Middlebury Chinese Studies Major

Preppy gated community, hipsters out in the middle of farmland

with some people, sure

Beyond all the new facilities and campus wide opportunities that admissions might emphasize about Middlebury, what's really great is that there are so many different types of people from so many diverse backgrounds that there is always someone with a life perspective or knowledge of one area you aren't familiar with that facilitates great conversation. Students push each other to stay current in all kinds of fields, academic and otherwise, because of a community open to sharing ideas and building off others.
Another aspect of Middlebury that I cite as an important factor in my development as a person is the fact that most Middlebury students think before they speak. Random conjecture and fabricated statistics seldom pass in social conversation with other Middlebury students. Moreover, over generalizations are without question analyzed and refuted to the point where a student will actually care about the credibility of their responses. There are far too many kids at Middlebury in far too diverse of areas for someone to pass off hearsay as fact.

Middlebury is also an environment where I have never been put off or overwhelmed by a sense of animosity stemming from academic competition. Students are willing to help each other and enjoy the class room experience, enjoy being challenged critically, and expect thoughtful classroom interaction with their peers. Basic fact recitation tests that were standard procedure in High schools are almost scoffed at as students expect more from their teachers, as well. Students are also very aware of the cost of the school, which makes the student body even less lenient towards sub par teachers.
I am also on a first name basis with the majority of my teachers. A situation so foreign to me that I am sometimes corrected when I revert and address a few as "professor __." I frequently attend my teacher's office hours where many, especially my current Chinese teacher, have taken hours out of their day to discuss my personal life and other matters none related to class.
There is a fair amount of learning for its own sake on this campus. That learning environment is only available to the student, not imposed upon the student by stringent academic requirements. A student is free to explore as abstract an applied science as the student chooses, but one can also ground their learning in core classes.

See above

I am a member of a Middlebury social house and it has been pivotal in my experience here at Middlebury. I am part of a community, live in a house, and am surrounded by creative individuals that all have something to offer the larger group. The social house scene at Middlebury is, by no means, in the foreground and initiation and social house functions have been reduced to such an absurd level that hazing seems alien to the members. Though certain organizations value tradition and subscribe more to the ideals of conventional fraternities, they are only an outlet for the students who have always wished to participate in such activities.
There is always a way to get to a big city as Burlington is only 45 minutes away and the train and bus services are adequate.

Middlebury is deeply appreciated by much of the student body, but some have grown to detest the school. But what makes Middlebury such a great place is that you can make whatever you want of your four years here. You can choose to socialize, find a core group of friends that you know you will have for the rest of your life. You can choose to work hard, possibly audit an extra three classes and maintain three hour a night sleeping habits. You can choose to push yourself and explore a class you've had no previous exposure to such as modern dance. But most importantly, you can choose to be part of a greater community that will embrace you as an individual if you have the confidence to show it, and will facilitate a learning experience you could never comprehend just by flipping through the Princeton Review Catalogue