Student review [#41691] for French
at Middlebury College

I enjoyed my time and was certainly challenged academically at Middlebury – although perhaps not pushed and mentored as much as I could/should have been.
It can feel a bit isolated (Vermont rural life) and you need to really embrace outdoor activities and winter sports to get the most from your time there.
I studied for my BA and MA at Middlebury, including summers in the French and Spanish schools and two years with Middlebury in Paris. Summer on campus is intense and you make a lot of progress – although one could argue the same progress could be made for less financial investment with a summer abroad.
Some of the classes we took at the Uni in Paris were less solid than those on campus, but the experience of study abroad is nevertheless invaluable and I believe improvements have been made.
While I am proud to say Middlebury is my alma mater and I have lifelong friends and great memories, I’m not sure the cost of a Middlebury education is completely justified. While the classes are small, the facilities are great, and most of the professors are top notch, you pay for a lot of bells and whistles beyond pure academics, as at many American colleges of this caliber. It depends what you are looking for in a college experience and what you are prepared to spend.