Middlebury College: A Balanced Life

A lot of people know Middlebury College for its foreign language programs and its summer writing residency program, both of which have extraordinary national reputations. State Department employees participate in the summer language programs in droves each summer, and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference is renowned for its creative writing output. Remarkably, though, most Middlebury students don't choose to major or even concentrate in languages or writing. While those programs are strong at the undergraduate level, they're just the beginning of everything that's going on at Middlebury. These students receive one of the finest undergraduate educations available in this country.Continue reading...


I have seen few schools that so embody what a fine liberal arts education is supposed to be--that is, an opportunity to delve deeply into all subjects, from the experimental sciences to the fine arts. In fact, Middlebury students are highly successful applicants to medical schools and graduate programs in the sciences because of the rigor of their training. Middlebury recently built a new science facility so that the entire math, biology, chemistry, and physics faculties could share a collaborative space.  This building project was not without controversy; the building is eight stories high, dwarfing most of the charming historic buildings on campus and in the adjacent town, and it is the largest public building in the state of Vermont. The building really represents the College's priorities: its goal is to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary education on the cutting edge of current research and technology. 

This drive was my first trip to Vermont, and I was completely taken with the place. The town of Middlebury is charming and quaint, big enough for a grocery store and gas stations (which are few and far between in Vermont, for the record), but small enough to be an easy walk from the campus and a quiet oasis amidst the Green Mountains. In addition to the Bread Loaf Campus (a collection of buildings a few miles of east of campus where the writing workshop takes place), Middlebury has its own ski slope and its own observatory. While not every student on campus is outdoorsy and inclined to ski, choosing Middlebury also means choosing and appreciating this place. Our Texas admissions rep reiterated that students should choose Middlebury because of, not in spite of, its location. You don't have to be a hiker or a skiier to go to school here, but you should be the kind of person who'll appreciate the quiet and the brilliance of the stars. 

I had a great talk with the admissions rep for Texas, Manuel Carballo, who will be based in Austin starting this summer and will visit our campus in the fall. When I asked what a successful Middlebury applicant looks like, the word he emphasized was balance. Middlebury students, he said, tend to have a good balance between work and play--they know how to buckle down and study, but there's more to them than their grades and test scores. He mentioned that Middlebury will have more than 20 students coming from Texas next year, one of the largest state contingents in the incoming class. Interestingly, Texans have a great reputation on campus: the Texas students formed their own club a few years ago, and they host a barbecue each semester on campus for all who care to attend. The town of Middlebury (population 8,000) tends to be a big part of campus life, too: families in the town come out to the school's hockey games on a Friday night and plays and other performances throughout the week, and the local news channel shows highlights from all campus sporting events. It's about as perfect a college town as you can imagine.

Mr. Carballo also mentioned that the typical Middlebury student just tends to be a happy person--the kind of person who is enthusiastic about learning, about life, about trying new things. The moment he said this, it rang true with me: I had two classmates in grad school who were Middlebury alums, and they were two of the warmest, sunniest people I've ever met. I was always struck by how bright and well-trained they were, but also about how collegial and friendly they were. They were the kind of people who made a class a pleasure to attend. That's the kind of kid who goes to Middlebury, and that's the kind of community that awaits you there.

Also, you'll love this: when you tour the campus and walk into the chapel, these words are carved above the door: "The strength of the hills is his also." So if you go to school here, Psalm 95 will still be with you every day. Between that and the Saint Thomas Episcopal Church I drove by in Brandon, Vermont, it could be fate: STES students could really feel at home at Middlebury.

If you're looking for a small school with an extraordinary community, a great reputation, and exceptional resources, pick Middlebury. It's truly special and it will take you far.