Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone for the feedback. We didn’t let her apply ED anywhere because we wanted to take cost into account, so she knew that she couldn’t necessarily go to the best school she got into. I think the pros and cons of the block plan are a good point. She sees it as interesting and that she’ll get to take cool classes and do interesting things in the block breaks. But I’m not sure how she can major in a STEM subject if she’s interested. She’s undecided about major. Also got into Cal Poly, Oregon, Colorado, Lewis & Clark, Kalamazoo, and Clark.

I wouldn't choose such a small school. My parents pushed me to one and it was miserable as it was super clicky like HS and everyone went home on the weekends. I'd pick any of the others over those two.

Anonymous wrote:Never heard of Whitman. So there is that. DH, DS, and I all have attended college+

Most people have never heard of CC. Make it Colorado Community College - CCC.

Anonymous wrote:In case it factors into your daughter's decision, Colorado College is known to be extremely woke and as of 2024 still requires students to get the COVID vaccine, though it appears religious exemption are easy to get. Whitman also leans pretty far to the left but seems more grounded. They removed their COVID shot requirement for the 2023-24 academic year.

You have serious mental problems.

I have a junior at Whitman and another who will be a freshman at CC next fall. Both schools have excellent programs. We have really enjoyed the merit our oldest has received from Whitman, and he received an additional scholarship for a study abroad that he didn't even apply for this year! I'm sure great opportunities can be found at CC as well, but we have appreciated a few breaks from Whitman, and I'm pretty sure we will not get that from CC!

CC students definitely major in STEM -- PP from Whitman with the sibling who went to CC, sister majored in physics. I think she had some long afternoons doing labs, but keep in mind she wasn't balancing that with other classes.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. We didn’t let her apply ED anywhere because we wanted to take cost into account, so she knew that she couldn’t necessarily go to the best school she got into. I think the pros and cons of the block plan are a good point. She sees it as interesting and that she’ll get to take cool classes and do interesting things in the block breaks. But I’m not sure how she can major in a STEM subject if she’s interested. She’s undecided about major. Also got into Cal Poly, Oregon, Colorado, Lewis & Clark, Kalamazoo, and Clark.

Never heard of Whitman. So there is that. DH, DS, and I all have attended college+

Have you visited CC? I grew up there and don't have much positive to say about Colorado Springs.

Tell kid to go to Whitman and that you'll use the $100k differential as a down payment on their first house.

Getting on the property ladder early and into a nicer property will set them up for life far more than a degree from Colorado College.

Believe me when I say no one cares whether the diploma says CC or Whitman. They say the exact same thing: competent enough to graduate from a good LAC. That's all.

Ask the student what she wants:

CC, or

Whitman plus a $100,000 graduation gift.

Give CC a try if into the frequent long weekend breaks & travel within the state of Colorado. If the student prefers a different environment, then consider the much larger University of Denver which also attracts a lot of students from wealthy families.

OP: To which other schools did your daughter apply ?

Why is your daughter attracted to CC ?

Also, CC is well known for lots of recreational drug use. Lots.

My child was picking between two different colleges but basically the identical choices as you describe. We let him pick and he picked the Colorado College equivalent. He’s now a soph and I regret it every time we pay the tuition bill, and in between, too, because DS hasn’t performed as well as we’d have expected in college, nor is particularly engaged there (he enjoys it, but could have gotten this experience anywhere given his lack of engagement), and it is so painful to be paying this amount of money and DS will likely graduate with a mediocre GPA. (We would not have expected any of this, by the way- he was an excellent and involved student in HS.)

I wish we’d encouraged DS to take the Whitman equivalent choice. Being honest just bc it is an anon forum.

Decades ago, I went to Whitman and my sibling went to CC. I think we had equally rigorous academic experiences; my sister is someone who can focus like a laser beam on what she is most interested in, while I love making connections across disciplines, so I think the block system worked for her and would not have been particularly good for me. I was envious of her backpacking and canoeing expeditions on block breaks, though!

In terms of short-term outcomes, I received a full-ride to graduate school while she received partial support and had loans coming out of graduate school. Long-term, she ended up in academia and I have worked in policy/advocacy my entire career.

Our experience is dated, but I think Whitman was a better value then (lower tuition at the time) and may remain a better value. But the block system is a significant difference to consider. Overall, she has two great choices!

Whitman has a tiny enrollment of just under 1,300 students. Colorado college enrolls about 1,900 students. Walla Walla is beautiful wine country, but very remote.

Colorado College is best for self-centered individuals from wealthy families who enjoy winter sports. Daddy will take care of any trouble that junior encounters. The kids lean toward being spoiled rich kids who ski.

Colorado Springs is a very nice small city within a reasonable drive to Denver or Boulder.

If the family can easily afford about $150,000 per academic year, Colorado College is the better choice if the student has a passion such as skiing or bodybuilding, etc.

CC kids will tell everyone how hard they work during each short term--but it is total bs.

Nevertheless, CC is a great place for a child from a wealthy family who wants to take advantage of Colorado's ski resorts each month. CC is not a good place for middle-class kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In case it factors into your daughter's decision, Colorado College is known to be extremely woke and as of 2024 still requires students to get the COVID vaccine, though it appears religious exemption are easy to get. Whitman also leans pretty far to the left but seems more grounded. They removed their COVID shot requirement for the 2023-24 academic year.

You post the vaccine requirements so frequently. It’s an interesting obsession. But honestly, the few people that actually care about this probably know how to look it up and will.

DP and I'm vaccinated, but I honestly think it's something worth considering. There is ZERO good reason so require college students to get a COVID vaccine in 2024. So it's pretty telling when a school still requires it. It tells me that the school doesn't care one bit about Science and that the school's leadership is not intelligent or thoughtful AT ALL.