Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:41     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Middlebury boosters and there seems to be more than a few are in denial. Midd is a top 15-20 school and better hope the floor doesn’t collapse.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:37     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course Bowdoin is tier 1. It’s ranked 5th by US News and has a 7% acceptance rate.


I guess you have no sense for historical perspective. Amherst and Williams have always been top 3 (and top 2 since 2003). Bowdoin bats around the top 10. It was ranked #3 in 2018 and #9 in 2024. After AWS, the order changes based on the changes in USNews' criteria.

In fact, between 2000 and 2020, Middlebury outranked Bowdoin in USNews 10 times, Bowdoin outranked Middlebury 6 times, and they tied 5 times.

Let's see where the chips fall over the next few years. Outside AWS, these other top 10 LACs dance around each other depending on the whims of USNews.


Wellesley, Pomona, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Carleton have all traded spots back and forth over the last 35 years. Add in the other three and you have 8 academically indistinguishable schools who's rankings wiggle a little because of the whims of USNWR. None of these schools are better or worse than any of the others in the group.


US News matters less every year; it has long since jumped the shark. Try to develop views independent of US News’ latest intern.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:37     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Hamilton, Middlebury, Colby have always been the upper middle class prep school kids who couldn’t get into a top school .
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:35     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:New England is indeed over-saturated with SLACs . Conn Coll and Trinity are in a tough spot. Wesleyan will continue with very liberal crowd. Holy Cross has the Catholic angle covered. But Colby, Midd., Colgate and Hamilton fighting over table scraps from AWBowdoin.


Stop it with Holy Cross! You're embarrassing yourself and giving your school a bad name.

NP. What’s your problem with HC? Its urban location and Catholic identity (as the top Jesuit SLAC) is insurance giving it a more stable floor. Your insults get tiresome.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:35     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Of course Bowdoin is tier 1. It’s ranked 5th by US News and has a 7% acceptance rate.


I guess you have no sense for historical perspective. Amherst and Williams have always been top 3 (and top 2 since 2003). Bowdoin bats around the top 10. It was ranked #3 in 2018 and #9 in 2024. After AWS, the order changes based on the changes in USNews' criteria.

In fact, between 2000 and 2020, Middlebury outranked Bowdoin in USNews 10 times, Bowdoin outranked Middlebury 6 times, and they tied 5 times.

Let's see where the chips fall over the next few years. Outside AWS, these other top 10 LACs dance around each other depending on the whims of USNews.


Wellesley, Pomona, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Carleton have all traded spots back and forth over the last 35 years. Add in the other three and you have 8 academically indistinguishable schools who's rankings wiggle a little because of the whims of USNWR. None of these schools are better or worse than any of the others in the group.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:33     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
So Midd boosters admit enrollment is falling, endowment is stagnant and just gave the boot to long time President. Seems like a school that is clearly treading water and will never catch Bowdoin.


Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:32     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Would put Amherst, Williams and Bowoin in tier 1, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Middlebury, and Colby in tier 2. Bates, Trinity, and Conn College at the bottom.

+1. All of tier 1 (I know Conn College does already) will have to soon offer merit aid to most students. Ten years after that, tier 2 will have to do the same (Wes can probably hold out the longest on this due to proximity to NYC).

Sorry, meant tier 3 will all have to give lots of merit, with tier 2 to follow. Tier 1 is fine.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:32     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:Would put Amherst, Williams and Bowoin in tier 1, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Middlebury, and Colby in tier 2. Bates, Trinity, and Conn College at the bottom.

+1. All of tier 1 (I know Conn College does already) will have to soon offer merit aid to most students. Ten years after that, tier 2 will have to do the same (Wes can probably hold out the longest on this due to proximity to NYC).
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:31     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:A true measure of eliteness is how much they emphasize on diversity, including economic diversity.

Any slac that takes a lot of first gen low income has an elite or tier 1 status. Swarthmore certainly is, so are Williams and Amherst. Trinity? not so much.

Middlebury is mostly white, rich, preppy. Unless they begin accepting more disadvantaged students, it's unlikely for them to retain the elite status.

Not sure about other tier 2 schools.



huh? What rock have you been living under? This is Trump's America. Diversity doesn't mean sh!t anymore.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:30     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:New England is indeed over-saturated with SLACs . Conn Coll and Trinity are in a tough spot. Wesleyan will continue with very liberal crowd. Holy Cross has the Catholic angle covered. But Colby, Midd., Colgate and Hamilton fighting over table scraps from AWBowdoin.


Stop it with Holy Cross! You're embarrassing yourself and giving your school a bad name.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:28     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:The people running Wall Street gaduated from
HYP, Duke, and Wharton. Not obscure LACs named Middlebury and Colgate.


You might want to look up the "Middlebury Mafia". Morgan Stanley CEO and Goldman Sachs President and COO are Middlebury alum.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:28     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
A true measure of eliteness is how much they emphasize on diversity, including economic diversity.

Any slac that takes a lot of first gen low income has an elite or tier 1 status. Swarthmore certainly is, so are Williams and Amherst. Trinity? not so much.

Middlebury is mostly white, rich, preppy. Unless they begin accepting more disadvantaged students, it's unlikely for them to retain the elite status.

Not sure about other tier 2 schools.

Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:28     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Black enrollment at Hamilton is around 3%.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:27     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Anonymous wrote:2025 numbers Bowdoin 1800 kids endowment $2.9 billion. Middlebury 2800 kids endowment 1.5 billion last reported 2023. Midd is clearly not in the same neighborhood. Try as their boosters might.





Correct that Bowdoin's endowment has outperformed most of its peers, including Middlebury. Niles Bryant and his team deserve their high salaries. Colleges without in-house investment teams should take note.

Just to correct some of your figures, Middlebury's enrollment this fall was 2,653 (down from 2,858 in 2021) and its endowment was $1.6B in June 2024 (2025 numbers haven't been released yet). Bowdoin's enrollment this fall was 1,841. Not big differences, but let's stick to facts.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2026 11:25     Subject: Why are WASP so elite?
Bowdoin has already caught up with Williams endowment wise.