Colorado College?
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Anonymous
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My child was accepted Early Action to CC, and I didn't know much about the school at the time. After doing some research, it is growing in appeal -- particularly the intense focus of the block plan, along with small classes, its emphasis on deep analytical thinking, learning-by-doing field trips and highly-engaged professors. This model of learning seems to make sense as we try to plan for what the work world will look like in the age of AI. Plus the location and campus seem great. We're considering a visit over spring break, although RD decisions may affect this.
As an Eastcoaster, I just don't know people who've attended. And I'm a little worried that its reputation isn't strong or at least well understood by employers. Searches here of past conversations seem to lean into stereotypes (rich kids who like to ski) but don't really get into the academics. Anyone with direct experience? |
Anonymous
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I can't get a read on this school either. The two things I always hear about it are that it has the highest proportion of one-percenters of any school in the nation, and that it's super woke, attributes that seemingly stand in opposition to one another but I guess could be some weird Venn diagram overlap.
The block system seems like it would work really well in the humanities and really not so well in difficult STEM classes like organic chem. |
Anonymous
| It is not that convenient to skiers. Monarch and CB are 2.5-4 hours drive. |
Anonymous
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Semi-direct experience. Visited, have friends who attended.
Reputation: most people who know SLACs are familiar with CC. Has a reputation for being a very good school, albeit not top tier. Also has a reputation for outdoorsy party types. Rep generally a positive IMO. Location: we loved it. Very close to (small) downtown Co Springs. Campus very nice though some freshman dorms subpar. Education: people who we know speak very highly of prof quality and the block plan. Tiny classes allow great interactions with profs. Worth a visit if other options don’t develop. Could be a very happy place to spend 4 years and creates the possibility of good outcomes if your kid takes advantage of the opportunities. |
Anonymous
My experience is that most 1% are more liberal than you think. |
Anonymous
| I know four graduates, all loved it and have had great grad school and career outcomes. My kids applied but ultimately chose other schools. |
Anonymous
| DD is a student there now. She has had a good experience. Found a strong mentor in her field, block plan worked well for her major, obtained a competitive summer internship. She is outdoorsy, enjoys the location for hiking and camping, with world-class skiing 90 minutes away. The campus is small, some of the dorms need improvement. But it is beautiful, laid out so that the main green frames Pike's Peak for sunset each day. CC has a strong reputation in the Rocky Mountain region and of course especially in Colorado. Not as well known in the east for sure. Good fit for a focused student who wants to change their frame of reference a bit. |
Anonymous
We visited twice, once for a regular visit and the other for the fall open house. It was very high on kid's list, and he applied EA, but then pulled the app when got into #1 choice ED. CC was #2 and he really agonized between it and the ultimate #1 choice. Here is what we learned: It looks like a joyful place with active students who love the outdoors. The block plan gives students time to go explore Colorado on the breaks and the school has trips for between blocks. There is also a gear house. We saw kids playing spikeball and frisbee outside barefoot on a Friday afternoon. We also saw a student throw up in the dining hall the morning after the fun run. My kid thought that was funny. We approached some random students to ask about their experience. They were all very happy. The food was kind of meh. The dining hall plan doesn't have enough for all meals. The tour guide said she donated meals to her male friends who ate more. I liked the campus. It's in the city of Colorado Springs but not in a super urban part. You can walk to downtown - probably in about 15 minutes. I liked that it as near to nature but still had the conveniences of the city. My kid though would have preferred a smaller town closer to nature. He was disappointed that skiing is so far away. Also the climiate of the school is more desert like than mountain. That was disappointing to him too. That said, the mountains are still pretty close (just not for skiing) and hiking is very accessible. Professors are supposed to be accessible per their PR, but my kid emailed several professors several times to ask to sit in on a class, and most did not respond to him. That was disappointing. Admissions didn't help - just told him to contact the professors directly. We too were somewhat concernd about job placement and opportunities in his area of interest which is business. I thought the block sounded great for my kid in terms of focusing just on one thing at at time. Also then everyone is in class in the AM and out in the afternoons. But it has some downsides, like for languages. Or if you get sick, you miss a lot. All in all, it seems like a great school. Go check it out! |
Anonymous
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10/15 years ago reputation -
classmate liked it, does have a bit of a rich kid stereotype, positive - it's one of those "small Ivys" that seem to have quality people in a smaller school with a good reputation. if your kid likes big cities and coming from dc, environment could be hard to adjust to |
Anonymous
Breckenridge is a little over 2 hours. Loveland probably about the same if you time it to avoid traffic. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks all. Its reading like people like CC but it isn't many people's first choice. That's sort of where my kid is right now. Would love reasons to love it if some of the RD reaches don't come through. |
Anonymous
It is a school of wealthy kids that is true but you are the only poster who has called it 'super woke' but that isn't surprising in that you call every elite school woke. It might be 'woke', I do not know but you might want to ponder teh fact that over the last few decades socioeconomic success is pretty highly correlated with more liberal views. The shift started in the 70's and has accelerated ever since. sS far a CC, my daughter has a friend there (pre-med) and she likes it though the science classes can be intense. |
Anonymous
It is a school of wealthy kids that is true but you are the only poster who has called it 'super woke' but that isn't surprising in that you call every elite school woke. It might be 'woke', I do not know but you might want to ponder teh fact that over the last few decades socioeconomic success is pretty highly correlated with more liberal views. The shift started in the 70's and has accelerated ever since. As far a CC, my daughter has a friend there (pre-med) and she likes it though the science classes can be intense. |
Anonymous
It is a school of wealthy kids that is true but you are the only poster who has called it 'super woke' but that isn't surprising in that you call every elite school woke. It might be 'woke', I do not know but you might want to ponder teh fact that over the last few decades socioeconomic success is pretty highly correlated with more liberal views. The shift started in the 70's and has accelerated ever since. As far as CC goes, my daughter has a friend there (pre-med) and she likes it though the science classes can be intense. |
Anonymous
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Colorado College might be partly understood through its self-identified peer institutions:
Bates Bowdoin Carleton Colby Colgate Holy Cross Davidson Hamilton Kenyon Lafayette Macalester Middlebury Pitzer Wesleyan Whitman |