Middlebury, Conn College, Colby

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Visited Connecticut College and was not impressed. Surrounding town was shabby and scary, campus buildings old and tired looking.

New London is cleaning up. Sounds like you need to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live.

Why would anyone 'need' to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live? I don't think my kid wants to live in Pascagoula or Norfolk

Because you're out-of-touch, stuck-up harpy, and some realism might do you good.

- USCGA parent who feels safter there than some parts of Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Both Middlebury and Colby are amazing and incredibly hard to get into. So many folks here know nothing about LACs. Colby is actually harder to get into than Middlebury. My DS found them to be too remote, but thought they were great schools.

Appreciate your honesty, but you lost credibility by claiming that "Colby is actually harder to get into than Middlebury".

Colby College plays games regarding admissions. I suspect that one who has offers from both schools would select Middlebury.

Ignorance is bliss -- the numbers don't lie:
https://www.prwadmissions.com/blog/colby-admits-most-diverse-and-academically-talented-class-of-2027-with-6-acceptance-rate
https://www.middlebury.edu/announcements/announcements/2023/06/middlebury-college-will-continue-test-optional-policy-admissions

6% admit rate at Colby vs 11% at Middlebury. So much for your credibility. Pro tip... look at the data before calling folks out.

Colby and Middlebury do not have supplemental essays. Colby has no application fee vs Middlebury's $65 fee. Both are playing games with ED1, ED2 and no essays.

This. The Colby boosters here are hilarious. It's competitive to get into, yes. But to think that in any way shape or form it is as competitive as Middlebury is laughable. They have no fee and the application and is a breeze. My kid threw an app in at Colby at the last minute because, why not? There's just not a comparison. Colby is lovely, but it's not Midd. And I have no relation to either, my kid is going to Georgetown.

Speaking of hilarious... your post fails to acknowledge that the admission rate at Colby is significantly below that of Middlebury. Further, neither school has optional essays so they are both a "breeze" to apply to if one is using the common app. FACTS. I'm hoping your kid has better reasoning skills than you do. Thoughts and prayers for success at Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought that generally it was the supplemental essay that separated the more selective colleges from the less selective. How does Middlebury review applications with just GPA and test optional? (DD is interested in applying)

It just means that the rest of your application should shine: Your common app essay, rigor, teacher recommendations, grades, test scores (if sent), activities. They are looking to build a community. I'd think it would be easy to figure out "fit", but there are many students who could "fit" into those few slots at these LAC's.

I also know a kiddo who applied to one of these schools RD for Fall 2023 because it was easy to throw in an app....full pay....and the college came back asking the kiddo to provide a "Why _______" essay with a minimum word count. My guess is that this particular student was on the bubble (and full pay must be desirable in RD!) but needed to gauge their true interest before admitting or not. The essay was submitted, and they were admitted. They are attending, too! Got shut out of most other schools and was super glad they applied to this LAC!

Just one story for the poster since their DD is planning to apply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought that generally it was the supplemental essay that separated the more selective colleges from the less selective. How does Middlebury review applications with just GPA and test optional? (DD is interested in applying)

It just means that the rest of your application should shine: Your common app essay, rigor, teacher recommendations, grades, test scores (if sent), activities. They are looking to build a community. I'd think it would be easy to figure out "fit", but there are many students who could "fit" into those few slots at these LAC's.

I also know a kiddo who applied to one of these schools RD for Fall 2023 because it was easy to throw in an app....full pay....and the college came back asking the kiddo to provide a "Why _______" essay with a minimum word count. My guess is that this particular student was on the bubble (and full pay must be desirable in RD!) but needed to gauge their true interest before admitting or not. The essay was submitted, and they were admitted. They are attending, too! Got shut out of most other schools and was super glad they applied to this LAC!

Just one story for the poster since their DD is planning to apply.

Some schools have an "optional" supplemental essay prompt that students only learn about after the initial application is submitted. Grinnell, for example.

[Anonymous]

Some schools have an "optional" supplemental essay prompt that students only learn about after the initial application is submitted. Grinnell, for example.


Definitely, but this one doesn't. My child applied to the same place ED and was admitted. Perhaps ED vs RD can make a difference sometimes, too? Either way it was a surprise as we had not heard of this essay from anyone else who had applied before. That's my takeaway, just be prepared to show interest at every opportunity...even if it is an additional essay. You might be glad you did!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k.

Are you talking about Middlebury? The Vermont school with fewer than 5% Black students? The one for wealthy white kids in a state that is comprised of more than 92% white folks? Going to school there is not the way to get a stellar education. Insulated, yes.

So much anger.

92% sounds pretty exact. But it’s wrong.

64% of domestic students at Midd are white… https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Middlebury&s=all&id=230959#enrolmt

Colby is 62% (though with fewer internationals), and Conn College is 73% white domestic (with the fewest internationals of the three schools).

The state of Vermont's demographics = 92% white. The percentage of Black students at Middlebury is less than 5%.

Not sure the point you are even trying to make, but 6% of domestic students at Midd are black; it is not “less than 5%.”

The point is that posters like this one ("UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k") mock southern schools and refer to the Mason-Dixon line when schools like Middlebury have very few Black students and are not very diverse.

I do get your point but keep in mind that UVA is pretty embarrassing on this front: Virginia is 20% black and only 7% of domestic students at UVA are. UVA was clearly dropping the ball under affirmative action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k.

Are you talking about Middlebury? The Vermont school with fewer than 5% Black students? The one for wealthy white kids in a state that is comprised of more than 92% white folks? Going to school there is not the way to get a stellar education. Insulated, yes.

So much anger.

92% sounds pretty exact. But it’s wrong.

64% of domestic students at Midd are white… https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Middlebury&s=all&id=230959#enrolmt

Colby is 62% (though with fewer internationals), and Conn College is 73% white domestic (with the fewest internationals of the three schools).

The state of Vermont's demographics = 92% white. The percentage of Black students at Middlebury is less than 5%.

Not sure the point you are even trying to make, but 6% of domestic students at Midd are black; it is not “less than 5%.”

The point is that posters like this one ("UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k") mock southern schools and refer to the Mason-Dixon line when schools like Middlebury have very few Black students and are not very diverse.

I do get your point but keep in mind that UVA is pretty embarrassing on this front: Virginia is 20% black and only 7% of domestic students at UVA are. UVA was clearly dropping the ball under affirmative action.

What seems embarrassing is the performance of black students and the K12 schools serving them. UVA cannot do miracles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k.

Are you talking about Middlebury? The Vermont school with fewer than 5% Black students? The one for wealthy white kids in a state that is comprised of more than 92% white folks? Going to school there is not the way to get a stellar education. Insulated, yes.

So much anger.

92% sounds pretty exact. But it’s wrong.

64% of domestic students at Midd are white… https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Middlebury&s=all&id=230959#enrolmt

Colby is 62% (though with fewer internationals), and Conn College is 73% white domestic (with the fewest internationals of the three schools).

The state of Vermont's demographics = 92% white. The percentage of Black students at Middlebury is less than 5%.

Not sure the point you are even trying to make, but 6% of domestic students at Midd are black; it is not “less than 5%.”

The point is that posters like this one ("UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k") mock southern schools and refer to the Mason-Dixon line when schools like Middlebury have very few Black students and are not very diverse.

I do get your point but keep in mind that UVA is pretty embarrassing on this front: Virginia is 20% black and only 7% of domestic students at UVA are. UVA was clearly dropping the ball under affirmative action.

What seems embarrassing is the performance of black students and the K12 schools serving them. UVA cannot do miracles.

No, but UVA probably has the worst differential in this regard of any prestigious state school that had affirmative action (nor does it compare well with states having already banned it) so look in the mirror, Virginians.

[Anonymous]

“ Being allowed to teach and having reasonable class sizes without the pressure to publish or perish is a draw especially for fields where you don't need a lab staffed by post docs.”

You’re kind of missing the point. Your argument would work if we were talking about Ohio State & U of Maryland. But BC and Wake are not huge impersonal universities with enormous lecture halls & grad students all over the place. They have many of the same features that make slacs attractive, without being claustrophobic & without being hours from the nearest airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Waste of money IMO. Would much rather send my kid to UMD to major in CS/Engineering or do pre-med or finance/accounting than for some liberal arts degree from a no-name LAC. Middlebury doesn't even place that well into finance -- UVA would be much better.

And if your child has zero interest in CS/Engineering, pre-med or finance?

[Anonymous]

“And if your child has zero interest in CS/Engineering, pre-med or finance?”

Don’t worry. For parents who have to suffer through the shame of having a kid who doesn’t want to study engineering or finance there are secret conversion therapy facilities that will straighten the kid out for a hefty fee. They will contact you soon after your kid declares as a philosophy or anthropology major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Visited Connecticut College and was not impressed. Surrounding town was shabby and scary, campus buildings old and tired looking.

New London is cleaning up. Sounds like you need to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live.

Why would anyone 'need' to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live? I don't think my kid wants to live in Pascagoula or Norfolk

Because you're out-of-touch, stuck-up harpy, and some realism might do you good.

- USCGA parent who feels safter there than some parts of Arlington

If you think New London is still a ship yard, perhaps you need to travel more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“ Being allowed to teach and having reasonable class sizes without the pressure to publish or perish is a draw especially for fields where you don't need a lab staffed by post docs.”

You’re kind of missing the point. Your argument would work if we were talking about Ohio State & U of Maryland. But BC and Wake are not huge impersonal universities with enormous lecture halls & grad students all over the place. They have many of the same features that make slacs attractive, without being claustrophobic & without being hours from the nearest airport.

As someone who has worked in Winston Salem, I'll take rural over Wake's location

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k.

Are you talking about Middlebury? The Vermont school with fewer than 5% Black students? The one for wealthy white kids in a state that is comprised of more than 92% white folks? Going to school there is not the way to get a stellar education. Insulated, yes.

So much anger.

92% sounds pretty exact. But it’s wrong.

64% of domestic students at Midd are white… https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Middlebury&s=all&id=230959#enrolmt

Colby is 62% (though with fewer internationals), and Conn College is 73% white domestic (with the fewest internationals of the three schools).

The state of Vermont's demographics = 92% white. The percentage of Black students at Middlebury is less than 5%.

Not sure the point you are even trying to make, but 6% of domestic students at Midd are black; it is not “less than 5%.”

The point is that posters like this one ("UVA placing better than Midd? Laughable. You are probably from below the Mason-Dixon Line and clearly are out of your league. Let the big boys do the talking. You probably make under 300k") mock southern schools and refer to the Mason-Dixon line when schools like Middlebury have very few Black students and are not very diverse.

I do get your point but keep in mind that UVA is pretty embarrassing on this front: Virginia is 20% black and only 7% of domestic students at UVA are. UVA was clearly dropping the ball under affirmative action.

But there are very fine people - on both sides. #CharlottesvilleStrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Visited Connecticut College and was not impressed. Surrounding town was shabby and scary, campus buildings old and tired looking.

New London is cleaning up. Sounds like you need to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live.

Why would anyone 'need' to experience how normal people in a shipbuilding town live? I don't think my kid wants to live in Pascagoula or Norfolk

Because you're out-of-touch, stuck-up harpy, and some realism might do you good.

- USCGA parent who feels safter there than some parts of Arlington

If you think New London is still a ship yard, perhaps you need to travel more.

Electric Boat is there (across the river, but still - they live in New London). What exactly does that make it?