Hi, My daughter is trying to decide between Pitzer and Colorado College. Does anyone have experience with both campuses and can comment about the similarities and differences and what might help to make this decision. For example how is the vibe different between the two campuses, the students, the academic rigor, the opportunities upon graduating, dorm life, etc. We understand the differences between the block plan and the more traditional semester based approach, so we are interested in other factors that may not be as easy to assess. Thanks!
Among the top 50 (or more) LACs, as far as I can tell there isn’t too much difference in the opportunities created by the college brand or connections, per se. Unless you’re talking about the military service academies (which open very specific career doors), one LAC diploma is pretty much as good as another for grad school admissions or employment. Your own abilities, level of effort, choice of major, and internship experiences all are likely to matter more.
Pitzer may have an edge in the strength of some departments, CC in others, but these differences aren’t very well documented and analyzed (beyond one-off anecdotal reports or data on specific outcomes such as alumni PhD completions).
So I think this choice comes down to personal preferences (for climate, setting, and yes, the block plan).
Has your daughter done overnight visits to both schools?
Is there a significant net price difference?
Hi, The cost between the two will be about the same and she has been to Pitzer campus for a tour and info session and did an accepted student 2 day event at Colorado College (CC). It seems like CC has smaller class sizes and it might be academically stronger/more challenging but it is hard to tell. And we could not get a feel for how the students would be different or similar in terms of campus life.
CC is surrounded by a more conservative town than Pitzer. I think in general Pitzer students are more liberal – even by college campus standards they lean further left. Pitzer has the other Claremont colleges to add academic and social options. CC has the block schedule. Can she get to a Pitzer admitted student event?
Suggest that you post on the CC and Pitzer individual forums, as well.
I have a D at Pitzer. As intparent stated, Pitzer is very liberal. Like, REALLY liberal. Academics can vary in their level of rigor. The Claremont Consortium (Pitzer, Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Claremont McKenna) means that students can choose from a wider variety of courses. Sometimes a student may wish to take a more rigorous version of a course, sometimes a less rigorous one–the consortium makes that easier to manage. Many students take coursework throughout the consortium, and the enrollment system makes this seamless.
My D says that many Pitzer students graduate without having jobs in hand. Part of this is because it is a younger school; part of this is because a number of Pitzer graduates have the family resources to either go into the family business (the so-called trustafarians) or spend some time figuring out what to do next. That said, I do expect D to be able to find full-time work post-graduation, in part due to her ability to find summer internships that give her a strong resume.
Both schools are in states where recreational marijuana is legal. I don’t know about CC, but pot is definitely more popular than alcohol at Pitzer.
D has found the Pitzer community incredibly supportive in many ways. Students are very open about any individual struggles, be it with eating disorders or family issues or ADHD or etc etc etc. It is most definitely a more cooperative than competitive school. That said, students can get very much up in arms about politics; many see issues in very black and white terms, and can be unwelcoming to those who don’t necessarily agree with their POV. I do wish the school president did more to encourage seeing shades of grey.
I’ve loved the students I’ve met at Pitzer. Articulate, charming, welcoming. I’m sure there are some that are a pain, but walking across campus, D will introduce us the parents to student after student.
Claremont is something of a bubble; there is a train to Los Angeles but it’s not all that close.
No bad choices for your D, just different ones. Best of luck with the decision.
My D chose CC over Pitzer and Scripps. She felt the academics were all strong but after her admitted students visit last week she was in love with the CC commmunity. Of the schools she was admitted to CC was her (and our) last choice until the visit and now we are hooked.