Anonymous
Post 04/11/2026 08:44     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:They all seem like very good, somewhat preppy and classic New England schools.
How do they differ?


Bowdoin is the top of that group, Middlebury close second. Those two align with T25-30 as per student level of intellect and drive.
Colby is a big step down in student quality as is Bates, both equivalent to T50-65 as far as peer group.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 18:37     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin is by far the toughest admit in this group right now. ED used to confer an advantage but not any longer vs. the other three, with high ED admit rates comparatively. But the reality is they're all very good schools with a pretty similar feel. DC might have a preference after visiting.


Not really. Bowdoin rates are driven down by international applicants. Midd does seem to have a tiny bump for ED but it’s small. All four schools are great. If you want Wall Street Midd is the obvious choice otherwise go with fit.


This.
They are all great schools. I’m a Midd alum. My kid toured Bowdoin & Bates today. We know kids are both schools and each student (freshman at Bowdoin, sophomore at Bates) RAVED about the school. If you’re interested in a NESCAC school, just pick the one that you like the best! My kid had a preference for Bates over Bowdoin based on the campus feel. She’ll also visit Colby, Midd, Amherst, Conn College. Education will be pretty great at any of them.
Anonymous
Post 03/19/2026 17:15     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:Fine schools yes boredom factor 10 out of 10. Save big bucks and go to the SEC. Think UTexas, UGa, UF . March Madness!


Ew. No.Read the room.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 16:04     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:Probably not too many business executives on this thread but Holy Cross blows away many NESCAC schools with its success in placing grads on large corporate boards. Williams does well on Wall Street. If Holy Cross had a secular name it would be and deserves to be a top 15 LAC(better than Smith, Vasser.Bates. And Colby).Since everyone knows it is March Madness, HC is in a league of its own among LAC ‘s as it is the only one with a Divison 1 NCAA championship - the year 1947 with Bob Cousy. Enjoy the games.



Get back to us when they build a pipeline to The Street.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 16:00     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin is by far the toughest admit in this group right now. ED used to confer an advantage but not any longer vs. the other three, with high ED admit rates comparatively. But the reality is they're all very good schools with a pretty similar feel. DC might have a preference after visiting.


Not really. Bowdoin rates are driven down by international applicants. Midd does seem to have a tiny bump for ED but it’s small. All four schools are great. If you want Wall Street Midd is the obvious choice otherwise go with fit.


Really. Bowdoin’s acceptance rate was 6.8% for the class of 2029.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 14:06     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin is by far the toughest admit in this group right now. ED used to confer an advantage but not any longer vs. the other three, with high ED admit rates comparatively. But the reality is they're all very good schools with a pretty similar feel. DC might have a preference after visiting.


Not really. Bowdoin rates are driven down by international applicants. Midd does seem to have a tiny bump for ED but it’s small. All four schools are great. If you want Wall Street Midd is the obvious choice otherwise go with fit.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 12:02     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:Bowdoin is best, Middlebury next as far as best academics, peers, faculty.
Bates and Colby are more about social life athletics and fun than studying or being academically driven.


So not true. Where do u get this drivel—USNews?
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 11:51     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to the others, but Middlebury has tons of extremely wealthy students of the kind who think they're down to earth while considering it normal to wear $1000 jackets on their trips to their ski condo.


I was in an NYC bookclub which I deemed the 1% bookclub. A few had kids at Middlebury. Very elitist.
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 11:09     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin

https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/15/us/mixed-welcome-as-somalis-settle-in-a-maine-city.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 11:09     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:Which of these schools is the least woke?

+1000
Anonymous
Post 04/02/2025 10:11     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:By campus acreage, Bates places as the penultimate NESCAC. Trinity is smaller.


I was talking about enrollment.
Anonymous
Post 04/01/2025 20:40     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
By campus acreage, Bates places as the penultimate NESCAC. Trinity is smaller.
Anonymous
Post 04/01/2025 19:13     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Bates is small. Campus is small. We did a tour and were surprised when we reached the end--no more buildings?

I believe it's the smallest NESCAC. That has advantages and disadvantages. If you want small, great. If not, then you'd probably be happier elsewhere.
Anonymous
Post 04/01/2025 12:53     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Anonymous wrote:We visited all 4. It really is such a personal thing. My kid liked Bates the best of the bunch — said it felt the friendliest, least pretentious, and most community-minded. Liked Midd second best, thought Colby was “fine,” and applied. For some reason didn’t click with Bowdoin and didn’t apply.

Similar to my kid. Visited Bates, Colby, Middlebury, but not Bowdoin. Afterwards, preference rank was: (1) Bates (2) Middlebury (3) Colby.
Anonymous
Post 03/22/2025 11:26     Subject: What are the differences between Middlebury, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin
Bowdoin is by far the toughest admit in this group right now. ED used to confer an advantage but not any longer vs. the other three, with high ED admit rates comparatively. But the reality is they're all very good schools with a pretty similar feel. DC might have a preference after visiting.