In this article, we will be comparing and contrasting two prestigious liberal arts colleges in the United States: Middlebury College and Amherst College. We will explore various aspects of each institution, including costs and tuition, admissions, degrees offered, academics, diversity, students, campus life, alumni, rankings, and outcomes. By the end of this article, you should have a better understanding of the similarities and differences between these two esteemed colleges.
[Middlebury College] Overview
Middlebury College, founded in 1800, is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont. It is known for its strong programs in environmental studies, languages, and international studies. With a picturesque campus set in the Champlain Valley, Middlebury boasts a student body of around 2,500 undergraduate students and offers over 45 majors and minors to choose from.
[Middlebury College] Costs & Tuition
The total cost of attendance at Middlebury College for the 2021-2022 academic year is $76,500. This includes tuition, fees, room, and board. The college offers need-based financial aid and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. In addition, merit-based scholarships are also available.
[Middlebury College] Admissions
Admission to Middlebury College is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 15%. Applicants are evaluated based on their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and personal qualities. Middlebury has a test-optional policy, meaning that applicants can choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application.
[Middlebury College] Degrees Offered
Middlebury College offers over 45 majors and minors, with popular programs in environmental studies, languages, and international studies. Students can also design their own interdisciplinary major or minor with the approval of the faculty. The most popular majors at Middlebury include Economics, Political Science, and International Relations.
[Middlebury College] Academics
With a student-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an average class size of 19, Middlebury College offers a personalized and challenging academic experience. The college is known for its strong commitment to the liberal arts and offers a wide range of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Middlebury also offers a robust study abroad program, with over 40% of students participating during their time at the college.
[Middlebury College] Diversity
Middlebury College is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus community. The college offers various resources and programs aimed at supporting students of different backgrounds and experiences. Currently, around 27% of Middlebury’s student population identify as students of color, and 10% are international students.
[Middlebury College] Students
Middlebury College has a vibrant student body, with a wide range of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. Some popular student organizations include the student government, environmental council, and various cultural and affinity groups. Middlebury also has a strong athletics program, with 31 varsity sports teams competing in NCAA Division III.
[Middlebury College] Campus
The Middlebury College campus is known for its beautiful setting in the Champlain Valley, with stunning views of the Green Mountains and Adirondack Mountains. The college’s facilities include state-of-the-art academic buildings, a modern library, an extensive athletics complex, and various performance and exhibition spaces.
[Middlebury College] Alumni
Middlebury College has a strong alumni network, with notable graduates including former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean, author Julia Alvarez, and environmentalist Bill McKibben. The college’s alumni are known for their strong connections to the institution and their continued engagement with the college community.
[Middlebury College] Rankings
Middlebury College is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. In the 2021 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Middlebury is ranked 9th among national liberal arts colleges.
[Middlebury College] Outcomes
Graduates of Middlebury College have a strong track record of success in various fields, including business, government, academia, and the arts. The college’s career services office offers various resources to help students navigate the job market and explore different career paths.
[Amherst College] Overview
Amherst College, founded in 1821, is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts. It is known for its open curriculum, which allows students to choose their own academic path without the constraints of distribution requirements. Amherst has a diverse student body of around 1,800 undergraduate students and offers over 40 majors in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
[Amherst College] Costs & Tuition
The total cost of attendance at Amherst College for the 2021-2022 academic year is $76,800. This includes tuition, fees, room, and board. Amherst is committed to providing need-based financial aid and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. The college also offers merit-based scholarships.
[Amherst College] Admissions
Admission to Amherst College is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of around 13%. Applicants are evaluated based on their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and personal qualities. Amherst has a test-optional policy, meaning that applicants can choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application.
[Amherst College] Degrees Offered
Amherst College offers over 40 majors in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students can also create their own interdisciplinary major with the approval of the faculty. The most popular majors at Amherst include Economics, Political Science, and Psychology.
[Amherst College] Academics
With a student-faculty ratio of 7:1 and an average class size of 20, Amherst College offers an intimate and rigorous academic experience. The college’s open curriculum allows students to explore a wide range of subjects and encourages intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary learning. Amherst also offers a variety of study abroad programs, with around 40% of students participating during their time at the college.
[Amherst College] Diversity
Amherst College is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive campus community. The college offers various resources and programs aimed at supporting students of different backgrounds and experiences. Currently, around 45% of Amherst’s student population identify as students of color, and 11% are international students.
[Amherst College] Students
Amherst College has an active student body, with over 150 clubs and organizations for students to join. Some popular student organizations include the student government, the outing club, and various cultural and affinity groups. Amherst also has a strong athletics program, with 27 varsity sports teams competing in NCAA Division III.
[Amherst College] Campus
The Amherst College campus is located in the picturesque town of Amherst, Massachusetts, which is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene. The college’s facilities include modern academic buildings, a state-of-the-art science center, an extensive athletics complex, and various performance and exhibition spaces.
[Amherst College] Alumni
Amherst College has a distinguished alumni network, with notable graduates including former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Foster Wallace, and actress Julie Bowen. The college’s alumni are known for their strong connections to the institution and their continued engagement with the college community.
[Amherst College] Rankings
Amherst College is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. In the 2021 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Amherst is ranked 2nd among national liberal arts colleges.
[Amherst College] Outcomes
Graduates of Amherst College have a strong track record of success in various fields, including business, government, academia, and the arts. The college’s career services office offers various resources to help students navigate the job market and explore different career paths.
[Middlebury College] vs [Amherst College] Cost Comparison
Both Middlebury College and Amherst College have similar costs of attendance, with Middlebury’s total cost for the 2021-2022 academic year at $76,500 and Amherst’s at $76,800. Both colleges are committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students and offer merit-based scholarships.
[Middlebury College] vs [Amherst College] Admissions Difficulty
Admissions at both Middlebury College and Amherst College are highly competitive, with Middlebury having an acceptance rate of around 15% and Amherst having an acceptance rate of around 13%. Both colleges have test-optional policies, allowing applicants to choose whether or not to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of their application.
[Middlebury College] vs [Amherst College] Academic Difficulty
Both Middlebury College and Amherst College offer rigorous academic experiences, with small class sizes and low student-faculty ratios. Middlebury is known for its strong programs in environmental studies, languages, and international studies, while Amherst is known for its open curriculum, which allows students to explore a wide range of subjects without distribution requirements.
[Middlebury College] vs [Amherst College] Outcome Comparison
Graduates of both Middlebury College and Amherst College have strong outcomes, finding success in various fields, including business, government, academia, and the arts. Both colleges offer robust career services offices to help students navigate the job market and explore different career paths.
