University of Colorado--Boulder

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Students Say - Academics
It is all about the total college experience at the University of Colorado; students enjoy both "excellent academics and a great social atmosphere." "The University of Colorado is all about getting an education for five days and spending the other two in the mountains," students repeatedly tell us, noting that "CU is an amazing place because you can find an array of challenges and opportunities whether your drive is research, the arts, sports, a job, or tough class work. However, at the same time, you can find a great social life outside of school being in an amazing place like Boulder." The sciences "are a huge strength" here, with students singling out chemistry, biology, and engineering for praise. "As an undergraduate student at CU-Boulder, I am able to research in one of my professor's labs while receiving a great education," one student explains; another points out that "being in a class taught by a Nobel laureate is not something everyone gets to experience."Business studies also excel. As at most large schools, CU has "a wide range when it comes to the quality of professors" but "for the most part [they are] very engaging in their lectures and encouraging of discussion. They are also very good about returning e-mails and [hanging] office hours." The administration can be cumbersome, but students generally appreciate how "In a tough economic climate and a gross lack of state funding, CU's administration does its best to make cuts without hurting the student body's quality of education."

Students Say - Campus Life
The University of Colorado and the city of Boulder have so much to offer, students say. "The campus is gorgeous, as are most of the students, and there is always something to do," much of it outdoors. "People are very active in Boulder. Hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and skiing or snowboarding is popular weekend (or weekday) activities." As one student puts it, "The mountains are a huge attraction, and during ski season the campus is considerably quieter on the weekends." CU football is also "huge, and so is the partying that is associated with it." Students concede that "the partying is pretty widespread" on and around campus but also note that "there are plenty of fun things to do that don't involve alcohol or drugs." The school "really encourages students to get involved with the ceaseless amounts of activities, groups, and clubs. Also, CU does a fantastic job of keeping students up-to-date on the goings-on and important news around school, town, and the world." Hometown Boulder is full of coffee shops and quaint shopping areas; students agree that they are blessed with "a beautiful campus and town."

Students Say - Student Body
Most CU students "are very outdoors-prone"-it's what attracted them to the school in many cases-and tend to be "attractive, health-conscious," "liberal, [and] environmentally motivated" and they "live a bohemian-like lifestyle." The school is huge, so plenty students do not fit that description, of course; as one student observes, "Boulder is known for being a crazy, hippie town, but when I came here, I was surprised at the number of 'preppie kids' who are politically apathetic and more concerned with how they look than how the world around them looks." Most here "care about school but aren't super-academic." "Being social is extremely important to many people, and because of this, schoolwork sometimes takes a backseat." One student sums it up this way: "If you came to get a good education, then you will get one, but a lot of the students came here for the skiing and don't take school seriously." CU has "a large GLBTQ population, and the school is very supportive."

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