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<p>Not really. I’m just reiterating what has been said many times before. Like the Time Magazine article on the New Ivies that states:</p>
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<p>[America’s</a> 25 New Elite ‘Ivies’ | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com](<a href=“http://www.newsweek.com/id/39401/page/1]America’s”>http://www.newsweek.com/id/39401/page/1)</p>
<p>I’m actually surprised that Haverford wasn’t included in the new ivies list. I think it’s a great school that deserves recognition.</p>
<p>And I only mentioned that because pointoforder implied that HC, Swat, and Williams are in a “different league” than Middlebury and Bates (post 4). It seems a little insecure… like he’s trying to fit in with the “cool kids.” </p>
<p>I group Middlebury with Amherst and Williams because they share many of the same characteristics. Outdoorsy student bodies; bucolic campuses nestled in the hills of New England; well-funded, successful sports programs, etc. Their applicant pools overlap significantly more with each other than with Haverford. Middlebury and Williams are similar sizes. I admit that Middlebury has less in common with Swarthmore.</p>
<p>What makes Middlebury unique? Besides the obvious (size, location), its language, writing, environmental studies, and international studies programs are among the finest in the country. It also has an honor code (Haverford is certainly not unique in this respect). Its commitment to the environment is second to none. It has one of the best athletic programs in the country, and facilities that rival many D I schools. It has schools abroad in 30 locations throughout the world. It has maintained its place in the LAC hierarchy and remained competitive despite the fact that its student body size has grown by 25% in the past two decades.</p>