Middlebury College

A liberal arts college founded in 1800 and located in Middlebury, Vermont. Like the other 10 NESCACs, it is a great place to get an education. The college is especially renowned for its language, environmental studies and international studies programs, though psychology and economics are among its most popular majors. The school has a new library, a giant science hall built in 1999 and expansive arts and athletics facilities among other buildings on campus. The White Mountains border the campus to the west, and the Green Mountains (where the college's alpine and cross-country skiing facilities are located) to the east. The town of Middlebury has around 9,000 inhabitants and lots of small shops. Students arrive here with a diverse array of achievements, but they recognize that every Midd Kid around them is pretty darn smart as well, and thus are not pretentious or boastful in general. When not studying, they enjoy both drinking and playing in the snow. Skiing is a popular activity. Middlebury isn’t perfect, of course. Racism and anti-homosexual sentiments do exist among some. Still, those who attend this college should be thankful for the wonderful people, facilities and resources around them. Instead of listening to arguments among students as to which liberal arts school is "Number one," high school seniors should research their options to decide which school is #1 for them. About half of the class of 2013 applied early decision; apparently, they did just that.