<p>I'm a senior that has applied to the Colorado School of Mines and the University of Wyoming. I'm an avid swimmer looking to bring college costs as low as possible. I'm also looking to have a good time at college, whether it includes parties, outdoors stuff, socializing, etc. I have narrowed my 8 month college search to these two institutions as far as where I want to go. I'm looking to major in Petroleum Engineering, and I'm posting here to hear any insight from anyone outside of my family and friends b/c I have presented this issue and I'm still undecided between these two schools. Please provide any insight or wisdom if possible.</p>
<p>I visited CSM during spring break of my junior year. At the time, I loved walking through the campus and what the college had to offer. It was clear they had one of the best Petroleum programs in the nation, internships were plentiful, and I would have a secure job as soon as I graduated. It was also in an ideal location because I love to snowboard and with Denver 20 min away, Who knows what I could do in the city! HOWEVER, I know I will be paying for college by myself, and with CSM's out-of-state at roughly $21,000 after an institution-specific scholarship, I will be facing a lot of debt. As far as a potential DII swimming scholarship, they don't offer anything that would really help me out. CSM is also known for it's severe academic rigor (as any engineering program should), but because it is only an engineering institution, women are limited, parties are scarce, and I feel as if 80% of the students are just anti-social computer geeks.</p>
<p>I will be visiting UW in a couple of weeks, mainly to discover if I could graduate from their petroleum program with a similar skillset and job oppritunities that CSM can offer. I'm still in the mountains, so there are still places to snowboard and do outdoors stuff. Yet, I have more oppritunities to bring my college costs down. After a scholarship I qualify for at UW, I could have a tuition of $8,500. I also have an oppritunity to swim on their DI swim team and possibly for a scholarship of some sort as well. Looking at UW as a whole, I believe there is more of a true collegiate atmosphere than CSM has to offer.</p>
<p>So in case you skipped everything above :) here's the summary. Should I go to a expensive school that will present an amazing opprituntiy to be successful, or an inexpensive school where I can truely enjoy the best years of my life?</p>