Monday, June 11, 2012

Vermont Colleges Trip Part VI

Friday, April 27, 2012


Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

Middlebury was another one of my favorite schools simply because it was SO beautiful. Middlebury is a very highly selective liberal arts college with an international and global scope.  Middlebury was larger than we’ve seen at a nice size of 2,450 students, although just by walking across the campus you may think that more students attend due to the size of the space that the campus sits on.  The campus is stunning, the buildings are beautiful and the overall space is just very attractive.

Middlebury is renowned for its leadership in language instruction and international studies and is also nationally known for its programs in environmental studies.  As I mentioned, Middlebury is very selective.  Out of 8,533 applications that were received in the 2010-2011 year, only 1,500 were admitted for September and another 156 for February.  Students who are admitted to Middlebury are usually in the top 5-10% of their class with straight A’s in high level rigorous courses.  Even so, Middlebury simply only has so much space and will still reject some top students.  So, what do you need to get in (besides high GPA, SAT/ACT, etc)?  They said that they are impressed by candidates that show “passionate engagement” – not students who are involved in 15 different clubs and organizations, but are involved in a few things and are truly engaged and show leadership in those.  A remarkable essay can certainly help and they look for students who distinguish themselves by thinking outside the box and showing entrepreneurial thinking and leadership skills.

Middlebury actually encourages students to do a half year or full year off between high school and college to do some type of gap year program and they have recently begun a new initiative to encourage transfers from community colleges.  They accept students into both the traditional fall term, and also into the college at the start of their February term.  They believe that students who take the half year off and enroll in February typically bring more to their college experience and, as a result, derive more from it.  These students also hold a higher number of leadership positions on campus and, on average, perform better academically.  Middlebury believes that students benefit greatly from the opportunity to travel, work, or pursue other interests, and all of those options can help contribute to an even more enriching college experience.  Students who enter their freshman year in February are called “Febs.”  While Middlebury encourages this gap period, they do also recommend that students go through the college admissions process during the normal time their senior year and once admitted, then consider gap year options that are available.



University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

UVM was by far the largest school we saw at about 10,000 undergraduates.  At over 100 majors, they have a wide variety of programs to choose from.  They are split into 7 different colleges – Arts & Sciences, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Engineering and Math, Education and Social Services, Business Administration, Nursing and Health Sciences, Environment and Natural Resources.  Like many colleges we visited, they have a hands-on, experiential learning style and are committed to the environment and social justice.  They were actually one of the first colleges to ban plastic water bottles on campus! 

Because UVM is the largest school we saw, naturally class size is going to be larger – at about 31 and student/faculty ratio a little higher, at 17:1.  The most popular programs are business administration, biology/biological sciences, psychology, English, nursing, animal science, political science, environmental sciences, history, and mechanical engineering. 

A great part of UVM is that it offers undergraduate research opportunities for students.  Students assist faculty in research in a wide range of fields.  Several programs even provide research grants for undergrads.  UVM was one of the few colleges we saw that had Greek life – there are 16 fraternities/sororities (about 8% of students are involved).  Also maybe the only school to have Division I sports – 18 of them.  Housing is available at UVM all four years and about a little over half of students are residential. 

Because UVM is located in Burlington, students have the opportunity to be in a city-like atmosphere, with options for shopping, dining, museums, outdoor activities, etc.  While some of these other campuses are located in such rural areas, it is difficult to get that same college town feel that Burlington gives.



Overall Impressions

While Vermont has the highest number of colleges and universities per capita in the US, there is very little competition among the schools.  The admissions staff of the colleges works more on a collegial basis, making sure that each student has a good fit with the college.  For example, if a student applies to one college and the admissions counselor realizes it’s just not a good fit, he may call up an admissions rep at another college in VT and speak to why this particular student might be a great fit for another college.

Overall, Vermont is a gorgeous area.  There is a beautiful view from almost anywhere you are in the state.  At almost every college the landscape was just stunning.  It’s a completely different feel than being in a major city.  Most of the colleges, with the exception of UVM are small – fewer than 3,000 students and most are very small – under 1,000 students.  If you are looking for a small college where there is a small average class size, small student/faculty ratio and where professors know your name, provide support, and are accessible, Vermont may be perfect for you.  Many students at various schools told us that they “didn’t want to be just a number” and got the personal attention they needed and didn’t feel lost in the crowd.  Another thing I picked up was that almost every school had a very hands-on, experiential style of learning – the students learn most by doing and there was an emphasis on internships, community service, social justice, and an active student body.

There’s a different culture in Vermont.  People seem to be more laid back and friendly.  At many of the schools we saw students were just walking around campus barefoot – it is just a way of being that embodies many of the schools.  Because it’s Vermont and Vermont lacks diversity in general, many of these schools lack diversity, although they all seem to be trying very hard.  So, if you are looking for diversity among the student population, make sure you know what you are getting at the schools you choose to apply.

There is a huge outdoor culture in Vermont.  If you don’t like the outdoors, snow, and being active outside… you should probably re-think Vermont.  There is a huge ski / snowboard culture and many of the colleges give discounted rates and passes to the local mountains – of which there are many – Sugarbush, Stowe, Bolton Valley, Smugglers’ Notch, Jay Peak, Killington, Mount Snow, Stratton… etc.


You’ve really got to love the outdoors if you decide to go to Vermont.  There are so many different activities that you can be involved in and many students are – hiking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, bicycling, climbing, whitewater boating, snow shoeing, mountain biking, rock climbing, fly-fishing, canoeing, camping, swimming….

Ultimately, YOU NEED TO VISIT (and spend the night if you can) to really understand what these colleges and communities are all about.  I had an idea of what I thought a few of these colleges were about, and you just can’t get a good picture from reading the website and brochure.  Even the virtual tours, while they do provide a good place to start, you need to actually step foot on campus and talk to real students to see what the college is all about.  This was such a fantastic experience, I am so grateful for everything I learned and all the wonderful people I met!



Any additional information to share about these colleges?  Leave your comments!

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with the College Resource Center, LLC. Laura has a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development from Boston College and a Master’s Degree in School Guidance Counseling.  She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling.  Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

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