I got accepted into both CU and Colorado school of mines, and I have no idea which one to choose. As a major I would probably do either mechanical engineering or computer science at Colorado school of mines, and at CU I would do either Aerospace engineering or computer science so what school has a better program for that? I know CU is more of a party school and at school of mines you have to work harder, but in your opinion what school should I go to. Thanks!
They are very different schools and you should tour them if at all possible. My son was struck by the social aspect at Mines - few girls, lots of guys who don’t look like they do much outside of their dorm rooms. He is not a big partier, but does like to get involved. Golden and Boulder are also starkly different and Mines is a much smaller campus. You would probably get a solid education at both. Look for old threads on CC that compare the two.
My sister got into both and really liked both schools. At the end, I think she decided she sometimes wanted to be around people that weren’t in engineering (she is involved in music and a lot of clubs) and she really liked the feel of Boulder. Golden is a great little town, and she really liked the school and professors. But she decided just wanted to live in a bigger town with more to do, with a more diverse student population. Some people choose Boulder because there are so many majors so if you decide to switch to something completely different you don’t have to switch schools. And the Aerospace Department is highly rated. But Mines is an amazing school and a lot of people love it. I think the best way to decide is to visit and see which one feels right. And as far as the partying image, lots of students party at CU. But my sister said engineering majors don’t last if they don’t learn how to study. She lived in a quiet engineering dorm and found people like herself that wanted to have fun, but always get their work done. It has been a good balance.
We toured both. They are very, very different but both great. My husband and I loved that Mines was a serious engineering school that felt like a college, with all the extra attention that would give you. Our son wanted something bigger, but was concerned about the amount of stoners in Boulder. (He finds them annoying.). If I were your mom, I would hope you picked Mines. It seems that those in the know rank Mines far higher than US News does.
Oh, I forgot to add. He will be going elsewhere to an equally good flagship that gave him more funding.
I was between CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines but ultimately ended up deciding CU Boulder was the better fit. The outdoor activities, the good academics and the beautiful campus really swayed me in the end.