Middlebury College declining applications?

Colleges & Universities Middlebury College
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First, kids who drop out of college or move to p[art time are not students who can afford to spend another year, just hangin’ out.

The assertion that $12K isn’t a lot of money, and that students are deciding to hang out around Austin for another year, rather than start earning a salary are simply unrealistic for 80% of the families in Texas. At least 80% of the kids in Texas aren’t from families which are making enough money that they can afford another year of tuition and room and board for their student. A good percent can barely pay for the first two years.

The ones who are not completing within four years are likely doing part time to work, and most of those who are not finishing in six years are probably doing so for financial reasons.

Finally - UT Austin is a top school, and these are the students who were at the top 6% of their class. These are not students who are going to move to part time so that they can spend more time just taking in the city sites or going to music festivals.

The caliber of students at UT Austin is the same as it is at any Top 20 university, and they are just as hard working and just as ambitious as the students at Columbia University. If any student would want to stay and enjoy the city, it would be a student living in NYC. Yet Columbia students are graduating at the same rate as Middlebury students.

Finally, students at Middlebury LOVE living at Middlebury, and many would happily stay for another year if they could. Not everybody hates living in isolated rural areas which are also beautiful.

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If a family’s AGI is $100,000 or less, UT-Austin is tuition free.

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There has been significant discussion regarding Middlebury College moving a bit away from the traditional liberal arts/humanities education toward more practical majors such as CS. The same is a point of discussion at Bowdoin College where CS tends to be over-enrolled at the expense of traditional liberal arts college humanities majors.

Some assert that earning a degree in CS at an LAC is foolish when lower cost public universities offer more in this area for less.

FWIW CC tends to favor LACs while the other website is more practical & very well informed.

Similar article in Middlebury’s college newspaper:

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You made the choice to spend the loot so that shouldn’t be a today thing - and yes, over half of Midd is full pay so you will be in great company with the wealthy. And the wealthy like to help the wealthy :slight_smile:

I don’t know your career goals - but there’s zero reason not to choose Midd today vs. yesterday when you did. You clearly wanted an LAC - whether it’s a high rated one (Midd) or a local one (like Southwestern).

PS - go out to other states out of Texas and ask them about Rice. You might also get a similar, quizzical look as you do with Midd in Texas.

Have a great four years in Vermont….I see no reason to look back as long as your parents can afford the school. If you wanted an LAC but a cheaper one, they are out there too - and still taking apps- btw. Or perhaps you got into one that threw money at you. That’s another alternative.

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You can’t compare living in Austin to NYC. I graduated from the University of Texas. Many of my friends and their kids graduated from the University of Texas.

Even though it’s competitive, there are kids who enjoy the school, the culture, the city and may graduate in 5 or 6 years.

What @Publisher is saying is true for some kids.

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I’d caution you about getting your info from that other board you mention, which is entirely anonymous and filled with folks who are out to rile people up. So much misinformation there. Here, people stand behind their comments and you can’t post over and over on the same thread pretending to be different people.

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In the end, some people want the big state school experience, football and all. UT comes with a city environment.

Others want the LAC experience. Midd comes with a small town environment.

You clearly wanted one over the other.

My issue is the kids that say - I want x unless I get into a top 10 LAC. If you want an LAC, there are plenty out there, of all price points - and they may or may not get you the same type of role as MIdd.

If someone wants to be on Wall Street, it’s gonna be a lot easier from Midd than Kalamazoo. If someone wants a regular job or to go to grad school, it likely doesn’t matter.

If you wanted an LAC and not to spend $400K, there’s still time to find that LAC.

I can’t imagine one thinking - well Midd’s rep has declined so i’ll go to a huge juggernaut of a school in the middle of a huge city. That’s a huge leap.

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Was coming to say something like this. That board can be toxic and I’d be wary of taking anything off there at face value.

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100% correct.

I think the point that MWolf is missing is that schools like Columbia & Middlebury are expensive private schools while those staying 5 or 6 years at public flagships often attend tuition free or for a fraction of the cost at Columbia or Middlebury. Also, that poster needs to check out the cost of living in NYC versus Gainesville, Florida,Austin, Texas, Athens, Georgia, etc.

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Right. And unless you actually attended the school or know people who attend the school, you may not understand that Austin has a certain vibe that college students really love. It’s one of the main reasons the population has exploded in the last 20 years.

It’s not super cheap but for many families, it’s cheap enough to spend an extra year.

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It’s great that you are here asking questions. Some people on CC think LACs are not good and students should choose a big school in a city. This website has extremely well informed participants.

Do you want to be out in the country and have easy access to the woods, mountains, skiing, and people who also seek that environment? Do you want to be part of a close-knit community where students are engaged in learning, where they collaborate, have smaller classes, easy access to professors, lots of clubs and activities, all while being close to nature? You have to consider that most students attending Middlebury have made a very deliberate choice to go there. If city life is what you crave, it is probably not the right place for you.

DC Urban is a blog, right? Take it with a grain of salt. If you search for reasons not to attend Middlebury, you will find them. (Confirmation bias.)

I suggest you do your own research to explore post grad outcomes at both schools. Call their career centers. Ask about the alumni network, which will be strong at Midd. If grad school is in the cards for you, I think most people would give the edge to Middlebury.

I honestly don’t think you need to worry about name recognition. Middlebury is not an unknown podunk college in the woods. It’s been around since 1800 and it isn’t going anywhere. Don’t worry if your friends haven’t heard of it. Most people haven’t heard of most colleges apart from those near them and very famous household names.

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Oh I definitely am not worried about name recognition itself, I am mentally prepared for my peers to question my decision. I just want to know whether Middlebury is facing any severe problems that will affect its prestige in the future. I saw that the college has significant budget deficits, over enrollment, and declining applicant numbers and wanted some insight. I know ranking and prestige aren’t everything but if I’m gonna spend that much money it better be spent well. Also, Middlebury is the only liberal arts college I’m considering (rejected from Williams/Amherst), and while I prefer the LAC style a lot I’m not gonna give up UT Austin to go to a random no name LAC that still has applications open

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If you prefer a LAC education, Middlebury is a great choice. I wouldnt call it a “no name LAC”.

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Can you explain what this means? Applications are long since closed. Jan. 5 was the deadline. It isn’t a random no name college. BTW, I have no connection to the school. Could you be confusing it with another college?

Edit: Have you seen this thread? Talk to me about what it's like at Middlebury

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If you’re from Texas, you know Rice University is an elite school. But most people in the Northeast have never heard of Rice. It doesnt mean it’s a no name random school.

If you’re from Texas, most people havent heard of Middlebury. But it’s very well known in the Northeast. It’s not a no name LAC.

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Hi Aleje, I graduated (way back when) from a rural LAC that gets a lot of praise on this website and is very similar to Middlebury. I will not be surprised if my alma mater receives fewer apps in the future due to its location in the middle of nowhere and its nearly 100K price tag. These are probably the reasons applications went down at Middlebury, not related to the quality of the education at Midd. People who are graduates of LAC’s and those in the Northeast or coastal cities all know that Middlebury is a rigorous school and well respected.

Think about if you want to be in rural Vermont for four years or if you want the vibrancy and bustle of Austin because you want to be in an environment that makes you happy. If, after a year, you feel like you made the wrong choice you can explore transfer options or maybe study abroad.

Good luck!

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I’m sorry for the confusion I was referencing another commment where they said this

“You clearly wanted one over the other.

My issue is the kids that say - I want x unless I get into a top 10 LAC. If you want an LAC, there are plenty out there, of all price points - and they may or may not get you the same type of role as MIdd.

If someone wants to be on Wall Street, it’s gonna be a lot easier from Midd than Kalamazoo. If someone wants a regular job or to go to grad school, it likely doesn’t matter.

If you wanted an LAC and not to spend $400K, there’s still time to find that LAC.”

My point is I don’t really have other LACs to choose from right now, and I wouldn’t really turn down UT Austin if the alternative was a no name school even if it was a LAC. Obviously Middlebury isn’t a random school

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Students who attend UT Austin tuition free because of income will usually attend full need met colleges like Columbia or Middlebury without paying either tuition or room and board..

However, I think that we’re going off track.

@Aleje If you have decided that you don’t want to be at Middlebury because you don’t want to live in rural Vermont at a small college, that’s fine. However, academically, Middlebury is considered an “elite” colleges (as is UT Austin), and financially, it is not in any real trouble. It has an endowment of $1.6 billion with a 7% return.

My kid attended Middlebury, and, in her close friend group of 8, three are attending graduate programs that are top 10 in their field (two PhDs, one Veterinary school), one is at her top choice medical school (had a preferred location), two are working for top non-profits, and one has her dream job.

So academically and regarding professional outcomes, there is nothing to worry about from attending Middlebury.

When we’re talking about who is hiring graduates of which college, employers and grad schools are not looking at college ranking websites. They know what the education at different colleges look like, and what the graduates from each college can do. Your parents’ friends or classmates may not have heard of Middlebury, but you can bet that most of the top employers have.

To be more accurate. Most employers just care that you have a degree from an accredited college. The employers who really care which college you attended know how good Middlebury is.

That being said, if you want to live in Texas for the rest of your life, UT Austin would be a better choice, just like OSU is the best choice for anybody who wants to live in Ohio for the rest of their lives. If, however, you want to live in another state or country, where you attended college either doesn’t matter, or Middlebury has an excellent reputation.

The only fields in which I would tell you to attend UT Austin despite having committed to Midd are CS, Math, and geoscience/earth sciences. If you want to major in these fields, you should go to Austin.

Otherwise, attend Middlebury - I’m certain that you’ll enjoy yourself. If you don’t, you can always transfer. Midd has a good enough reputation that transfers from Midd are welcomes in most places.

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I feel like this thread has gotten massively off track!

The OP asked if Middlebury was having problems that would have a big impact on the school or would affect him. The answer is a resounding no! Middlebury is financially sound as in a very elite cohort of schools. It has been prestigious for hundreds of years! OP, truly you should have no worries.

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