Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 19:13     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


Is your kid athletic? Outdoorsy? Social?
If so, will be fine. Academics are not the issue at Midd.


Not athletic at all. Very very outdoorsy. Social in a friendly low key way but not a partier.

Is Midd a fit for this type of kid?
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 19:12     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Middlebury is one of the few top SLACs where ED presents an advantage for the unhooked. If he loves it, he should go for it. RD acceptance is rare at our competitive private, even among top students.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 19:05     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:This Princeton Review survey-based ranking, "Colleges Where Students Study the Most," includes the NESCACs Williams, Colby, Bowdoin, Amherst and Hamilton, but not Middlebury:

Colleges Where Students Study the Most | The Princeton Review https://share.google/ZOGyj9S9XiiXLmeiW


For many years, Middlebury was near the top of this PR list. I think it depends on how many students complete the survey.

I'd say Middlebury isn't UChicago or Swarthmore intense, but the workload can be heavy, depending on major.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 18:45     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


Unlikely to be especially intense.

Middlebury's summer language schools are VERY intense, however.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 18:43     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:DC, a high school senior, is strongly considering applying ED to a school he really loves. His heart is there. He clearly loves the place. It's a reach school. His stats are on the edge so who know if he has a good chance or not. His one holdup on ED is he's worried it may be too intense or rigorous for him. (And yes, he is taking the most advanced courses now in his HS, so DC does want strong academics, and he is not a slacker. But he also does have a more laid back personality, and he's not a striver either.)

Any thoughts on how to really suss this out and how to do it quickly in the next few days? We have already visited 2x and will not be able to visit again prior to the time he needs to decide.

thanks!


I see no indication about intended major.

If an engineering program, it will be rigorous and intense. A few engineering programs offer a "stretched" BSE degree that is arranged to take 5 years instead of 4 years.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 17:29     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Never heard of middlebury as intense. Strong academics. But I have never heard cut throat or intense ever.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 16:21     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


I’ve never heard that Middlebury is intense and I know several kids who are currently there.

+1

It’s not.

Among liberal arts colleges, Swat and HM are intense. Even that, it’s major dependent at Swat. Middlebury is not intense at all.

Name a non rigorous major at Swat.
Also add Carleton, Pomona, Williams, and Davidson


Intense and rigorous are different. Carleton is highly rigorous but not intense. Intense has more to do with vibe. Rigor has more to do with substance.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 16:15     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
This Princeton Review survey-based ranking, "Colleges Where Students Study the Most," includes the NESCACs Williams, Colby, Bowdoin, Amherst and Hamilton, but not Middlebury:

Colleges Where Students Study the Most | The Princeton Review https://share.google/ZOGyj9S9XiiXLmeiW
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 16:04     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


I’ve never heard that Middlebury is intense and I know several kids who are currently there.

+1

It’s not.

Among liberal arts colleges, Swat and HM are intense. Even that, it’s major dependent at Swat. Middlebury is not intense at all.

Name a non rigorous major at Swat.
Also add Carleton, Pomona, Williams, and Davidson
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 15:46     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
I have never heard of Middlebury described as intense. Williams and Swarthmore are known for being intense.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 15:43     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
I have never heard the word intense associated with middlebury. In our area, the school attracts wealthy, preppy kids and wealthy recruited athletes. Mostly private school kids. If considering ED, I'd do some research to check out the social scene and fit. At a lot of slac, athletes/athletic affiliation and wealth drives the social scene, parties, greek, networking, etc.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 14:22     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:JHU


Another source is rate my professor. Colleges scored below 4.0 at rate my professor may be intense. JHU is 3.9. But depending on the major, it’s not all intense.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 14:19     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


I’ve never heard that Middlebury is intense and I know several kids who are currently there.

+1

It’s not.

Among liberal arts colleges, Swat and HM are intense. Even that, it’s major dependent at Swat. Middlebury is not intense at all.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 14:16     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


Is your kid athletic? Outdoorsy? Social?
If so, will be fine. Academics are not the issue at Midd.
Anonymous
Post 10/17/2025 14:12     Subject: How can you tell how rigorous/intense a school is?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the school OP. We will advise you.


Middlebury

Unsure of major, perhaps Econ


I’ve never heard that Middlebury is intense and I know several kids who are currently there.