Colby/Bates/Bowdoin/Middlebury

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

Stop with the stereotypes. I lived in a town of 5000 in rural Michigan as a kid in the 1960s. I knew of locals who had gone to Williams, Bates, & Smith. While in high school my family moved to a Boston suburb. The liberal arts colleges in Maine were popular with people in that suburb, but I never ran into anybody there who had heard of Williams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

Stop with the stereotypes. I lived in a town of 5000 in rural Michigan as a kid in the 1960s. I knew of locals who had gone to Williams, Bates, & Smith. While in high school my family moved to a Boston suburb. The liberal arts colleges in Maine were popular with people in that suburb, but I never ran into anybody there who had heard of Williams.

Not hanging out with the academically overstressed crowd, I'd guess.

[Anonymous]

This thread is from 2021. Why is it active again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is from 2021. Why is it active again?

People still dont know about these colleges

[Anonymous]

New group of folks seeing info

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

Stop with the stereotypes. I lived in a town of 5000 in rural Michigan as a kid in the 1960s. I knew of locals who had gone to Williams, Bates, & Smith. While in high school my family moved to a Boston suburb. The liberal arts colleges in Maine were popular with people in that suburb, but I never ran into anybody there who had heard of Williams.

Not hanging out with the academically overstressed crowd, I'd guess.

Williams is in MA so I find that hard to believe…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bates grad who spent a good amount of time at both Bowdoin and Colby for sports. All three of these are great schools and have beautiful campus facilities and offer similar opportunities for students. Bowdoin is known to have more prestige and Colby has recently risen in the US News ranks by playing the ratings game well but honestly all are strong. Bowdoin is closer to Portland and has the nicest town whereas Colby is much more remote and Bates is in the middle (about 45 min to Portland and 25 to Freeport). Lewiston isn't winning any beauty contests but I've seen a lot of great changes over the years since I graduated in the 90's.

I wish I could go to the Bates of today because they have put a lot of money into the campus and have a new science center opening this fall and have built many new dorms and other buildings over the past few years. Bates is more outdoorsy IMO and has a very laid back vibe and a big focus on what they call "Purposeful Work" which means helping students target careers in their industry through alumni and parents. I'm only familiar with Bates' efforts here but they have been significant over the past 5-10 years.

My spouse and I both are Bates grads and have great jobs making a good amount of money (750K+). I don't have a graduate degree but my spouse does. Contrary to statements about people not caring or recognizing the value of a Bates degree I have had employers/interviewers call out my Bates degree as impressive - and I was an English major. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be working at Starbucks but I'm not and never have! YMMV but that's my experience at one of these four schools. I highly recommend visiting all and looking at their strengths.

I know many grad from these schools, and I agree with this 100%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

The reality is people including the educated only know about research institutions. The only people who know about slacs is the people who went to slacs which is minuscule in comparison to the people going to normal universities.

Who's more likely to get to do research: an undergraduate student at a SLAC, or an undergraduate student at a research university (where the grad students are the ones working with professors)?

(Good odds on the SLAC student.)

As for these four colleges – they're all great and fairly similar, though Bates is maybe the least preppy of the four. (If you were following the "preppy" thread from last week.) Hard to go wrong with any of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bates grad who spent a good amount of time at both Bowdoin and Colby for sports. All three of these are great schools and have beautiful campus facilities and offer similar opportunities for students. Bowdoin is known to have more prestige and Colby has recently risen in the US News ranks by playing the ratings game well but honestly all are strong. Bowdoin is closer to Portland and has the nicest town whereas Colby is much more remote and Bates is in the middle (about 45 min to Portland and 25 to Freeport). Lewiston isn't winning any beauty contests but I've seen a lot of great changes over the years since I graduated in the 90's.

I wish I could go to the Bates of today because they have put a lot of money into the campus and have a new science center opening this fall and have built many new dorms and other buildings over the past few years. Bates is more outdoorsy IMO and has a very laid back vibe and a big focus on what they call "Purposeful Work" which means helping students target careers in their industry through alumni and parents. I'm only familiar with Bates' efforts here but they have been significant over the past 5-10 years.

My spouse and I both are Bates grads and have great jobs making a good amount of money (750K+). I don't have a graduate degree but my spouse does. Contrary to statements about people not caring or recognizing the value of a Bates degree I have had employers/interviewers call out my Bates degree as impressive - and I was an English major. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be working at Starbucks but I'm not and never have! YMMV but that's my experience at one of these four schools. I highly recommend visiting all and looking at their strengths.

I know many grad from these schools, and I agree with this 100%.

What are you doing making 750k plus without a graduate degree?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

The reality is people including the educated only know about research institutions. The only people who know about slacs is the people who went to slacs which is minuscule in comparison to the people going to normal universities.

Um, no. People who went to top ten universities like Yale and Princeton have definitely heard of places like Middlebury.

Perhaps not people who went to lower ranked state schools, but people from elite backgrounds have definitely heard of these small colleges.

If you have not hear of them, that shows that you are not from an elite background.

I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m just saying, people who go to top private schools and top universities on the east coast have all heard of these places.

I went to Harvard (then Princeton). I’ve heard of them. Most of my peers vaguely know of them and think they are insignificant.

[Anonymous]

Among Colby/Bates/Bowdoin/Middlebury, if admitted to all, then select either Bowdoin or Middlebury for location & career prospects and--if it matters to you--prestige.

Colby is really cold & remote, while Bates is a mess located in an unattractive, dumpy town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do these four schools differ? What are their unique personas, or all they mainly very similar?

Ok! Getting back to the original question. I am a grad of one of these schools. The Vermont vibe is a bit different from Maine and I think Middlebury is considered most prestigious - more influenced by Burlington in terms of hippie vibe in the town nearby, but also excellent language programs, climate / energy classes, and strong English department.

Bowdoin also wonderful - outdoorsy, down to earth, strong classes across the spectrum, strong sports.

I’ve always thought Bowdoin was most prestigious but all of these schools are well regarded.

Agree. The ranking in my head is: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates and Colby. They're all great but if forced to rank, this would be my list.

I hate rankings but if forced to choose I'd agree with your ranking, with one change: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, Bates.

I think Bowdoin’s rise is recent. Middlebury likely was previously the most prestigious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And make dullards envious.

How is that possible when no one has ever heard of these schools?

Lots of people have heard of these schools. It’s a social indicator that you haven’t.

This. Anyone who hasn’t heard of these schools is from flyover country. Or likely not college-educated, if they live on the East Coast.

The reality is people including the educated only know about research institutions. The only people who know about slacs is the people who went to slacs which is minuscule in comparison to the people going to normal universities.

I didn't go to a SCAC and I totally know of these schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do these four schools differ? What are their unique personas, or all they mainly very similar?

Ok! Getting back to the original question. I am a grad of one of these schools. The Vermont vibe is a bit different from Maine and I think Middlebury is considered most prestigious - more influenced by Burlington in terms of hippie vibe in the town nearby, but also excellent language programs, climate / energy classes, and strong English department.

Bowdoin also wonderful - outdoorsy, down to earth, strong classes across the spectrum, strong sports.

I’ve always thought Bowdoin was most prestigious but all of these schools are well regarded.

Agree. The ranking in my head is: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates and Colby. They're all great but if forced to rank, this would be my list.

I hate rankings but if forced to choose I'd agree with your ranking, with one change: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, Bates.

Me too outside of switching MB and Bowdoin but that may be because I know some really smart people who went to Middlebury so i **feel** like I know it bette rthan the others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do these four schools differ? What are their unique personas, or all they mainly very similar?

Ok! Getting back to the original question. I am a grad of one of these schools. The Vermont vibe is a bit different from Maine and I think Middlebury is considered most prestigious - more influenced by Burlington in terms of hippie vibe in the town nearby, but also excellent language programs, climate / energy classes, and strong English department.

Bowdoin also wonderful - outdoorsy, down to earth, strong classes across the spectrum, strong sports.

I’ve always thought Bowdoin was most prestigious but all of these schools are well regarded.

Agree. The ranking in my head is: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates and Colby. They're all great but if forced to rank, this would be my list.

I hate rankings but if forced to choose I'd agree with your ranking, with one change: Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, Bates.

Me too outside of switching MB and Bowdoin but that may be because I know some really smart people who went to Middlebury so i **feel** like I know it bette rthan the others

Middlebury College has a lot more undergraduate students than does any of the other listed schools.