What Makes Williams Special??

arcadia
Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:10:43 +0000

Since you didn’t post a similar thread on the boards of your other schools, I’ll say something about Middlebury here. What makes Midd unique?

1) Its campus is breathtaking and facilities are top-notch. You’ll find very few schools with the same abundance of new/renovated facilities. New library, science center, new center for humanities, two new dining halls and one renovated dining hall, three new dorms, a renovated student center and book store…the list goes on. And you won’t be far from Burlington, VT—one of the coolest small cities in America.

2) Midd’s international focus and vibe is unmatched among LACs. With an international student population hovering around 10%, you’ll live, eat, play, and study with people from around the world. Add Midd’s strength in foreign language instruction and international studies, combined with the recent acquisition of the Monterrey Institute of International Studies and the schools abroad, and you can’t get much better when it comes to developing a well-balanced world view.

3) Middlebury’s commitment to the environment extends to nearly all aspects of campus life. Midd was the first college or university in the nation to offer a major in environmental studies (way back in 1965), and the program is widely recognized as among the finest in the country. With Vermont as your classroom, opportunities for studying the natural world abound.

4) Loyal alumni—this past year, Middlebury set a record for alumni support. In fact, a greater percentage of Middlebury alumni donated to the college than did alumni of any other college in the country.

5) Snow Bowl. ‘Nuff said.

6) J-term (which you’ll also find at Williams) offers you the chance to take classes you ordinarily wouldn’t in an intensive one-month program.

7) Middlebury also offers excellent athletic teams with lots of school spirit and awesome facilities (inc. a new pool and hockey rink). We often give Williams a run for their money.

8) Middlebury’s size is (IMHO) perfect—at around 2,500 students, you’ll have small classes and get to know most of your classmates, but still meet new people all the time. Plus Midd’s residential college system, modeled after the systems at Oxford and Yale, create smaller communities within the larger community.

9) Middlebury’s dining services (along with Bowdoin’s) are amazing. All you can eat, with lots of vegetarian options. Plus a student-run full service restaurant (Dolci) right on campus.

I’ll stop there. You have a difficult choice ahead of you…