We visited UCCS and our admission group had about 15 students, none from the state of CO! They came from the midwest (Chicago), TX, CA, WA, etc. We also are not from CO and my child has already decided to attend there next year due to the the smaller campus, location, and automatic scholarship he qualifies for. I know people who live in Colorado Springs and Denver, and from what I’ve been told, UCCS is growing rapidly and attracting more OOS students, which will make for a more ideologically balanced atmosphere. For several years, there has been a requirement to live on campus the first year unless you live within a close proximity of Colorado Springs, so that is diminishing the previous commuter school reputation that some adults think of from many years ago.
While there are conservative groups in Colorado Springs, the city itself is considered moderate. In comparison to Boulder, which is very liberal, I assume a moderate label may come across as conservative to some. We are liberal, although my son doesn’t care about politics and doesn’t engage in political conversation. When I think of conservative colleges in CO, Colorado Christian comes to mind before others.
Good luck. Choosing a college can be difficult, but I believe in going with your gut. If your child feels comfortable and enjoyed a visit somewhere, it means something.
Regis itself if not that conservative. The staff and professors aren’t. Some of the students I know who attend/have attended are pretty conservative, but that’s because those I know are from our very conservative Catholic grade school. Regis is becoming known for pharmacy and nursing. I know the priest who was president of the college for about 25 years and he was very accepting of everyone, very ‘jesuit’ in his views of education and social justice. He’s now at the Jesuit College association, but he definitely left a legacy at Regis with the staff and faculty hiring over 25 years that is still there. The school is in an old area of Denver, so the neighborhood would be a little more conservative too.
The students I know at UC-CS (by they way, the only time you’ll see a U of Colorado school abbreviated UC instead of CU) are also very conservative. I disagree that Colo Springs is becoming more liberal. Colorado College sits in a little bubble, but having a liberal school in a conservative town doesn’t change the TV news, newspapers, city events (which are heavily military focused). The school is less of a commuter school than it was. It is growing, mostly by attracting Colorado students from other areas who live in dorms and hang out on campus.
Another school to consider is Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction. It has grown a lot. Grand Junction is close to great skiing.
I second Colorado Mesa as a choice. My daughter originally planned to go to UNC in Greeley but once she visited Mesa, she changed her mind. The facilities (the rec center/natatorium, especially) are impressive, the location is great (so close to many outdoor activities) and the school culture is diverse. It’s affordable and has great programs. www.coloradomesa.edu
I can give you the “Boulder Liberal” view! I actually don’t know a single kid who even applied to UC-CS or Regis (though one teacher recommended Regis to my D11). Popular destinations for the kids I know include CU-Boulder, CSU (Fort Collins), UNC (Greeley), Fort Lewis (Durango), and Colorado College. I know several who have gone to Lewis & Clark and liked it. My D17 and I loved Gonzaga and WWU and she felt pretty at home both places.