Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:20
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:With 2025 US News ranking of 19, MIDD is comparable to Colgate and Richmond. It is not in the same neighborhood of Amherst, Williams and Bowdoin. Colby at 25 is more of a peer. Endowment wise it’s endowment is respectable but pales in comparison to Amherst, Bowdoin, Williams, Wellesley, Smith, Richmond.
Middlebury has been ranked in the top 10 LACs in USNews 22 times since 2000, and in the top five 12 times since 2000. Colgate has ranked in the top 10 once. Richmond has never ranked in the top 10, and has only ranked in the top 20 once. Colby has never been in the top 10.
Nice try, though.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:01
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:No horse in this race but Middlebury is a top 20 LAC period. Peaked in the preppy handbook days of the 1980s.
Middlebury did not receive a mention in the Preppy Handbook. For those interested, this topic includes information on some of the colleges that were included:
The Official Preppy Handbook, 1980 (Archival Information) https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1268464.page
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:49
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Pretty much all the LACs are in the same boat that their acceptance rates will shoot up like a firecracker if they end test optional. Their yields are boosted a bunch by ED (Williams and Amherst have terrible yields).
Why do you think they will end test optional?! Many NESCACs were TO long before COVID. I believe Bowdoin and maybe Bates have been TO for decades. Not going to happen. Also, Williams and Amherst are not amongst the NESCACs that provide a significant admissions benefit in ED. Higher than RD but when you take into account athletes, any advantage is marginal. And their yields are terrible compared to who, Yale? Duke? Yes the dozen or so schools with the strongest brands in American higher Ed generally win out in cross admit fights. Sad that I feel the need to stand up for two of the richest schools in America, but the Ivy+ glaze on this board is out of control.
Indeed it is.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:38
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Pretty much all the LACs are in the same boat that their acceptance rates will shoot up like a firecracker if they end test optional. Their yields are boosted a bunch by ED (Williams and Amherst have terrible yields).
Why do you think they will end test optional?! Many NESCACs were TO long before COVID. I believe Bowdoin and maybe Bates have been TO for decades. Not going to happen. Also, Williams and Amherst are not amongst the NESCACs that provide a significant admissions benefit in ED. Higher than RD but when you take into account athletes, any advantage is marginal. And their yields are terrible compared to who, Yale? Duke? Yes the dozen or so schools with the strongest brands in American higher Ed generally win out in cross admit fights. Sad that I feel the need to stand up for two of the richest schools in America, but the Ivy+ glaze on this board is out of control.
Many is overselling it. It was Bowdoin and Bates that were test optional.
And yes Williams and Amherst have significant ed boost- for athletes and URM. Those are applicant populations you can’t just discount cause they don’t apply to you- those are significant boosts that improve their yield. They do have poor yields. They don’t even have near the best yield across LACs.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:34
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Pretty much all the LACs are in the same boat that their acceptance rates will shoot up like a firecracker if they end test optional. Their yields are boosted a bunch by ED (Williams and Amherst have terrible yields).
Why do you think they will end test optional?! Many NESCACs were TO long before COVID. I believe Bowdoin and maybe Bates have been TO for decades. Not going to happen. Also, Williams and Amherst are not amongst the NESCACs that provide a significant admissions benefit in ED. Higher than RD but when you take into account athletes, any advantage is marginal. And their yields are terrible compared to who, Yale? Duke? Yes the dozen or so schools with the strongest brands in American higher Ed generally win out in cross admit fights. Sad that I feel the need to stand up for two of the richest schools in America, but the Ivy+ glaze on this board is out of control.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:20
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Pretty much all the LACs are in the same boat that their acceptance rates will shoot up like a firecracker if they end test optional. Their yields are boosted a bunch by ED (Williams and Amherst have terrible yields).
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:11
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Pure BS. Williams is literally in the middle of nowhere and has had to constantly shift its promotion to keep up.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:10
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Expensive and gives almost no merit.
Gives no merit like most of the NESCAC schools.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:09
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:For some reason Midd is the hardest NESCAC admit for our NJ public high school, both ED and RD. Here are the numbers over the past six years (and I'm sure ED numbers at all schools include recruited athletes):
Midd -- 6 percent total, 23 percent ED
Tufts -- 10 percent total, 39 percent ED
Bowdoin -- 12 percent total, 67 percent ED
Williams -- 12 percent total, 86 percent ED
Amherst -- 13 percent total, 50 percent ED
Wesleyan -- 14 percent total, n/a ED
Colby -- 17 percent total, 100 percent ED
Bates -- 22 percent total, 40 percent ED
Hamilton -- 23 percent total, 100 percent ED
Trinity -- 25 percent total, 50 percent ED
Conn -- 50 percent total, 100 percent ED
V interesting. Great data, ty
+1 Yes great data and thanks. Just goes to show you how you have to check your school’s data because it can vary so much with national rates.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:08
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Expensive and gives almost no merit.
Gives NO merit. Neither do most other top LACs. Schools give merit when they need to entire top applicants from other schools.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:01
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Expensive and gives almost no merit.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:57
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift
Williams and Amherst were always the top LACs? not so sure about that - I remember Wesleyan trumping them back in the 80s
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:53
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Anonymous wrote:For some reason Midd is the hardest NESCAC admit for our NJ public high school, both ED and RD. Here are the numbers over the past six years (and I'm sure ED numbers at all schools include recruited athletes):
Midd -- 6 percent total, 23 percent ED
Tufts -- 10 percent total, 39 percent ED
Bowdoin -- 12 percent total, 67 percent ED
Williams -- 12 percent total, 86 percent ED
Amherst -- 13 percent total, 50 percent ED
Wesleyan -- 14 percent total, n/a ED
Colby -- 17 percent total, 100 percent ED
Bates -- 22 percent total, 40 percent ED
Hamilton -- 23 percent total, 100 percent ED
Trinity -- 25 percent total, 50 percent ED
Conn -- 50 percent total, 100 percent ED
V interesting. Great data, ty
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:47
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
No horse in this race but Middlebury is a top 20 LAC period. Peaked in the preppy handbook days of the 1980s.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:31
Subject: Applications down at Middlebury
Williams and Amherst only two brands that are immune to these shifts, they will always be considered on par with ivies. Middlebury, Pomona, Swat, W&L, Bowdoin Wes all great schools, but different cache and subject to the ebbs and flows of changing sentiments. Middlebury will come back as cycles shift