Colgate v Middlebury....not academics!

[Anonymous]

After having visited both schools, personality and type of students attending between these two schools seem amazingly similar...? Am I off base? (this is not a discussion of academics etc. know about the rankings and all of that "stuff")

[Anonymous]

No, I don't think the types of kids that go to those two schools are very similar. To generalize, Colgate kids are smart but more into sports, partying, rah rah college and Middlebury kids are more intellectual, thoughtful, outdoorsy. I went to a similar school and had visited friends at both.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from Midd about 10 years ago. Plenty of athletes and partiers. Plenty of intellectual and outdoorsy types, too. Pretty diverse interests and mindsets for a small school.

[Anonymous]

Have a DD now at Midd and stepson went to Colgate graduated about 5 years ago.

Both beautiful and quite isolated, Midd even more beautiful, and if like outdoor sports/activities, hard to beat.

Student populations seem partially overlapping but not completely, Midd more liberal politically/committed to various social action areas/involved in world (helped by the fact that Midd has a lot of international students for a LAC, and its best academic programs are in languages/international affairs/geography/environmental sciences). Middlebury has NO fraternities and sororities, which for my DD was a strong draw, and she has found it socially open and great. There are coed social "houses" that are vaguely but only vaguely like coed frats/sor. but they are not part of national chapters and the whole social scene seems less fraught with social strata and prestige than perhaps other schools, but it is cold and isolated up there, so plenty of drinking/partying

Colgate more conservative socially, overtly preppy, and much more focused on frats/sororities. Has some d1 sports, so perhaps more of a rah rah sports/school focus than Midd. I know you said not interested in hearing about the academics, but the two schools are pretty different on that front, in terms of who gets in and attends, Midd really difficult particularly from NE region where they draw most applicants from.

[Anonymous]

Middlebury has its own ski mountain. It's in Vermont. It's great academically and it's not in upstate New York.

[Anonymous]

Middlebury

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middlebury has its own ski mountain. It's in Vermont. It's great academically and it's not in upstate New York.

The snow bowl is under 25 minutes from campus. There are free shuttles to it during January term during which students take ONE class.

Midd is awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a DD now at Midd and stepson went to Colgate graduated about 5 years ago.

Both beautiful and quite isolated, Midd even more beautiful, and if like outdoor sports/activities, hard to beat.

Student populations seem partially overlapping but not completely, Midd more liberal politically/committed to various social action areas/involved in world (helped by the fact that Midd has a lot of international students for a LAC, and its best academic programs are in languages/international affairs/geography/environmental sciences). Middlebury has NO fraternities and sororities, which for my DD was a strong draw, and she has found it socially open and great. There are coed social "houses" that are vaguely but only vaguely like coed frats/sor. but they are not part of national chapters and the whole social scene seems less fraught with social strata and prestige than perhaps other schools, but it is cold and isolated up there, so plenty of drinking/partying

Colgate more conservative socially, overtly preppy, and much more focused on frats/sororities. Has some d1 sports, so perhaps more of a rah rah sports/school focus than Midd. I know you said not interested in hearing about the academics, but the two schools are pretty different on that front, in terms of who gets in and attends, Midd really difficult particularly from NE region where they draw most applicants from.

Damn, PP, you are good! Let me guess -- you either have a PhD in educational sociology or work in college admissions. If not, you should.

[Anonymous]

1989 called. It wants its small liberal arts colleges back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1989 called. It wants its small liberal arts colleges back.

Because the opportunity to learn in an environment focused on undergrads has gone out of fashion? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1989 called. It wants its small liberal arts colleges back.

Because the opportunity to learn in an environment focused on undergrads has gone out of fashion? I don't think so.

I do think the SLACs are out of fashion at the moment, excluding the top ones such as Middlebury. I'd expect to see many of the expensive, private mid-tier SLACs fold up their tents over the next decade or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a DD now at Midd and stepson went to Colgate graduated about 5 years ago.

Both beautiful and quite isolated, Midd even more beautiful, and if like outdoor sports/activities, hard to beat.

Student populations seem partially overlapping but not completely, Midd more liberal politically/committed to various social action areas/involved in world (helped by the fact that Midd has a lot of international students for a LAC, and its best academic programs are in languages/international affairs/geography/environmental sciences). Middlebury has NO fraternities and sororities, which for my DD was a strong draw, and she has found it socially open and great. There are coed social "houses" that are vaguely but only vaguely like coed frats/sor. but they are not part of national chapters and the whole social scene seems less fraught with social strata and prestige than perhaps other schools, but it is cold and isolated up there, so plenty of drinking/partying

Colgate more conservative socially, overtly preppy, and much more focused on frats/sororities. Has some d1 sports, so perhaps more of a rah rah sports/school focus than Midd. I know you said not interested in hearing about the academics, but the two schools are pretty different on that front, in terms of who gets in and attends, Midd really difficult particularly from NE region where they draw most applicants from.

This is the impression I got after visiting both campuses and doing a bit of research/reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1989 called. It wants its small liberal arts colleges back.

Because the opportunity to learn in an environment focused on undergrads has gone out of fashion? I don't think so.

I do think the SLACs are out of fashion at the moment, excluding the top ones such as Middlebury. I'd expect to see many of the expensive, private mid-tier SLACs fold up their tents over the next decade or two.

Evidence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1989 called. It wants its small liberal arts colleges back.

Because the opportunity to learn in an environment focused on undergrads has gone out of fashion? I don't think so.

I do think the SLACs are out of fashion at the moment, excluding the top ones such as Middlebury. I'd expect to see many of the expensive, private mid-tier SLACs fold up their tents over the next decade or two.

I agree. Too expensive. More
Will go to community college and fewer middle class
Americans will go to private institutions.

[Anonymous]

I am sure the academics are good at these schools. But they are now more like extensions of overpriced boarding schools. Send your kid off to the woods for 4 more years of an overpriced education where they can party to their hearts content. Like boarding schools only exist for the super rich and a few scholarship kids. Most "normal" people now will be aiming for their big instate flagships with strong research opportunities and a better price.