Colorado College Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Jessica

The hippie stereotype is not as true as it once was. The others are true of many students but there are also many exceptions. Colorado College has recently added a diversity coordinator in the admissions office.

Devin

To an extent this stereotype is true in that most Colorado College students are very liberal however, C.C. is not as hippie as its traditional reputation would have one believe and while marijuana is prevalent on campus, it does not an overwhelming presence.

Chris

To some extent, yes. There's a heavy party scene, and a lot of students are big drinkers and smokers. Also, there are definitely "rich kids," but the college also has great financial aid for everyone else.

Max

No. CC is made up of a mix of atheletes, preppy kids, hippies, outdoor ppl. and more. Each of these different demographics comprises about 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the school population so each group is strong, but not big enough to be exclusive as our entire population is under 2000. Because this is the case there is a lot of cross over of hippies hanging out with jocks, preppy kids and outdoor types, etc. It is a very friendly place with ppl. from all walks of life, but no group or type of person is limited in the ppl. they interact with.

Sydney

Yes, but they are not elitists. There is a good mixture of many different kinds of students. Not everyone is a hippie, but almost everyone is very open minded with a "live and let live" mentality. Not all students come from money, and those that do do not go out of their way to let you know about it.

Anya

I would say for the most part they are but even though the school is pretty homogenous most of the student body is pretty open-minded. There aren’t many arguments because people do generally agree with each other, but I think most people really enjoy meeting others who are different from them. I would also say that even though the majority of people are wealthy they usually don’t flaunt it. If anything I think some are even embarrassed of their wealth and that is why you see the trustafarian population.

Lissa

a lot of kids like to do these things, but there's a niche for pretty much everyone at CC, i stayed away from the especially gnarly slopes and i still had a lot of friends who relished in them. whether you have something you're passionate about or not, you'll find people who're in your boat and float around with them.

Ian

Not true. CC has a large and diverse groups of people. There are many who don't smoke pot, many who aren't hippies. If one considers people who love the outdoors hippies then that's accurate. People at CC love the outdoors because it is sunny for about 300+ days during the year. People are always outside when it february because the weather at times is aat 70 degrees and suprisingly, it may have snowed a day before. So in the end, hippies is not the right word to describe the whole population of CC.

Jenny

No. Colorado College is not a "hippie school." There are definitely some kids with dreads and a lot of students are laid back and occasionally wear tiedye, but it is not a hippie school. You can find all kinds of people- sorority types, outdoors types, jocks, artsy, etc just like you would a big university. The best part is that everyone from all different styles and walks of life intermingle. There is pot on campus, but not everyone smokes and you don't have to. Most kids like the outdoors and camping, skiing, etc, but if you don't you're not an outcast, although you will probably be encouraged to try it :-D

Anna

Fairly accurate. However, there are many, including myself, who do not fit into this stereotype. It is pretty easy to find people who, even if they do come from wealthy families, do not flaunt the fact. However, since the school is private and very expensive, those who attend with financial aid are few.

Anna

No, only a small amonut of kids actually fit this description. Most everyone else might ski and might backpack and might buy organic, but it doesn't define them to the extent that it does the stereotypes. As a whole, CC kids are fun and enthusiastic, descriptions or characterizations that trump the stereotypes. People get along regardless, and you can belong to any group you want, as perpipherally as you choose.

Alex

More or less. I'll expand on this in the following questions.

Rachel

disappointingly often

Christen

Yes, there are a ton of hippies and they are very crunchy. However, there are a small percentage that don't fit that and we all kind of come together.

Wiley

The demographic is moving away from "hippie" and toward outdoorsy prep school. There are very few minorities and those that are on campus sometimes feel isolated. Everyone thinks they are liberal when in fact student political views are very moderate.

Andy

Absolutely

Brett

Many of them are (though fewer and fewer of the students are actually stoners, rock-climbers or hippies these days.)

Alex

quite

Terry

To a certain extent yes. The student body and professors are all largely left-wingers and bash Colorado Springs all the time for its right-wing leanings. We do love to be outside and enjoy nature, but there are very few 'true hippies' that I know. My roommate being one of them. He wears chacos, flannel, has long hair, drinks mate, rides a blue cruiser bike he bought at the thrift store, studies philosophy, and loves to drink. He is the CC stereotype all wrapped in one nice dude.

Emily

There are all kinds of people at CC, and it is becoming less and less "hippyish" and people definitely do ski a lot.

Jo

A few are, such as the rich and white stereotypes. There are quite a few wanna be hippies, but when it comes down to it many are just idealistic, rich kids who are having fun now and will become their parents later. Many are intelligent slackers as well, and then of course there are always a few the super-dedicated, excel at everything types, especially in the incoming freshman class.

Sara

There is a lot of marijuana, but not everyone has the hippy style or attitude.

Laura

Overall, yes.

Caroline

I, for one, am not profoundly any of the above. Colorado College does attract a lot of hippie-ish and environmentally friendly people because it is located in such a beautiful place and there are things such as the Synergy House and all organic and local foods. But what I believe really sets CC apart from other schools is the fact that everyone loves diversity and there is a sense of free spirit from everyone you meet.

Rowan

A large part of the student body does love to get outside.

Hannah

yes all of them

Lee

All of them to some degree or they wouldn't bee stereotypes.

austin

rather. we ARE very outdoorsy, and often hike our mountain. every weekend half the school heads to the mountains (activities depend on time of the year, skiing is huge). weed is a large part of our school, but avoidable if you wish. the ultra-liberal hippies are visible everywhere, but can also be avoided. we also have a decent sized prep click that enjoys keeping the hippies from taking over the school.

Anya

There are not that many hippies anymore but I do think the outdoor enthusiasts are in large number at CC. They don't dominant the campus however, and there are other types at CC although racial, economic and political diversity on campus is scarce.

Blake

While clearly a generalization, must stereotypes have its roots in truth. We are primarily a bunch of rich kids that lean pretty far to the left. The campus could use a lot more diversity, be it ethnic, economic, or ideological. However, must students on campus are open, friendly, and have had amazing experiences outside of the classroom which helps to lend diverse perspectives to a superficially homogenous campus.

Dan

yes, for the most part

Amy

much of the time

molly

Pretty accurate but also (obviously) unfair to, probably, the majority of students who are less easy to stereotype due to high variability.

Anne

all above true

Sam

I feel as though those things are for the most part true, but there is a definitely a social environment free of drinking and smoking, which I am personally a member of.

Sonia

Mostly

Samantha

Somewhat, The student body is growing less "hippyish" and becoming more preppy because there is a higher percentage of prep-school students applying. However, there is still copious amounts of marijuana on campus.

Shannon

not necessarily. There are conservative people on campus but they are minority not typically viewed with fondness

Beth

pretty much

Rachael

no. there are probably more people who fit the three stereotypes in some way than on other campuses, but it is no way proportional to the actual student body.

Jackie

all except the rich part, for the most part, but there are rich kids here

Laura

Parts of the stereotypes are true. The majority are white, although not overwhelmingly so, and a lot of people do smoke pot. However, there are many students that do work study to help pay for college since not everyone is from the upper-middle class.

Adam

yes

Alexander

Not quite. There are many liberal students here, but anyone can assert their opinion, as long as they can use reason/rational to justify it. There are no real hippies here in the actual definition of the word, but there are many students at this college who care about world events and problems (such as global warming, and the conflict in Darfur), and unlike many, are actually trying to do something about it. And yes, there are many pot smokers here. Then again, it is Colorado.

Holly

There are many white students that are rich, but it's getting better.

Maureen

That only really represents about a third of the population at CC. There is also a large preppy community.

Susanna

Mmm...sometimes. Not always. Which is what I like - that's a general type, but there is definitely a variety of people.

Brett

somewhat but i would say people arent stuck up about it

Angela

To an extent, but there is so much more than what is only perceived in outward appearances. The CC student body is eclectic, intense, friendly, ourdoorsy, brilliant, and more importantly, everyone here is all about doing things at full volume and intensity-academically on the block plan, and in every other aspect of our lives. Partying and extracurriculars included.

Mandy

They are to a certain extent; I know some people who don't come from wealthy families and have worked their way through college who are not at all the norm, however, they are a minority. The school is very relaxed in the way they dress; fashion is not a big deal. However, there are exceptions to that as well.