Colorado College is unique for its Block Plan and for being the only liberal arts school of its type in Colorado. It is located in Colorado Springs, with the majestic Pikes Peak as its backdrop, and the private college is home to about 2000 undergraduates. “
Almost all of the professors encourage students to call them by their first name, and you really feel like you can talk to them about anything.”
Colorado Springs is a conservative city with Focus on the Family, the Air Force Academy, NORAD, and many evangelical churches within its environs, but the college itself is extremely liberal. As one senior puts it: “
CC is a super-liberal bubble within the conservative fortress of Colorado Springs.” And while many students don’t care for the city (CC is just north of downtown), they generally rave about the location at large, as well as the 300+ days of sunshine that Colorado Springs gets each year. One freshman writes, “
Even if there is not much to do in the city, there is so much around the city, like Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. Denver and all the ski resorts are very close as well.”
Colorado College’s most distinguishing characteristic, however, is the academic program known as the Block Plan. Students only take one class at a time, and the academic year is divided into 8 separate 3 ½ week “blocks,” with five days vacation in between each. A freshman studying environmental science writes, “
The beauty of the block plan is that with no other classes to worry about, a geology course might go backpacking in the San Juans for two weeks to learn about volcanic rocks, or a world music class may go to an Indian reservation in Oklahoma to see traditional powwow music in practice. If you have a hard or boring class, it is over in one month.” Focusing on one class, however, means that professors are not hesitant to hand out five or six hours of reading every night, and that classes often run two or three hours in length. “
The drawback of having three hours of class in one day (if you're not in a class that is on a field trip),” writes another freshman, “
is that towards the end of the three hours, people tend to participate less and are anxious to get out of class.” The small class sizes tend to force engagement, and rely heavily on student involvement. A freshman majoring in Middle Eastern studies writes, “
All classes are capped at 25 and classes as small as four students are not uncommon. I am just a freshman, but so far all of my classes have been extremely discussion-oriented.”
About three quarters of the student body lives on campus, and there is an unofficial open-door policy in the residence halls, which encourages student interaction and makes for a trusting and open atmosphere. “
For the two years I lived in dorms I don't think I ever locked my door and it was usually propped open, often even when my roommate and I weren't there,” writes a recent alum. While the student body is friendly, though, it is also of a type: “
hippies, skiers, rich, liberal,” as one senior describes the stereotype. Despite the politics of Colorado Springs, conservative or religious students might feel out of place at CC, as might working-class students and minorities. “The campus is not very racially or socio-economically diverse. I feel kind of out of place being a minority and from a lower class,” writes one sophomore. A senior majoring in sociology has this advice: “
As an LGBT student, I would caution other LGBT students to think twice before deciding on CC. We are a minority that the administration doesn't pay much attention to.” He continues, “
Attitudes towards homosexuality on campus are liberal but there isn't much community among LGBT students.”
As for the Greek scene, it is actually quite small. There are just two fraternities and three sororities on campus, and while they hold many popular parties, they are not communities unto themselves. They function similarly to the “senior houses” that are just off campus and also hold regular parties. Theme parties are a major part of the social scene at CC. A freshman studying political science writes, “
The majority of parties here are theme parties, with people parading around in outrageous and silly outfits. Advice to incoming freshmen-bring a lot of neon and spandex.”
Other popular activities on campus include attending concerts, plays, and hockey games, as well as simply hanging out with friends on the grass of Armstrong Quad. “
The most popular groups include ski organizations, a cappella groups, and the hockey team. I am in a student-run mixed a cappella group, and it is amazing,” writes a freshman studying philosophy. He continues, “
Hockey games are popular, and there are guest speakers every week.” Another freshman says, “
I spend a lot of time on the quad when it’s sunny, which is often. Coming from overcast Oregon I'm very impressed with how even if it’s cold outside, for the most part we're graced with clear blue skies.”
And then, of course, there are the regular outings up to the mountains for a range of outdoor activities. CC students may study hard during block, but they also make time for outdoor adventures on the weekend and during block breaks. It’s all part of the Colorado College ethos. After all, how many students can claim what this freshman can: “
I'm the only person on my hall who doesn't know how to rock climb.”
