Middlebury College Top Questions

There's far more diversity than the stereotypes let on, but there are significant populations of all of the above. People interact across group lines a fair amount, but sometimes I wish they did so to a greater extent. From what my friends tell me though, Middlebury is actually really good in this regard (i.e., people mix regardless of socioeconomic background, social status, etc.).

Accurate but misleading; firstly, not everyone fitted into one of these boxes, but many ostensibly fill two, three or four. Second, the Midd people I knew there and have come to know subsequently are generally warm, open, interesting people who've done lots of interesting things. So the trick is to look beyond the stereotypes and actually get to know people. You will be at school with 2400 of your closest friends, give or take.

Sort of, but I have experienced plenty of diversity.

For the most part

The steretype is relatively true-- but there are a lot of international kids and even though the school population is pretty homogenous, the kids are still really interesting and fun and diverse in different ways. Kids have really wide-spanning interests and will surprise you all the time just when you think you have them stereotyped.

Well, there's definitely a grain of truth in all I said. There are a lot of preppy kids, but you don't have to be that way at all; you don't even have to see them at all really, unless you're an econ major and then, well, I'm sorry for you. We do have a lot of econ majors. There are also the outdoorsy ones who sometimes sleep in tents during the get outside week in the middle of snowy, freezing winter. We are all in pretty great physical shape; everyone goes to the gym. That is very true (except for the outdoorsy kids). People are generally good looking. People are more smart than at, say, a state school, but you can find all sorts. I know barely anyone who utilizes the golf course during the months it can be used. I'd say 80 percent of campus takes advantage of the ski slopes, but alpine and nordic. Our creative writing program kind of sucks, and it was supposed to be what lured me here. Don't mistake the college for the writing school or conference. We Do have great teachers, but there is no major and there is but one poetry professor. sometimes i feel like i'm in harry potter, I mean we play quidditch and the chapel bells are haunting.

They are to a certain extent. That faction certainly exists. But there's enough of a balance of kids here that it isn't too overpowering.

I don't think that we work too hard; and I don't think that the majority of the student body that cares about the environment is just trying to be trendy

To a certain extent.

To an extent, yes, because the school does take a lot of prep-school kids, however, there's only a small subset of those kids that fit the spoiled, snobbish, and obnoxious stereotype.

well, we definately have some of these folks, but there's a lot more going on behind the scenes. well-rounded is quickly going out the window in favor of extreme academic types.

For some people they are but it's not the majority.

Yes, but each in their own way. We all coexist.

yep!

WE ARE EVERYTHING!

Pretty much. But there is a great contingent of international students.

Absolutely not.

Very accurate for a portion of the student body, but overlooks other types of people on campus. For example, I feel like my experience at Middlebury wasn't at "that" Middlebury (i.e. my friends were not in social houses, etc)

For the most part. There's a few in betweens but it's generally easy to classify people based on appearance.

Circa ten years ago, I think the old stereotype was right on, and there is a contingent of maybe 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body, the lacrosse players, hockey players and their bros who still fit that. On the other end, there is certainly a 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} dedicated hippy contingent. Everybody else doesn't fit those stereotypes. Middlebury is in a state of flux. In a few more years the Old Stereortype won't fit at all.