Colorado College is one of four colleges within the U.S. that teaches on the block plan. This innovative schedule means that students take one class at a time for three and a half weeks, in which time frame they gain four credit hours. The beauty of the block plan is that students get to put all of their focus and energy into one subject rather than juggling five or six as on the semester schedule. The block schedule allows for a very personal relationship between not only fellow students but also with professors. Within my first week at CC my profs. knew me by name and had talked to me personally about future plans for obtaining my major. While the block plan leaves little room for falling behind due to the immense amount of homework, the campus’s student learning facilities make it almost impossible to fail. For me, the Writing Center played a large part in my freshman year and provided constructive feedback and helpful tips during my first few essays. Also, because professors are only teaching one class at a time their door is always open when one of their students is struggling. While the block plan is very academically challenging it leaves space for even more academic and personal success.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
Colorado College has literally become my second home. The campus’s small population (around 2,000) provides a very close-knit relationship between students regardless of their year (junior, senior, etc.) The block plan causes students to have a new “first day of school” every three and a half weeks. As intimidating as that sounds, students will walk into a new class and see so many familiar faces and have the opportunity to make even more friends every month! My personal theory is that because of CC’s size everyone knows everyone at least in passing! Starting from my prospective student visit I noticed how friendly everyone on campus is regardless of race, age, or gender (which is great considering CC is such a diverse school)! Having a campus nestled right into the heart of the Rocky Mountains provides students with the opportunity to spend a block break (a four day rest period after every block) hiking, skiing, camping, or doing a variety of other activities right in their backyard. In addition to these opportunities students at CC develop great time management skills between their homework and extra-curricular activities. The campus provides an outlet for an assortment of social clubs, networks, and sports teams that allows students to blow off a little steam after a long day of class.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
The one major drawback of Colorado College is the cost. Being a highly ranked private liberal arts school (number 30 in the U.S. according to U.S. News College Ranking) the tuition runs fairly high. However, I believe that students receive a top education for every dollar spent. CC provides a great amount of financial aid varying from academic/athletic scholarships to work study grants which allow this highly priced educational dream become a reality for many.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Every fall and spring CC hosts an Open House event for prospective students. If you are considering attending this school I highly recommend you attend one of these two day visits. Prospective students are shown around campus and stay overnight in the dorms with current students, giving them a first-hand look into the night-life of a CC tiger. They are also given the opportunity to sit in during a class and get the feel of the fast paced block plan. My advice is to throw your nerves to the wind because the students and faculty at CC make it extremely easy to feel right at home.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
During my freshman year I learned that Colorado College is sometimes called a “Camp School” due to the amount of students who participate in outdoor activities. It is not uncommon to meet a student who took a year or so off to hike the Appalachian Trail or do some soul searching out in the Artic. For me, I am not what you would call an “outdoorsy” kind of girl. During my New Student Orientation trip (a freshman four day service trip that occurs right before the start of fall term) it was my first time sleeping in a tent. However, the adverse interests among students allows every kind of person (outdoorsy or not) to participate in some new and exciting adventure. Students with a high interest in academics, who have the ability to handle a bit of stress on a weekly basis, and who are willing to step out of their comfort zone to gain as much as possible from the college experience are Tiger material!
Colorado College is one of four colleges within the U.S. that teaches on the block plan. This innovative schedule means that students take one class at a time for three and a half weeks, in which time frame they gain four credit hours. The beauty of the block plan is that students get to put all of their focus and energy into one subject rather than juggling five or six as on the semester schedule. The block schedule allows for a very personal relationship between not only fellow students but also with professors. Within my first week at CC my profs. knew me by name and had talked to me personally about future plans for obtaining my major. While the block plan leaves little room for falling behind due to the immense amount of homework, the campus’s student learning facilities make it almost impossible to fail. For me, the Writing Center played a large part in my freshman year and provided constructive feedback and helpful tips during my first few essays. Also, because professors are only teaching one class at a time their door is always open when one of their students is struggling. While the block plan is very academically challenging it leaves space for even more academic and personal success.
Colorado College has literally become my second home. The campus’s small population (around 2,000) provides a very close-knit relationship between students regardless of their year (junior, senior, etc.) The block plan causes students to have a new “first day of school” every three and a half weeks. As intimidating as that sounds, students will walk into a new class and see so many familiar faces and have the opportunity to make even more friends every month! My personal theory is that because of CC’s size everyone knows everyone at least in passing! Starting from my prospective student visit I noticed how friendly everyone on campus is regardless of race, age, or gender (which is great considering CC is such a diverse school)! Having a campus nestled right into the heart of the Rocky Mountains provides students with the opportunity to spend a block break (a four day rest period after every block) hiking, skiing, camping, or doing a variety of other activities right in their backyard. In addition to these opportunities students at CC develop great time management skills between their homework and extra-curricular activities. The campus provides an outlet for an assortment of social clubs, networks, and sports teams that allows students to blow off a little steam after a long day of class.
The one major drawback of Colorado College is the cost. Being a highly ranked private liberal arts school (number 30 in the U.S. according to U.S. News College Ranking) the tuition runs fairly high. However, I believe that students receive a top education for every dollar spent. CC provides a great amount of financial aid varying from academic/athletic scholarships to work study grants which allow this highly priced educational dream become a reality for many.
Every fall and spring CC hosts an Open House event for prospective students. If you are considering attending this school I highly recommend you attend one of these two day visits. Prospective students are shown around campus and stay overnight in the dorms with current students, giving them a first-hand look into the night-life of a CC tiger. They are also given the opportunity to sit in during a class and get the feel of the fast paced block plan. My advice is to throw your nerves to the wind because the students and faculty at CC make it extremely easy to feel right at home.
During my freshman year I learned that Colorado College is sometimes called a “Camp School” due to the amount of students who participate in outdoor activities. It is not uncommon to meet a student who took a year or so off to hike the Appalachian Trail or do some soul searching out in the Artic. For me, I am not what you would call an “outdoorsy” kind of girl. During my New Student Orientation trip (a freshman four day service trip that occurs right before the start of fall term) it was my first time sleeping in a tent. However, the adverse interests among students allows every kind of person (outdoorsy or not) to participate in some new and exciting adventure. Students with a high interest in academics, who have the ability to handle a bit of stress on a weekly basis, and who are willing to step out of their comfort zone to gain as much as possible from the college experience are Tiger material!