Middlebury vs Richmond for business: which is the better choice for an undergraduate business student?

For an undergraduate business student, Richmond is usually the more directly aligned option. Richmond has an actual undergraduate business school, with majors like accounting, finance, and marketing, plus a structure built for internships, recruiting, and business coursework from early on. Middlebury is an excellent liberal arts college, but it does not offer an undergraduate business major, so the path into business is more indirect through economics, related coursework, and internships.

Richmond makes the most sense for a student who already knows they want business in a practical, pre-professional way. Its Robins School of Business gives you specialized classes, business-focused faculty, and stronger built-in access to employers looking for undergrads with clear preparation in finance, accounting, or marketing. The school’s size often helps students build close relationships with professors and career staff.

Middlebury fits a different kind of student: someone who wants a broad liberal arts education first and sees business as a later application rather than an undergraduate discipline. If you are interested in consulting, finance, entrepreneurship, or management but also care a lot about writing, languages, international studies, or interdisciplinary learning, Middlebury can lead there. Its alumni network is very loyal and notably strong in certain fields, especially where communication, analytical thinking, and prestige in liberal arts settings matter.

In terms of being set up specifically for business careers, Richmond has the clearer advantage because the academic program and recruiting ecosystem are more intentionally designed for that goal. Middlebury can still place students well into business-related careers, but you would be building that route more through economics, networking, and internships than through a formal business curriculum.