<p>It gets rave reviews by Loren Pope and slammed by students on various sites (although suspiciously not included on the other major college review sites). Can anyone give a more up-to-date opinion? I'm probably going to go myself to check it out, but - from what I've read by students - it sounds like very un-progressive teaching (within a progressive block schedule) on an isolated campus with terrible food and dorms.</p>
<p>Meg: I visited in September. Beautiful, shady campus with lots of Victorian buildings, as well as newer ones. Theater program there is particularly good. I talked at length with one of the profs who teaches acting and directing. Very knowledgeable about all aspects of contemporary American and world theater–a topic I know something about. College has excellent study-abroad program that’s been around longer than those almost anywhere else, so they know how to run it effectively. I talked to only two students who had done internships so far in their academic careers; rest were frosh and sophs. Block plan is fun, but demanding–you can’t get behid or it’s a train wreck. Forces you to focus, which I enjoy; not for everybody, though. (I did it myself at Colorado College in Colorado Springs four years ago.) Can’t say how good/bad the food is. Go see it. Worth a visit.</p>
<p>My son is coming from a progressive high school where there are almost never powerpoint lectures as the teaching method - lots of student-led presentations, formal debates, discussions, etc. He likes the idea of the block plan as he can immerse himself in one subject, but I’m worried that the speed won’t allow enough time for growth/reflection. I do hear it’s a beautiful campus setting.<br>
How did you like Colorado College?</p>
<p>Visited in April. Agree with the isolated campus comment–incredibly small town with only a very few businesses. Iowa City 45 minutes away, Cedar Rapids 30 minutes, but need a car. Don’t agree with the bad food (I thought it was same as at most other LACs we visited, middling), bad dorms (again, similar to other LACs, not appreciably better or worse than others we saw), and un-progressive teaching comments. Impression on the teaching is that it allows profs flexibility to do things other than lecture, i.e., projects, presentations, guest lectures, etc., and it seemed to us that many did so. The issue with the teaching is whether the block plan is right for your son–it seems really intense, can’t slack for even a few days or you fall way behind, if you end up with a class/prof you don’t like, it’s a long 3 1/2 weeks are some of the comments we heard. Also heard that a lot of students like it a lot because can focus on one class, really immerse in it. My son decided not to apply there because of the location and he thought the block plan would be too intense for him, but I think it could be a terrific choice for the right kind of kid.</p>
<p>Thanks; it seems the block plan can go either way - good that it doesn’t lend itself to procrastination; bad that you can’t procrastinate even a little; good that a bad prof/class only lasts 3-4 weeks; bad if that’s your only class for 3-4 weeks; bad if you only have a good prof/class 3-4 weeks; etc. I’m mostly worried the town will be too small. We’re going to visit in a week and will see…</p>
<p>i have a teacher that went to cornell college and he said the block schedule works for certain majors, and i guess he didnt like it. i cant remember exactly, but i think he said for languages it is bad because you are not constantly taking the language.</p>