Colorado College Top Questions

Colorado College is the perfect place for a person like me- a person who works hard and plays hard. The people are what set CC apart- from the profs to the students to the admission folks. Everyone loves CC and can't get enough of the place. The block plan is very demanding (duh) and is not for the faint of heart, especially in the sciences, but most everyone loves it. If i could change one thing I'd add about 1,000 kids to the student body- a slightly bigger school might be nice. But at the same time it's really nice to know a good portion of your classmates. I have a huge amount of CC pride, as do most alums. CC's the shit, plain and simple. A damn good school, with an ahead-of-its-time block plan, at the foot of a 14,000 foot mountain. Enough said.

Colorado College is a small liberal arts school where classes are never more than twenty-five students. It isn't uncommon to be invited to a professor's house for a class dinner. It is small enough you will recognize most of the faces and be surprised at how quickly rumors and news circulate, but still large enough you are constantly meeting new people. CC is a liberal, religiously tolerating campus set in the middle of Colorado Springs, a conservative, Chrisitian city. It nests at the base of Pike's Peak and there are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors of Colorado.

All things considered Colorado College is a fantastic place to go to school. The academics are top notch if you are capable of taking one class at a time for three and a half weeks at a time. There are more extra curricular activities than you know what to do with. And the party scene is fantastic because almost every party thrown by C.C. students has a theme and a very vast majority of the kids who go th them dress up for the theme. The best thing about Colorado College is the people. C.C attracts some of the most interesting people you could ever meet. This last year I lived with a belly dancer, a kid who started a senior club whose sole purpose was to break onto the roof of every building on campus to and repel off of them, and a guy who made $6,000 selling organic cotton tee shirts and now lives in an RV still selling them.

The main thing to note about Colorado College, in my opinion, is the block plan. We take one class at a time, each for 3 and a half weeks. You have class every day, usually from 9-12, and then lab in the afternoon if applicable. I love it because you really learn a lot in a short amount of time. It's hard work, and there's lots of homework, but it's also very rewarding. It's a small school, so you recognize almost everyone on campus, including the professors, which is great. Almost all of the professors encourage students to call them by their first name, and you really feel like you can talk to them about anything. Also, the campus is very small but nice. We're right at the foot of Pikes Peak, and it really starts to feel like home before you know it. Students are required to live on campus for at least 3 years, which can be a bummer if you get stuck in the dorms, but there are really nice apartments and houses on campus, too. The dorms aren't the nicest, and they tend to be loud and smell of alcohol and pot, but then again, most dorms probably do. There's ALWAYS something to do on campus. The schedule is insanely packed. There are loads of speakers, concerts, performances, clubs, sports, and just about anything else you could imagine. In fact, it can be quite overwhelming because there's just too much to do and so little time!

CC is the perfect sized school because it forces you to meet ppl. outside of your circle of friends. For example, our hockey team which is generally top 10 in the country are a tight-knit group, but not in the same way I have experienced sports teams at other schools. They are always out and about hanging out with students of all types on campus. The notion of exclusivity really doesn't apply to Colorado College. It is a very inclusive place with lots of outgoing friendly people. Most people after class when its nice out hang out on the fields or in the quad near the dorms playing beach volleyball, football, or the ever-popular campus golf (golf club and a tennis ball with a random targer as the hole). The hockey team is definately at the epicenter of our school pride and CC - DU games are always rowdy and fun.

the best thing about colorado college are the professors and classes. they are interesting and engaging most of the time. the professors know you on a personal basis by the end of the first week and take an interest in you. the more effort you give for them, the more they will give for you. i would change the housing situation and the class selection methods. I feel that if i want to take a class i should be able to take it without 'bidding' points on them and not being sure if i will get into the class. For required introductory and prerequisite courses, i think they should be offered every block since many people need to take them, and it can be very difficult trying to get into the classes you need if they are popular. I think the school size is just right. While the population is not very large, I do not know everyone on campus and only see a small percentage on a regular basis. The campus is a good size. I can walk across campus in 10 minutes, and on the weekends I don't have to drive anywhere because everyone lives within a block or so of the campus. Colorado Springs is not a college town. CC is in a liberal open minded bubble near downtown, and Colorado Springs is quite the opposite. Not a terrible place, but quite mellow. There is a lot of school pride for the hockey team. For the D3 teams there are loyal friends who attend the games on a regular basis. Recent controversies include 'black face' incident, a certain problematic fraternity.

The first thing that attracted me to Colorado College was how nice everyone was. The staff, faculty and students usually have a really pleasant disposition and it’s just great to be in that kind of atmosphere. I was talking to a friend who goes to a really prestigious school on the east coast and he said he really liked it but it was kind of a sink or swim atmosphere where the administration didn’t really seem to personally care about their students. I would say is the opposite of CC. If I have an issue I have no problem finding a staff or faculty member I can turn to. I would say the motto I’ve attributed to CC is work hard, play hard. And I don’t just mean partying in the stereotypical college sense. The people at CC have such a sense of adventure that after three and a half weeks of intense studying on the block plan many people just get off campus for block break and go adventuring. I’ve seen more of Colorado and the surrounding area since I’ve been at CC than growing up in Colorado my entire life. I think part of the reason everyone goes off campus for block breaks though is because living in Colorado Springs can be kind of stifling. And I’m not really referring to our ‘strained relationship between the college and the city’ but rather the lack of public transportation. Without a car it’s hard to get off campus and there really isn’t much to do in Colorado Springs, it’s kind of the perfect example of a bad urban sprawl. Not very many people know about CC but I think that’s quickly changing and when people have heard of CC they always respond in the same way, “Good for you.” There have been a lot of controversies recently and the administration does a good job of trying to cover it up but I would say that a lot of it has been blown out of proportion. I am not a huge fan of President Dick Celeste and his administration because I feel like they are changing part of what makes CC a great place to be. It’s hard to put my finger on what that is but I have definitely seen a change in my three years at the school as Celeste is hoping to increase our number in the rankings. It’s becoming more like an east coast school and no offense to you east-coasters, but there is a reason I didn’t go to school out there. There isn’t a lot of school pride in the traditional sport-related sense (except, of course, when it comes to our superb hockey team) but I think many of the students and faculty just love CC. There have been times I’ve been so fed up with the school but after going abroad to a different university I’ve realized how lucky I am to go to CC and how much I truly do love the school. There is definitely a reason our retention rate is one of the highest in the country.

the best thing about cc is that everyone has something to be excited about, it's incredible to be surrounded by that kind of energy for four years. anyone i ever met who graduated from cc was always so excited to hear that i went there too and would ask me about professors or students i might know from my time there. i spent the majority of my time outside with friends, facilitated by the block plan, because everyone's in class at the same time and get out at the same time. except of course when you're in a really hard block, then you spend most of your time in the library, but no matter how hard, 3.5 weeks will be over soon, and when you spend every waking hour with the same kids from that class, new friends are inevitable. controversies are inevitable as well, but i don't think they reflect the big picture, i think they are a result of more localized issues/confusion/frustration.

The one thing that I would change about CC would be its diversity in terms of race. Most of the students who attend CC come from wealthy families. So, people get along really well because they have been raised in similar conditions (from the surburbs of big cities). However, CC lacks significant diversity in ethnicity. At CC, I would say there are no more than 50 African American/Africans. At the same time there aren't many other ethnicities in the majority other than Caucasians. Even though there is an big gap in diversity, people get along well because they come from similar conditions. Another thing that puts a damper at CC is the lack of transportation in the Colorado Springs area. It is very difficult to make a trip to Denver or Boulder if one does not have a car. However, people with cars are very generous in giving people rides for a buck or two for gas.

Colorado College is awesome. If you like the idea of the block plan and you think it will work for you, this is the only place to go to school. The size, even though it sounds small, seems surprisingly large when you're in it. I was still meeting new people up until the day I graduated. When I tell people I just graduated from CC, if they know anything about it, you can tell right off the bat they're jealous. Students at CC learn more, do more, and have way more fun than any other school in the country. It is an incredible school in the even more incredible Rocky Mountain West, and if you're lucky enough to get in you should go! Or at least visit and try it out. I will never trade my years there for anything. I met more interesting and amazing people there than anywhere else. I learned more, tried more new things, and grew more than anywhere else either. One of my favorite things is the strong bond between students and professors. You really get to know teachers since they take the classes out to breakfast in their homes, do barbeques, spend time at Baca and the Cabin, etc. Basically, CC is awesome.

The first semester at CC was difficult since everyone seemed to form cliques so quickly, and from then on, it is difficult making friends since these cliques almost close off. Personally, I initially found myself part of the wrong one, and slowly began to find "my people." By 8th block, my group of friends was clearly one that I wanted to keep.

CC is a wonderful place, and Colorado is unbeatable. The size of the Springs is fine; you have an easily accessible airport and all the chain stores you want to cheaply furnish your quarters. There are a handfull of good restaurants, and if you get bored or crave good shopping, Denver is just an hour away. I love that it is so sunny CC, and you can always find people outside having fun and playing. The block plan is quite conducive to socializing since everyone gets out of class at the same time. Having the same schedule as your classmates provides ample opportunity to hang out with people you haven't seen in a while.

Colorado College is like a home. You know the people you go to school with. The teachers know who you are. When trouble hits, there is always adults and administrators willing to work with you and help you. You aren't a number at CC. Is CC too small? I'll tell you a story. Freshman year I dated another Freshman who pledged a fraternity. By the end of Freshman year and into Sophomore year I was dating a Junior in a different fraternity. When we broke up, I made the poor choice of spending time with a senior who played on the soccer team. Three weeks later, they are all in class in Italy together and are now inseparable. It's times like that when Colorado College campus seems WAY too small. Trying to avoid someone on CC campus? Nearly impossible. On the other hand, though, it's nice when you see people you know in the library, at lunch, or walking to and from class. You feel like you fit in somewhere. As the years have progressed, my class has turned into a family. Those of us that run in similar social circles know each other and hang out. It's nice, really. Colorado Springs is not the best place to live. There is a fair amount of crime around campus, especially for Colorado. A small portion of downtown is nice and there are a few areas around the outskirts of the city that are nice as well. Most of C. Springs is urban sprawl with a lot of pay by the hour motels and tattoo parlors. C. Springs people are generally conservative, sharing views held by very few CC kids.

Best thing: Broomball Change: the way all departments at CC treat transfer students Size: Feels smaller than it is Reaction: People think I go to community college...not that there's anything wrong with that Time spent on campus: training room College town: C Springs? NO Administration: I have know idea who runs this place, but it's been made perfectly obvious to me that the activities and interests I have aren't a priority Campus controversy: P.C. Mania School Pride: School arrogance maybe, but school pride...not feeling it. Unusual: CC is not actually as unusual as we advertise to be Experience to remember: The time I've spent at work getting to know people outside the CC bubble; memorable because I felt that these experiences held greater significance than the inter-bubble ones Frequent Complaints: Other people complain about a lot of other different things. I guess it depends on who you are and where you come from

The view is amazing. There are also great opportunities in the arts. But the best thing would have to be the block plan. I went to a huge state school previously and the block plan is so much better than the semester system. I spend most of my time doing activities outside of school. Since I am a studio are major I spend a lot of time in the studio as well. During the spring and even in the beginning of Fall everyone is outside tanning and playing on the quad. It's great having everyone out of class at the same time. The actual city of Colorado Springs isn't anything special, but it is a perfect little town and has great food spots within walking distance. It is also very beautiful with Pikes Peak right there. The only thing that I would change would be the gym facilities. They just put all new athletic stuff in the gym but still it is really small and gets really crowded during certain athletic seasons. Most of my friends just end up going 24 hour fitness because they have a student deal and really good facilities.

CC is an amazing place. It has a student body that takes advantage of its location, and the block plan facilitates individuality in academics and outside interests though some people don't like it. Students are athletic and attractive. Some mindsets are overly and restrictively politically correct. The geology department is incredable since you take a lot of field trips. Colorado Springs is a let down but if you know where to go, it has some gems (Bristol Brewery, Jack Quinns Pub, Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, The Omlette Parlor, 15C Cigar Bar). The administration needs to be much more transparent in faculty tenure decisions and diciplinary issues. There is a lot of school pride. The students often complain about the food, but the reality is that it is pretty good and always getting better; complaining about the food is just an unspoken tradition.

Size is great. City isn't all that great, there is NO college town. People automatically assume that I am a tree hugging hippy because I go to CC. Not the biggest fan of the administration but they are mostly okay. The frats keep getting into trouble which ruins the party atmosphere because the sororities can't have parties. The cost of food on campus is ridiculously high, but people are working on changing that.

CC is a super-liberal bubble within the conservative fortress of Colorado Springs. This makes for some very interesting town-college dynamics. Within the bubble itself, things are usually pretty great. I thought the size (i.e. student population) was about perfect, and the campus is pretty beautiful, with a great view of Pikes Peak. It's located in the middle of downtown (not exactly a teeming metropolis, but enough to offer entertainment and a decent nightlife) but close enough to the mountains to make hiking, camping, and skiing convenient. The professors are usually pretty awesome (you call them all by their first names!) and the classes are small enough to facilitate discussion. The administration and the students have a love-hate relationship, but they tend to balance each other out well. Overall, I wouldn't have wanted to go to college anywhere else.

I wish we could lift up the school and put it elsewhere, it's a terrible town. I also wish that the type of person that was admitted when I was a freshmen were still around. Most kids at CC right now are very cookie-cutter and unimpresive. The administration is completely zombie, as it is at most schools, entirely too politically correct and obnoxious about common sense things, while coming to take action in roundabout and ineffective ways.

CC's a great school. Unique and strange, but a great place to spend four years. Colorado Springs is a beautiful city and we're blessed to have such great outdoor activities so close by. CC students often claim to be open-minded but seem to be so only with their particular issues. I have only recently seen CC students reach out to those across the political spectrum who live near us. Students here love the block plan and the intensity that it brings. I have been on some great block breaks with my friends and I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world. There are some incredible professors here who have literally changed my life. I have had the opportunity to study abroad in three different places. CC's block plan allows that type of flexibility.