<p>Colorado would cost me about 10,000 more than elmhurst but it is a much much more prestigious and unique school than Elmhurst. However, i don't know if i would fit in at Colorado because i am not an outdoors enthusiast and don't ski or anything. I'm really into hip hop music/culture and think possibly Elmhurst (being about 30 min away from chicago) would be more culturally my thing. However, i don't know nearly as much as i should about CC or Colorado Springs (where it is located). Basically just tell me what you'd do.</p>
<p>I’d repeat the same thing I just said to a “Macalester vs. Colby” poster:
ideally you want to move out of your comfort zone, into a zone of challenge, but not so far out that you are entering a zone of peril. Swim with the colorful fishes, but stay away from the sharks.</p>
<p>Sounds like you are clinging to your comfort zone. </p>
<p>My S is very outdoorsy but also into modern rock, folk, blue grass, and possibly other stuff I do not understand anymore. He liked the CC music scene. At one of the events for prospective students, he really hit it off with a music professor who has been there for years and years.</p>
<p>He also liked Colorado Springs despite its very conservative rep. CC is kinda ideal that way. It gives you unparalleled access to outdoor recreation, but unlike a lot of other LACs, it is in a city. </p>
<p>As for the $10K diff, that’s about what we’re confronting too (actually, our diff is more like $20K between CC and a public). That’s per year, right? Is that after adding up what you can earn from a job and what you plan to borrow? If it’s $10K that you can make up by working and borrowing, I don’t think it’s a huge gap. If it’s $10K X 4, and it has to come out of your parents’ retirement or home equity, it becomes a tougher call.</p>
<p>Well, I wouldn’t recommend Colorado Springs comfort zone or no comfort zone. Colorado Springs is a small and not terribly interesting city that is overwhelmingly white (with a Latino lower/working class) Christian and conservative. The students at CC are liberal and intellectual and many feel odd in that setting. The school has also a block schedule which isn’t for everyone and not ideal for some fields. And although Colorado Springs isn’t close to the good ski resorts, the culture is still very much about the outdoors (hiking, climbing, fishing and even hunting.)</p>
<p>I would really recommend a visit to the campus before you commit to this school. And if you can’t visit, I’d err on the safer (and cheaper) choice of Elmhurst.</p>
<p>However, the suburban area around Elmhurst College is also very conservative, not particularly diverse and not particularly interesting. (I attended high school and community college in the same county where Elmhurst College is located.) The only real difference is the proximity to Chicago. Elmhurst and surrounding suburbs are culturally very different from the City of Chicago.</p>
<p>Have you visited both colleges and gotten a sense of what types of people go there?</p>
<p>Here’s a comment I just saw on a “Culture of CC” thread:
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<p>If you are into hip hop music/culture, this is not your school. Extremely conservative and you would probably feel out of place. Aim for larger city schools and you’ll find what you are looking for.</p>
<p>I have to say that this is the first time I’ve ever heard of Elmhurst, and I have heard of a LOT of colleges. 
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<p>I’m assuming that if you applied to CC, you know all about its block scheduling and the like. </p>
<p>I’d go to CC. Assuming that these are the only two schools you can choose between. </p>
<p>If you haven’t applied yet, I’d cast a wider net.</p>
<p>I grew up in Denver and currently still live here. I have a low opinion of Colorado Springs. It is about an hour south of Denver and boasts some great outdoor recreation. However, beyond its proximity and fun hiking trails, I can’t imagine another reason for going there. The city is very politically and socially conservative, it’s the home of “focus on the family” and headquarters for some mega churches, including Haggard and other nasty individuals. The economy of the springs is in large part dependent on the military as NORAD, US Airforce academy, Peterson and Schriever bases. The city shuts down on Sunday so don’t plan on eating in a restaurant or going shopping then.</p>
<p>As far as Elmhurst goes, I don’t know anything about the school but I lived in the Midwest for several years and really enjoyed the culture there. Chicago is an amazing city with world class attractions, endless possibilities for entertainment, top notch concerts/restaurants/cultural celebrations. The city itself is a bit congested and traffic is a *****.</p>
<p>While I can’t speak to the schools you are considering specifically, Chicago beats out Colorado Springs with both hands tied behind its back.</p>
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<p>To which school are you referring, Strchild3? Colorado College or Elmhurst?
Colorado College is not conservative at all, in fact it is very liberal. The surrounding city is home to many conservative Christian organizations. Maybe I’'m wrong but as far as I know, they don’t run City Hall or the police department.</p>
<p>I’ve been assuming that the OP has been accepted to these 2 colleges and needs to decide by Friday (May 1). True?</p>
<p>Elmhurst is NOT Chicago socially or culturally. Don’t go there on the assumption that you’ll find lots of fellow urban enthusiasts. I love Chicago and I’m a big-city girl in general, but I’d take CC in a heartbeat if I were making this choice.</p>