University of Denver

Academics

At the University of Denver—the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region—the faculty and staff are “extremely dedicated to ensuring that the students receive a high-quality, worthwhile education.” The business and accountancy programs are the standouts of the “plethora of classes to choose from,” but the school is all about “a global view and interdisciplinary courses” and so has one of the best study abroad programs in the nation, giving students the option to do so without straying from their majors or incurring additional expense, and offering international travel interterm courses to students.

The “lively, passionate” professors teach with hands-on, real-life examples that “prompt students to critically think and apply what is learned in the classroom to our future careers and life.” Teachers usually allow students to dictate speed and amount of discussion on a topic as the class allows, and take a vested interest in each student’s success: They “care more about how you do in the long run than how you may perform in individual classes.” “If you try hard, they will engage with you and truly become your friends.” “The face-to-face time you get with them is a big reason why I feel so connected to my school,” says another student.

Networking here “happens almost without effort; it is ingrained in every aspect of most classes and activities” and there is a “good connection with [the] Denver business community.” DU has “basically every resource on campus for advising, counseling, health, and assistance with school work,” an “awesome” library, and “there are a lot of ’green’ initiatives…it feels quite progressive.” Though the common curriculum isn’t universally beloved, students appreciate that DU runs on a quarterly system, so people “can take more credits than other semester schools…if you don’t like a particular class,...you are done within ten weeks and you can move on with classes you enjoy.”

Student Body

DU has a wide variety of people (the majority being “white and middle to upper class”) who are “pretty driven,” while still “[knowing] how to make time to do something outdoorsy on the weekends.” Everybody “respects themselves and the people around them, especially in the learning environment.” Obviously, everyone here “loves to ski” and social lives are a huge part of the DU campus culture, so “many join club sports, student orgs, or student alliances” through which they “are able to easily find people to relate to.”

Campus Life

DU is close enough to the city of Denver that it is possible for students to head downtown whenever they feel like it (the light rail stops on campus and is free for students), but “far enough away that I still get the ‘campus’ feel.” “The nightlife is great around the DU area (for students of age) and downtown has amazing bars and restaurants.” The residential living communities and programs get high marks, and “there is never a dull moment on campus.” “Everyone is so active and there is so much going on that you almost feel bad if you’re not doing anything,” says a student. “Microbrews! Pub Quizzes! Poetry Slams! Sleep! Reading! Concerts!” sums up another.

If there’s one trait that DU students share, it’s “outdoorsy.” Many students spend their weekends being active, active, active and enjoy meeting people through the Alpine Club, which “sponsors trips to nearby mountains, deserts, and parks for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, biking, and backpacking.” “Find a friend who comes from one of the ski towns, and see if you can bum a ride from them for a weekend on the slopes,” suggests a student. About one-quarter of the student population goes Greek, and intramurals and hockey are huge. Denver also has an amazing music scene; “Red Rocks Amphitheatre is—no exaggeration—the best music venue on the globe.”