Admissions Process

Birds eye view of Middlebury campus

Top five ways to make the most of the college admissions process

  1. Explore the campus, either virtually online or in person.

    It can help you clarify what aspects of a college are important to you and also whether you can see yourself as part of that campus community.
  2. Don’t feel as if you need to apply to 15+ colleges just because your friends are.

    If you’re thoughtful and thorough in exploring what’s out there, you ought to be able to narrow it down to six to eight options in a range of competitiveness for you.
  3. Relax and be yourself when it’s time to write your personal essay.

    The essay is a way for the school to get to know you better—and it’s rarely reason to admit or reject someone. Make sure you proofread and spell-check your piece.
  4. Carefully choose the teachers who write your letters of recommendation.

    Those letters are another way for us to get to know you better, and they should come from people who know you well on several levels. The teachers who challenged you the most may write a more meaningful letter than ones who gave you an easy A.
  5. Finally

    Remember that a year from now you will very likely be attending an excellent college where you will get a first-rate education and have a wonderful experience. And don’t forget that the quality of your educational experience is far more up to you than it is up to any institution you attend.

Ways to visit