Academics
Students are drawn to Colorado College for its unique Block Plan, in which students take one intensive class at a time. The academic year is structured as eight blocks of three to five weeks each, punctuated by five-day breaks. Students find the Block Plan empowers them to participate in “a strongly immersive approach to education,” reporting that “the classes are very challenging, but after cramming in a semester’s worth of calculus in four weeks, you basically feel like you can conquer anything.” It’s a challenge that students appreciate: “Colorado College abhors mediocrity; either you succeed more than you ever thought possible, or fail in spectacular ways.” Academically, students “love the class sizes and classes. I feel fully invested in each class I take here.” The “intense and exhausting” pace of block classes provides “more opportunities for growth” and bonds students and professors: “In my last block the professor was spending the whole morning afternoon—and evening—with us!” admires one student, while another adds that, I have been amazed at the extent to which the block plan allows each student to delve into their course material.” The small classes “do away with student anonymity” and “foster excellent discussion and intellectual growth.” Students also appreciate the “internship opportunities” and “preparation for post-graduation” offered by the school, often in concert with the “ability to study off campus or abroad.” Colorado College undergrads see their objective as “pursuing excellence through diverse and rich viewpoints” and “immersion in a dynamic array of intellectual endeavors.” “They genuinely value the college’s “great support system and connections,” which provide for accessible “opportunities to learn off campus.” Ultimately, “The shared values of intellectual engagement, physical and mental health, passion, and a sense of adventure define Colorado College’s spirit.”
Student Body
Colorado College undergrads respect each other, saying that “everyone here is very intelligent” to the point at which it seems that “almost everyone was a valedictorian or salutatorian.” In equal measure, “CC students have passion for academic and outdoor pursuits,” as evidenced by one student’s depiction of “intellectual discussion about our impact on nature while rock climbing.” Some describe the population as full of “rich hippies,” and while that’s likely an exaggeration, students do note that they’d like more diversity. That said, students see well beyond themselves: “The typical student is well-traveled, intelligent...quirky, outdoorsy, and a bit of a hipster.” CC students “are usually very accepting and friendly,” as well as “largely involved with their community, environment and academics” and “very vocal about their opinions.”
Campus Life
“Life at school is very busy,” and there’s a lot of “focused study” at Colorado College, but one need only look out at Pikes Peak to get “a constant reminder about how beautiful of a state we are in.” There’s an emphasis on “working diligently, so that free time can be appreciated to its fullest,” and students note that “outdoor activities are a big thing here.” Indeed, you’ll find that “slacklining, doing homework in the sun, and playing guitar on the lawn all happen when it’s nice out. Sledding and skiing down campus hills, snowball fights, and fire pits happen in the winter.” Despite this athletic emphasis, “people are pretty accepting [of] what you like doing for fun” and “the common slang is ‘you do you.’ ...Another thing I like is there is no peer pressure to get involved with substances.” Students note that “you really don’t have to leave campus if you don’t want to,” but if you do, downtown Colorado Springs “is only about a 10-minute walk from campus, and there are many interesting restaurants to dine at for special occasions or a fun night out.” In sum, the Colorado College experience is one of “non-competitive, non-judgmental, intellectual and physical adventure on the Block Plan in the little warm nest of the Rockies.”
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