<p>Since you & your family have never been to New England or to the Northeast, you are in for a very pleasant awakening regardless of the season when you visit. There is no wrong choice between Bowdoin College & Middlebury College academically, socially or location-wise as they are fairly similiar schools. Too bad your daughter didn’t apply to Dartmouth College as a visit to all three on one trip is recommended (and very worthwhile). In my opinion, Vermont–the entire state–and the coast of Maine are two of nature’s greatest gifts to us. All four seasons are spectacular in both locations. If you must choose without visiting, then–without knowing any more than what is posted on this thread about your daughter–Middlebury College is the safer choice since it is larger and the village is charming with outstanding accomodations for visiting parents (especially the Middlebury Inn). In your situation, if your daughter wants a larger environment after two years, then she might be able to transfer to UCal @ Berkeley as Berkeley accepts a lot of junior transfers & since she has already been accepted. Middlebury College has nearby skiing facilities that keep students active outdoors during the snow months. Hope this helps.</p>