Middlebury College Top Questions

Though I am an English and Theater major (which I think necessitates a closer relationship between student and teacher), I think the academics here are top-notch. Most teachers are very passionate about what they do and that passion is infectious. J-term is wonderful. The requirements are loose enough that one never feels stuck taking a class. Conversations outside of class are the best part of a Middlebury education.

Professors at Middlebury are incredible. I have had only one sub-par professor and I beleive she has been denied tenure. I really feel as though I have a say in whether or not to keep teachers, seeing that every student fills out a course evaluation at the end of each course. Classes are generally small, my largest is about 50 students, smallest is 6. Professors are available, and for the most part approachable. Lots of academic help is around for those in need. Labs for sciences are cool, especially the ones outdoors.

I had several professors who I loved. Who changed the way I thought about teachers-- into real people who could impact my educational and daily life. Who cared about me and my thoughts and passions and dreams. I loved how many smart, creative and excited people there were at Middlebury. Alternately, you hate it, though, it's awful. It becomes annoying or makes you feel small or puts on too much pressure. The theatre department is a special case in terms of Middlebury academics because everyone is so close. Your peers are your family. Your professors are your friends and mentors and life advisors. You can have a 3 hour coffee session with them, and it isn't strange. You pick their brain, they push yours. They remain important after graduation and you rely upon the fact that they had good taste and knowledge. And hope that some of it rubbed off and you will find success in the form of happiness and employment.

Academics here can be great, and can be the most stressful experience of your life. Class sizes are generally small, and you'll find yourself in a lot of discussion classes, which are great if that's the kind of learning you're looking for. The only problem is that although we have a lot of free time during the day, it is filled with work and during midterms and finals weeks, the stress level here reaches a ridiculous level, but again, each major is different, and each class load differs every semester.

I think the classes are excellent, especially the language courses which are often of a very small size. Students are not usually competitive and most likely collaborative. The requirements are understandable except for perhaps the Area studies part, which seems very poorly put together, although well-meaning. The education is definitely geared towards a liberal arts education as opposed to a "practical" one.

The best part of academics at Middlebury: The professors know you. The classes are small, individual attention is huge, and you can really get to know your professors if you put yourself out there. There are not a lot of core rerquirements at Middlebury and students often have a lot of freedom in choosing classes and--barring a double major or 300 minors--taking a number of classes outside of their major as well. Students work hard but aren't particularly competitive, but this might depend on the major. As an English major, I find the faculty to be phenomenal. There is a wide array of classes and a close connection with the Bread Loaf faculty allows for a lot of creative writing opportunities. The strongest departments here are the interdisciplinary ones: International Studies, American Studies, Geography, Environmental Science and--of course--English and American Literatures.

all my professors i have had in my major department know me by name. my favorite class was taught by my advisor, and my least favorite class was in a department unrelated to my studies. class participation is very common, and middlebury students have many intellectual conversations outside of class. students are very competitive, but try very hard not to show it. the most unique class i've taken was a class where we explored new media technology and actually created projects using it. education at middlebury i feel focuses on learning for its own sake, but provides more than enough opportunities to prepare for getting a job post-undergrad.

Classes are generally small to tiny. Profs. are uber accessible. Most people spend all of their waking hours working. Everyone complains but we all in the same boat.

Academics are important at Middlebury, but I don't think any more so than any school of its caliber. People work hard and play hard, and of course you can find people who only do one or the other.

Academics at Midd are HARD. That is until you learn how to get by without working yourself into the ground. i know some people who work tirelessly, seven days a week, twenty three and a half hours a day. i know others who do not even by the books for the class. But by and large, the college demands a lot from you. However, the largest lecture you will find yourself in is forty people, which is broken down to about ten for the discussion session. Most classes are considerably smaller, including any seminars which are rarely over seven people. Professors are readily available, and by and large are invested in the classes they are teaching.