My head is in pain: decision between drastically different colleges (UW & colorado college) ? ;)

College Search & Selection
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Hello! I have discussed this with my mom, but she had literally no opinion. Whatever I said swayed her- we are both for and against both schools. So I turn to you for advice.

Schools to choose between: University of Washington Seattle and Colorado College.
Complications:

  1. I am a freshman at UW Seattle right now and would be a freshman at Colorado College in the fall if I chose to go there- putting my college graduation back 1 year.
  2. I’m not sure how much money my mom has saved. She says it is not a problem, that she has a lot and from my dad too, but the difference in tuition is so extreme that I am worried about this enough that it could be the deciding factor.

Okay. So I currently live at home and commute short distance to school. I was going to move on campus next year probably, maybe but delaying bc of dorms… I like UW Seattle, but not ecstatically. I could go either way…
I’m most swayed by the money and putting off graduation a year to continue going to UW. Also, I like to be close to my mom and sister.

However, I almost feel like I’m still going to high school. (but not in size. It’s so huge and I’m not really sure what I’m doing.)
On the other hand, I’m not sure I would know what I was doing at Colorado College either and I’m not sure I would really fit in that well with its student body. At UW, it seems like there isn’t really a coherent student body, but maybe I’m wrong…

I have read on unigo that a lot of Colorado College students view the college as a liberal bubble (which some see as a positive thing). I’m not conservative or liberal and I’m not sure I would like to be encased in a “liberal bubble”. In the end, it might have no effect on me though.

I’m also overwhelmed by the extreme difference in size between the two. I like that I could take 400 people classes and 20 people classes at UW and I’m not sure I like the format of always very tiny, discussion based classes. (Am I misinformed?) On the other hand, I find it really hard to make any friends at UW.
I started in Winter quarter so that contributed to this as well… But I’m really just going for the classes and then home without talking to anyone except the professor and the bus driver… I think it would be pretty hard to be in the same situation in Colorado College.
But something else I like about UW is the variety of students that also seems to be much less at Colorado College. Although actually I guess I’m a minority of UW too… I guess there would be no real difference then. but UW still seems to have much more economic and ethnic diversity… true? maybe not. Anyway I’m not sure this matters.

In the end, I find myself making excuses to continue going to UW and I wonder if maybe I’m scared to move away. I mean, I know that I am scared, but am I making excuses to convince myself it’s ok to stay somewhere when it might be more beneficial to move, or is it from legitimate observations? I don’t think anyone but me can answer that… but if you want to, take a shot.

I’ve also started to consider that maybe neither school is right for me. This is turning into a diary so I’ll stop.

I’m really confused about how to decide. Any help is really appreciated. From anyone. Also it’s really nice if any current/past students at either college have opinions they could tell me.
I have until May to give in my acceptance to Colorado College, but I hope to be able to decide before the end of March. Of course, I also don’t want to rush myself and realistically, I probably won’t decide until April…

Anyway, thank you if you read all the way here! I appreciate it! Happy Monday! :smiley:

2

eh? Don’t know why it censored the name of the website. Anyway, I read student reviews about CC. hahaha :smiley:

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You’re not misinformed about class sizes at Colorado College. They’re virtually all small.

The average class size is 16.3 students and classes are officially limited to 25 students unless there are two professors, in which case the limit is 32 (professors teaching classes in high demand very occasionally exceed this limit for the sake of accommodating students).
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/welcome/overview/faqs/

Given your indecision, I suggest you stay at UW. It’s a good school. You don’t hate it.
Why would you pay a large price premium, and throw away one year of course credit, if you’re not all that enthusiastic about the alternative?

4

I’m confused as to why you would be a freshman and not a transfer student at Colorado College if you are already a student at UW??

5

Thank you for responding!
doschicos: I started later @ UW and the credits I have don’t qualify me to come in as a transfer student.

tk21769: Your points are really logical and I agree with them. I still can’t decide though because I can’t ever convince myself to base my decisions like this that seem to carry weight on reasoning only. Which maybe is what I should be doing, but I can’t force it for some reason… Colorado College does appeal to me in a lot of aspects - also its small size. I guess the main thing that scares me is that it seems like if I end up not liking it, what to do.

The things that make me think leaving UW is good is that I’ve lived here forever, I feel like if I stay, it’s almost like I’ll be avoiding leaving just because I’m not SURE CC is a school I would enjoy going to… I’m trying to figure what I might be giving up by staying here and that’s pretty impossible… And again, I appreciate your response! :smiley:

6

CC is a very particular school, with a different approach to courses- have you thought about how that approach would work with the way you learn? what about your major or your goals?

In the meantime, UW is a big state flagship, and you are a commuter student- you are likely to be more invested if you are more a part of them community.

It seems as if you don’t know what want, but you are afraid of missing out on something. What about doing an exchange semester/year - either in the US or abroad- if you want to spread your wings.

7

^ Good point. I believe CC uses block scheduling. It’s definitely an acquired taste.
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/basics/blockplan/

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I think that if you moved to campus at UW, you would probably have a very different experience than living at home and you would integrate more into the student community. Friendships are often cemented after class - in the dorms, at the dining hall, participating in student organizations, etc. I think that would fall into place if you were available.

Colorado College as a “liberal bubble” does not mean exclusively liberal politically, although most LACs trend towards that side of the spectrum. Rather it’s liberal as in liberal arts. You’d be in a small environment, with intense discussion-based classes taken one at a time. This works for some people, not others. You can really focus, but if you don’t click with the professor/fellow students/materials, you’re basically stuck with your choice for 4 weeks. There isn’t a shopping period like you’d get in a large university where you can try out some classes in the first week and then add/drop if something isn’t to your liking.

You also haven’t indicated a possible major. If you have narrowed it down, check to see if CC will support it. If you still are undecided, UW will give you more choice.

I am not trying to knock CC. It’s an excellent college of its type. But it sounds like you have a lot of doubts. I recommend that you try living on campus at UW and if it doesn’t work, apply to a variety of schools for a junior transfer.

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You really need to think about Colorado College’s block scheduling. You don’t mention it at all in the first post. My daughter goes to Cornell College in Iowa, the other school with block scheduling. She loves it but I would say most of her friends think it’s slightly nutty. When they found out the block system, the first reaction was “yep, that sounds like you” quickly followed with “I couldn’t do it”. Colorado College is a great school but you need to make sure it’s right for you.

My impression is you like UW but between entering late and commuting, you’re not getting the college experience you want. Two things - throw yourself into on campus activities, groups, and clubs now; and, move into a dorm next year.

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I’m not sure I like uw… but… I think once I found something I wanted to major in, I would be much happier… In the end, I think I would have similar feelings at any school- I really don’t know what to study so I’m kind of lost right now and college seems like a waste of money bc of this. It’s really like what am I even doing here?

When I homeschooled, I basically used the block plan, although it’s true that if I didn’t like the materials, or what I was studying, I could easily just stop. I would probably end up having some annoying 3 weeks at Colorado college…

It’s a lot to consider. I appreciate all of your input. I still can’t decide…

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and on the other hand, it’s hard to make the decision because I almost feel like it doesnt matter in the end. Wherever I go, I will end up majoring in something and graduating and getting a job afterwards. The experience at any college will be mixed good&bad, and I don’t know… I guess it’s because I can’t tell if one would be better for me than the other.

Most of my family has advised me to go to CC. They are really fearful of huge universities though, but I also think they are considering what they know about me… I’m really grateful for everyons advice :slight_smile: have a nice evening