<p>I'm looking at both these colleges very seriously, but am unsure which fits me better. I want to pursue a career in journalism/writing, while also mixing it with environmental science and some social sciences. I am an avid outdoor enthusiast, and would love it if I could ski, rock climb, swim, and hike in the areas around the school. Any ideas on what to do? Which has a better campus life? The block plan at Colorado is a very cool concept, and my science teacher went there and fully endorses it. Any help would be most appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>what year are you and what math class are you currently taking and how are you doing in it?</p>
<p>These things so often come down to money, OP. What have your parents said they will provide and what have the net price calculators shown?</p>
<p>I’m taking Calculus presently and have an A. Both are quite pricey, but I know Whitman does well at helping students. How is Colorado at this?</p>
<p>Colorado College seems to be good with need-based aid for those students it accepts.
For 2013-14 it claimed to cover, on average, 99.9% of demonstrated need.
Whitman claims to cover, on average, 93%.
(Source: 2013-14 Common Data Set).</p>
<p>Use the online net price calculators to estimate your own costs.</p>
<p>As long as you are good with the block plan at Colorado, it could be a good choice for you. D took a hard look at it and decided she had no desire to take four pre-med chemistry courses in three and a half weeks each. Colorado College does come with a bit more prestige and name recognition, if only for it’s quirkiness, if that’s a factor.</p>
<p>For the right students, either is a great choice. Good luck.</p>
<p>Whitman has a higher acceptance rate that CC and gives merit aid, it’s further off the beaten path and that effects its yield, so it does try to entice high achievers. My son went to Whitman and loved the experience, he was an active participant in the award winning Outdoor Program and he left with some very enviable skills. </p>
<p>The Semester in the West at Whitman sounds perfect for your stated academic goals; faculty and students spend a semester traveling through the west studying the pressing environmental and political issues first hand. They visit the sources and interview the experts about water, energy, conservation, ranching, immigration and more.</p>
<p>I have a very good friend who went to CC and studied geology. She said that the block plan was perfect for science, geology in particular, because the whole class could take to the hills and immerse themselves in the subject matter. She wasn’t as thrilled about the block plan for the humanities classes, she said it was very hard to read all the material and write all the papers in such a concentrated time span. Just something for you to investigate.</p>
<p>If you can, visit both campuses and good luck.</p>
<p>Hey I’m applying to both these schools too :)! I’m interested in journalism a bit as well, or at least writing for the school paper. I’ve visited both campuses and know a few people who attend CC; also my physics teacher graduated from Whitman, so I can offer you some insight.</p>
<p>As they said Whitman does have a higher acceptance rate but I think the academics there really are underrated. They have an excellent environmentally conscious culture on campus and are really strong in both science and humanities. As far as outdoor activities, Walla Walla is kinda in the middle of nowhere, but Whitman does have a really strong outdoor program that has trips to cool places nearby pretty much every weekend. A lot of people there are into the outdoors. They also have a really kick ass climbing wall. Whitman is known for having a really friendly campus community, but when I visited I was a little disappointed that it did not seem to be very diverse. </p>
<p>I know CC offers a minor in journalism, so that could be an advantage. They also have a new program where they bring in nationally renowned journalists for lectures and classes: <a href=“https://www.coloradocollege.edu/newsevents/newsroom/cc-launches-journalist-in-residence-program?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ColoradoCollegeheadlines+(Recent+Headlines+at+Colorado+College)#.VHNUCmTF9kI”>https://www.coloradocollege.edu/newsevents/newsroom/cc-launches-journalist-in-residence-program?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ColoradoCollegeheadlines+(Recent+Headlines+at+Colorado+College)#.VHNUCmTF9kI</a>. The Cipher magazine is a really cool student-run alternative news magazine that just got nominated for a national award. As for bopambo’s comment about the Block Plan being good for science but not for humanities, I’ve heard just the opposite. I guess it just depends on your perspective. CC is about as good as you will get with regards to outdoor opportunities. The girl I know who goes there literally posts pictures of climbing, skiing, backpacking trips every weekend. And Block Breaks are AWESOME for outdoor adventures of all kind! The environmental science/ environmentally conscious culture is strong there as well. CC seems to be a bit more of a “stoner” school, but from what I know you can avoid that if you’re not into it. </p>
<p>It sounds like we have a lot in common to where we are applying and what we want to do, so let me know if you have any more questions! Good luck! </p>
<p>skibumphysicist, have you visited CC yet? I think you’ll find that diversity is also lacking there . It’s a problem at most small liberal arts colleges. Whitman has been trying very hard to change that, but the battle is ongoing. A large fund raising effort is almost complete and will help to fund more low income students.</p>
<p>Hi @bbrowne, you can’t go wrong with either school, that is the good news! If you are undecided apply to both, see what happens, see which gives you the best FA package, because they are two truly exceptional schools. The only way you’ll ever be sure- if there is such a thing- is to visit so you get a feel for the campus, students, and classes.</p>
<p>I am biased as I am a CC grad. I graduated a while ago- my oldest D applied to CC this year EA- but I can speak to both the sciences and history department since I was a history major and pre-vet (went to vet school post CC). I’m just a huge fan of the block plan. Two blocks in a row of Organic Chem was pretty brutal, I won’t lie about that one. But it was manageable, and it was over in 7 weeks as opposed to spread out over an entire year! Personally I think the sciences are fabulous under the block plan. I loved the history department (which is why I chose it for my major) and found the workload reasonable. You get used to the ebb and flow of the work load pretty quickly on the block plan. Some classes are just plain more demanding than others. And that goes for any department, whether your class is in the humanities or the sciences.</p>
<p>One aspect of the block plan that I hadn’t fully reflected upon before embarking on the many college visits with my own D this past year is that the block plan attracts a certain kind of special professor that thrives teaching on the block plan. Imagine these professors preparing for and facilitating 3-6 hours of lecture/discussion/lab daily, 5 days a week, for 3.5 weeks. It is intense for them as well as their students. But their passion really comes through in the classroom, and that classroom experience is yet another element of a Colorado College education that is so phenomenal. I warned you I am biased :)</p>
<p>Best of luck on your college search, I have heard only the best reports regarding Whitman. Like i said, you simply can’t go wrong with either school!</p>
<p>@bopambo Yes, CC is not very diverse either, but did seem to be more so than Whitman. US News ranked CC’s diversity index as .42 compared to Whitman’s as .36. (<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/campus-ethnic-diversity/page+5So”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/campus-ethnic-diversity/page+5So</a>), neither of them are awesome on it but CC does appear to be doing a little better… </p>
<p>my daughter went to CC and is an avid hiker, skier, climber. she then went to Stanford for a masters in journalism. I know a lot of kids who go to Whitman and they love it. It’s isolated but they make a huge effort to provide a lot of opportunities for the kids. both are great schools. I’d probably give CC the edge because of the incredible setting–and the block plan allows you to get out more frequently to take advantage of it. best of luck!</p>
<p>skibumphysicist, I think Whitman is a great place for an excellent education and Walla Walla is a wonderful place to live, however, it’s location has always been a minus for some, while being a plus for others. Many people won’t take a closer look because of the all day effort it takes to get there, and I’m sure if your travel budget is very limited you won’t be looking for schools too far away from transportation hubs. There are inexpensive ways to get there, but they aren’t always obvious. Flying into Pasco and taking a shuttle bus to Walla Walla is one way to save quite a bit.</p>
<p>As lr4550 said, both schools are great and you can’t go wrong at either one. I believe that visiting and feeling the vibe at each place is worth a million times more than the opinions of strangers. If you possibly can, go breathe the air, walk the corridors and quiz the students at both places. That at least was my son’s experience, he just felt it.</p>
<p>Apply to both, then compare your FA packages and go to accepted student days at each. You don’t have to pick now… and probably shouldn’t anyway until you have done those two things.</p>
<p>And maybe you may not even get accepted to one of them. CC has a pretty low admittance rate, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you aren’t accepted even if you are a darn good student.</p>
<p>But to echo previous posters, compare FA packages and weigh that with how much you want to go to each one.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the help! I’m kind of leaning towards CC because of the block plan, and amazing outdoor opportunities available. </p>
<p>What’s the block plan? Can anyone explain </p>
<p>
Every course, from the History of Architecture to Intermediate Hebrew to Field Zoology, is taught using a 1,000 piece Lego brick set. Nothing more, nothing less.</p>
<p><a href=“The Block Plan - Colorado College”>https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/blockplan/</a></p>
<p>Did he get accepted? I don’t remeebr he applied early decision</p>