We just returned from a 2 night/3 day trip to Colorado to tour 3 colleges with D24. She has been thinking small LACs are the best fit for her, but isn’t 100% sure, so wanted to check out small, medium, and large sized options, with focus on almost-sure admits but threw in a reach as well.
University of Denver - UP
We knew almost nothing about this school but arrived in Denver Monday afternoon so signed up for an info session and tour to use our time in Denver efficiently. Flight delay made us miss the info session, but we managed to make it to the tour. We loved the guide, a smart, funny and very involved senior from SoCal. Campus is nice-looking, enclosed yet in the city (not right downtown but near light rail which can get you downtown in 15 minutes). Lots of good things about the school including nicer dorms, LLCs, athletic facilities and robust alpine club/outdoor opportunities, lots of majors and easy to change majors while exploring (important to D24). We were pleasantly surprised, lots to like here, and she’s added to her list of safeties, likes that she’d get merit aid, might apply. Would need to be there when students are there to determine vibe to know more.
Colorado College -UP
By far the favorite on this trip and maybe overall of any place we’ve visited. She kind of fell in love with CC’s beautiful campus and unique block plan and can really see herself here. Expensive, so expensive. We would get no aid here and of course there’s no merit aid as a highly sought after LAC with a great reputation, unique location and academic niche. A high reach due to extremely low admit rates, but according to SCOIR, kids from her school with her stats have been admitted in years past (although tougher admit in recent years, like most highly selective schools). Might apply EA, doesn’t want to commit to ED for now, but who knows, things may change.
CU Boulder - DOWN
Beautiful campus, fun place, incredible recreational athletic facility and lots to choose from academically. This place feels like a private school, facilities are new, nice and spotless (we joked that the high OOS tuition helped run the school). I can see it being a great fit for some kids, but felt a little big, and maybe impersonal to D24. She is currently undecided in major, but program in Exploratory Studies felt a little non-rigorous to her, and vibe a little “bro-culture,” but we probably shouldn’t judge since not many students were around. I think the party-school reputation, even though perhaps no longer accurate, is not to her liking. I think overall a fine place, but not necessarily better than other options she has that might be a better fit, especially since she’s thinking she prefers small (which became more clear after this visit).
On a side note, air travel is insane this summer. We all dislike it so much that it might sway her to focus primarily on schools within driving distance of home. But it was fun to be in Denver when the Nuggets won the NBA championship, that is sure a city that loves their pro sports teams! 