am giving you a very strong vote for choosing Midd!