Colorado College Touring
If you don’t like the weather in Colorado, stick around 15 more minutes because it will change. Many locals call it
the bipolar state of sunshine and snow. I was pleasantly surprised at CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines.
Denver University is also a great option. With a short travel time to Denver, Colorado provides some great options
for west coast students.
University of Colorado, Boulder
College
Undergrad
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
Boulder
25000
32000
85%
40%
68%
87%
$50k
Boulder has always been a popular campus for West Coast students, it has all the outdoor activities, many majors
to select from and a combination of sunshine and snow days. CU Boulder is the flag ship University of Colorado.
Freshman select from four colleges (1) Art & Sciences, (2) Architecture & Planning, (3) Music, Engineering and
Applied Sciences and (4) Business. Transfer and upperclassman can also select from (1) Journalism and (2)
Education. The music school is audition based. CU Boulder is the second largest producer of astronauts.
This is a beautiful campus in a great city with so many opportunities for
students to excel. The student government organization manages one
of the largest budgets of all colleges, $36 Million. All students are given
transportation passes that can be used with all buses and metro trains
throughout Boulder. There are 11 ski resorts within the three hour
drive from Boulder. 14% of males and 16% of females are involved with
Greek Life. According to PayScale.com, the median starting salary of
recent graduates is $45,000.
University of Denver, Denver
College
Undergrad
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
DU
5100
12000
87%
60%
87%
77%
$57k
Denver University is a residential campus in an urban setting.
Students like the location, eight miles from downtown Denver
and one hour from major ski areas. Known for the Business
School, they have focus areas including hotel, restaurant and
tourism programs. They also have a very strong Political Science
department. DU has an integrated undergraduate/graduate
program allowing students to complete both a bachelor’s and
master’s degree in five years or less. A six-year Bachelor/JD
program is offered through the Sturm College of Law.
LEP, Learning Effectiveness Program, is a nationally recognized support program serving students with learning
challenges. LEP has a demonstrated track record of student retention, academic success and persistence towards
graduation. Services include academic counseling, tutoring, organizational management assistance, writing
development and development of self-advocacy and confidence.
Students must live on campus the first two years.
Colorado State, Fort Collins
College
Undergrad
Fort Collins 21000
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
31000
83%
35%
64%
77%
$40k
The mission statement is “to serve society through teaching, research, and
outreach”. They have over 60 majors, the most popular include health and
exercise science. They also are known for the pre-vet program. 77% are local
students from Colorado- this may pose a problem for out of state students on
long weekends. The have a strong hospitality and restaurant management
major and they have an on campus restaurant to gain valuable hands on
experience. The construction management graduates had 100% placement in
either full time jobs or graduate school. The Greek life is very small, 5% men
and 8% woman.
Fort Collins has more of a STEM focus and graduates more STEM students than other Colorado University and
Colleges. This campus reminds me of a typical California State school with better outdoor options in Colorado.
They claim to have the best sunshine in Colorado, often a sunny day when other parts of the state are having a
snow storm.
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
College
Undergrad
Col Springs 7400
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
10500
72%
22%
41%
91%
$33k
Originally, this school was started with programs in Business and Engineering. Now with many options
for college major, the goal is to move towards a research based education. There are new buildings in
progress and many more planned for the next few years. With 7400 undergrads today, they plan to
grow to approximately 12000 students by 2016. I consider this school a commuter school today, there
are 792 freshman that live in dorms compared to the 1700 attending. 45% of all students come from the
local area.
Nursing is one of the most popular majors (enter as pre-nursing) along with Biology, Business,
Engineering and Psychology. The town of Colorado Springs used to be heavy military, now they are
thriving on the growing college students, the Olympic Training facility and the business that brings in.
Admissions mentioned wanting to move to Olympic Specialty focus- training and rehabilitation for
injuries and helping the future of modern medicine. They have already built the LANE Center, this is a
specialized clinic facility to build the medical focus. LANE will also allow medical students from
University of Colorado Denver Medical School to get the residential experience in Colorado Springs (and
guarantees spots in med school for some Colorado Spring students).
The cost is wonderful, the WUE (Western University Exchange) applies to all California students
accepted and brings the total cost down to almost $25 k per year. In my opinion, 5 or 8 years down the
road this will be a great place to attend. For now, it remains a local or commuter school with great
options.
Colorado School of Mines, Golden
College
Undergrad
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
Mines
3600
4400
87%
40%
70%
45%
$47k
This school is known for the strong technical programs including mining related fields and engineering. The
academics are known for being tough, and you select from geophysics, geological, petroleum, civil, electrical and
mechanical engineering. CSM requires a six-week summer field session, providing a great hands on learning
environment for students. 64% of the students are from Colorado, it is a
state school so a wonderful financial price point for locals. There is
currently a $12 k scholarship for all out of state students admitted.
I was very impressed with the programs and the students. The most popular
major is Chemical/Petroleum Engineering. The most lucrative major is
Petroleum and Geophysical Engineering. The Biology track is also used for a
pre-med track. Admission statistics include and average un-weighted GPA
of 3.75/3.8, SAT math scores average 660-690, the ACT average composite of 27-29. Applicants will be evaluated
on GPA and course rigor, students should have completed Calculus and Physics. CMU works closely with
renewable energy companies and space & aerospace companies.
I always enjoy hearing about local traditions. As a freshman, you are requested to bring a 10 pound rock from
home. During the orientation, all freshman have to weigh the rocks and only 10 pound rocks are passed, they then
carry the rock up the local hillside to place near the M at the top. A ceremony is performed and you walk back to
campus. At graduation, four years later, you join the group for one more walk up the hill to claim a 10 pound rock
to bring back down. Make sure to check out this quaint town. It is small but charming. Grab a meal at the Cantina
located in the Table Mountain Inn, the locals, college kids and everyone else in town seems to eat there.
Regis University, Denver
College
Undergrad
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
Regis
2000
3000
83%
55%
63%
70%
$46k
Regis is among the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, which share the Jesuit vision of a valuescentered education that shapes intelligent decision-making and strengthens commitment to community service.
This is a nice campus for a student that is looking for a small and supportive learning environment. There is no
Greek life on campus, the students are actively involved with clubs and community service.
Colorado College, Colorado Springs
College
Undergrad
Under +Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
Colorado C
2100
2122
96%
82%
88%
22%
$58k
The Block Plan is the differentiator at Colorado College. Block refers to students taking one class at a time- over a
three week period. The year is broken into 8 sessions. This is a great way to have in-depth study allowing for field
trips and even class trips overnight. Some courses, such as a neuroscience class, are two blocks long. Each break
between classes is 4 ½ days.
Students are very bright and independent. They are also often described as laid-back, nature loving hippies. CC has
a strong Biology and Geology program, they are also known for their English program. The faculty are very
involved with students and will phone you when you miss a class! The alumni network provides internship and job
placements.
Air Force Academy, Colorado
College
Undergrad
Under + Grad
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
Admit rate
Total Cost $$$
AFA
4120
4120
95%
78%
80%
15%
$0
The cadet honor code is, "We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does". There are three
pillars to the academy, Academics, Athletics and Application.
Academics: 31 majors, 4 areas (1) Science, (2) Engineering, (3) Humanities and (4) Social Sciences
Athletics: 27 Division-1 teams
Military: All students have military and leadership training throughout the 4 years of education. Upon graduation,
you are an officer rank and expected to serve in the military for 5 years of service. As a pilot, you will serve in
military for 10 years of service.
I questioned the decrease in military spending and the impact on the academies, this year’s freshman class has
1016 recruits. Last year the class was reduced to 800, 23% are
females, they are always looking for great female recruits.
The application period begins in March of the Junior year. Steps to
the process:
1.
Fitness assessment
2.
Medical evaluation -DODMERB
3.
Demonstrated character and leadership traits
4.
Apply and receive nomination from US Senators, US
Representatives or the Vice President
5.
Direct appointment
University of Colorado, Denver
College
Undergrad
UC Denver 13000
Grad
23000
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
73%
14%
40%
Admit rate
76%
Total Cost $$$
$40k
University of Colorado Denver was the most urban setting on this trip. Located downtown, nestled into business
buildings and sharing campus space with the Community College and Metropolitan State University. 80% of the
students are from the local area, I would consider this a commuter school.
The campus has a very good music program, known for majors including Singer/Songwriting, Music Business, and
Recording Arts. They also have a 3-D Graphic & Animation, and Game & Digital Design.
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
College
Undergrad
RMAD
650
Under +Grad
680
Retention
4 grad rate
6 year grad
rate
61%
44%
56%
Admit rate
Not avail
Total Cost $$$
$35k
Art colleges are always a fascinating place to me. I am not artistic, I admire these students for their creativity and
their talents. I had a tour of the campus and learned that the Illustration major is most popular. The fine art
major is the most difficult choice when considering long term career potential, many students must plan for
alternative jobs to finance life as jobs may not be consistent.
The majority of students are from the Colorado area, they have an average age of 24.