Middlebury College is focused on changing the world for the better. Students and faculty on campus are working towards climate solutions, they strive to connect between cultures and languages, they communicate with others through art, design, and writing, and they pursue avenues for conflict resolution globally. From a sprawling campus in Vermont, Middlebury empowers a little under 3,000 students with the knowledge and skills they need to lead the charge in improving our planet and the lives of the people (you included) on it.
The college has a strong focus in foreign languages, international studies, and the building of cultural competency. It’s especially popular with outstanding students who have a global perspective, especially those who want to go into international work with governments, NGOs, or even institutions like the United Nations. All students at Middlebury pursue a liberal arts curriculum grounded in shared foundations, elevating every conversation from the classroom to the dining facilities. The combination of a liberal arts foundation, a global perspective, and a strong sense of purpose has made Middlebury extremely popular among students who are also drawn to the idea of being in the mountains of Vermont. The acceptance rate has shrunk as popularity has grown, and now is only about 13%.
Getting in requires strategy, planning, and a real sense of direction and purpose. In this post, we’ll break down what you need to do over the summer to stand out to Middlebury admissions.
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What does Middlebury want to see from your summer?
Before we get into the granular details, let’s talk big picture for a sec. Middlebury cares about purpose. They want to see inertia in an exciting direction, not that you’ve already arrived. They don’t expect perfection, but they do require passion. That doesn’t mean that you can have a weak transcript and pair it with a promise that things will get better. The numbers matter when you’re applying to a school like Middlebury, but who you are matters just as much as what grades you earn.
With that in mind, there are two important ‘buckets’ that you need to fill during your summers increase your chances of acceptance for Middlebury. Neither is more or less important than the other, and both are extremely important.
Emphasize Your Interests
First, you need to strength, bold, underline (the works) what you care about. In their own words, “Who you are, in the fullest sense, is what matters most to Middlebury.” They want to know what is important to you, and to see it in how you spend your time. The biggest chunk of time you have all year that is yours to control is the summer, so how you spend your summer is extremely illustrative of what you are interested in and what you value.
We highly recommend that students apply what they care about to a summer job. Getting a summer job, nearly any job, shows that you are serious, and it shows that you can work hard outside of a classroom structure. If you combine that job with something you care about or want to build skills in with the future in mind, you’re not only illustrating your work ethic, but also your long-game perspective on life. Sometimes the connection between your goals and your summer job is obvious. For example, if you want to be a biologist, you may get a job at a zoo or aquarium. Sometimes, the connection is less obvious but still meaningful. For example, if you want to go into a role that is client facing, even something like being a lawyer, working as a server can be massively useful. Working in a restaurant, at a club, or at a pool can seem short-sighted if you see yourself in a corner office someday, but learning early how to work with difficult people is massively useful.
You can also emphasize your interests through an internship connected to your prospective major, or by volunteering in a long-term way (at least 40 hours of active time minimum) with a non-profit connected to what you’re passionate about. This could be related to a prospective major, or to a passion you’ve been cultivating during the school year. Either way, neither an internship nor a volunteer position should be “random.” Doing something that feels out of left-field muddies your application, so may not make the final cut for your activities section. And if it won’t make the activities section that isn’t a deal-breaker, necessarily, but it is worth considering why you’re doing it if you wouldn’t spotlight it.
If you look at the Middlebury website, you’ll probably notice pretty quickly that they are really proud of how “globally literate” the students are, but that doesn’t mean you have to have travelled to impress admissions. So don’t see Middlebury’s emphasis on global awareness as a directive to travel during the summer. You can travel, but that isn’t really what they are looking for (rather, it’s something they hope to offer). What they do want to see is that you are engaging with your own community and the various cultures that exist within it. Volunteering locally, internships with local professionals or non-profits, and expanding your understanding of others through traditions, food, and experiences illustrates global literacy without having to book a flight.
Augment Your Academics
The second ‘bucket’ you need to address is your academics. Middlebury expects students to be curious, to seek out opportunities for learning, and to go beyond the boundaries of what your school may offer — even if your school has amazing resources.
We recommend rising juniors and seniors look into taking one or two courses each summer, either through an accredited online program or at a local community college, especially if they are not going to get a summer job or a full-time internship or volunteer position. Summer courses give structure to your summer, while also adding something meaningful to your transcripts.
Middlebury has a particular interest in students who are curious about language, so taking language courses over the summer to expand your knowledge of a language you study during the school year or to study a language that isn’t available from your high school. If you are going to study a new language during the summer, you should plan to take at least the equivalent of two years of the language before you apply to college. Given the language focus at Middlebury, you could also participate in a language immersion program close to home, at a camp in the US, or abroad — and this is one of the few ways traveling can positively at to your college applications.
Whether you’re augmenting your academics or emphasizing your interests, the number one thing to keep in mind is that Middlebury is most interested in students who are interesting. They want students who are interested in learning, and interested in life. They are also interested in students who are interested in them. Middlebury takes the level of interest into account when reviewing an application, so we highly recommend visiting campus during the summer if you won’t be able to make it during the school year. If you can’t squeeze a visit in, definitely sign up for any virtual information sessions or visits you can. They keep track of who attends those sessions, and it will positively impact your application.
If Middlebury is one of your top choice colleges, you need to plan to well in advance of submitting your application to make sure that you have the strongest pitch possible. Using your summers to strength your app will increase your chances of admission not just to Middlebury, but to every college on your list.
If you’re looking to apply to some of the most selective colleges in the country, get in touch. We help outstanding students get into exceptional schools.