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mmaah
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 27th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 67 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 10:07 pm |
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On the rare occasions when my junior daughter will admit to any thought about colleges, she has named Colorado College as one she might at least visit....It has not been reviewed and I'm wondering who out there has some observations on the school? The few kids I know who have gone there seem pleased and were good fits for the "block plan". Any other reports from visits to the campus would be of interest to me...
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outwest
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 598 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 10:38 pm |
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I was sure there was a few reviews of it?
My D and her Dad went to visit Colorado College. She thought wanted to go there. She thought the block plan sounded interesting. It seemed to have everything she could ask for. When she visited she did a complete about face. She had an interview, spent the night and attended a couple classes. As soon as she got in the car to head for the airport, she said, "I am NOT going there!" In contrast, Canadian's son (who has very similar interests to my daughter) applied ED and is ecstatic to be going there next year. It just goes to show that you have to visit a place to really get a feel for it.
What she said was that everyone is super athletic and skiis. She does not ski, but she is a hiker and backpacker. If your daughter is super athletic and skiis then she may find she loves the student body (and the location). My D also was unhappy with the amount of racial diversity, but she has put a premium on that where I don't think it really matters too much. My husband said it was in a beautiful location and that the students were all very NPR (National Public Radio). That isn't to say any of that is bad. It is just that the students were the reason my somewhat nerdy (in a good way) D didn't feel she fit in. Obviously, many kids do.
Colorado is one of those schools you need to visit. The students who choose it, love it.
PM Canadian. It was his favorite school out of tons of visits they made and he applied and was accepted ED starting next Fall. I am sure she would give you her take on that great school.
Last edited on Mon Mar 31st, 2008 07:19 am by outwest
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 01:21 am |
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I'm not sure about "super athletic", but the overall vibe of the campus is liberal, athletic (lots of club & IM participation and outdoorsy) and energetic. There is a strong ski culture, but since S is not there yet, I have no idea how many people actually go on any weekend.
I also hear there is a strong "hippie" element and a lot of partying, though we didn't really see this. Lots of skateboarders, which my S loved. Actually, he loved everything I'm mentioning here, and whatever he doesn't love, we haven't found out yet!
The Block Plan is the defining thing.
We loved the eclectic architecture with the mountains in the background, but it would definitely not be everyone's taste. The campus is not huge, but there is a wonderful sense of space.
mmaah, If you post some questions or tell me a bit about your D, I'll be happy to respond. CC is really different, and I doubt students are ever neutral about it.
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 03:04 am |
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This year CC has a good hockey team, too! (Unusually for an LAC, they play Div. I hockey.)
Canadian, there is, in fact, no CC review. Do you think you could provide one? It doesn't have to be long -- just a paragraph or two. If you have time, it would be great if you could.
mmaah, if its the "block plan" that's attractive to your D, you might look at Cornell College in IA, too.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:05 am |
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Descartes,
Apparently the CC hockey team gets a lot of support from the Colorado Springs townsfolk, also pretty unusual. Especially since Co. Springs is one of the most conservative cities in the US and they tend to love to Air Force Academy and look askance at CC.
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:24 am |
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I just remembered that Quest University in BC (up Canadian's way) is also on a block plan...and it has mountains, too! Its brand new, of course, but that could be an attractive element.
http://www.questu.ca/about_quest/index.php
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:38 am |
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Descartes,
You are the ONLY person I have ever "met" that has heard of Quest, and that includes everyone I know in BC. I researched it obsessively for awhile because it is the place I would go to if I was starting over.....totally inappropriate for my S, though. Quest has the most innovative and thought provoking curriculum anywhere, and is located in a gorgeous area of BC an hour from Vancouver and an hour from Whistler. (Less, after they revamp the road for the Olympics.)
It is the brainchild of a former president of UBC, who seems to know what he is doing. He already has endorsements from Harvard Med!
They are hoping to have 50% non-Canadian students. It should be pretty easy to get into for the next few years as they build their reputation and get Canadians used to the LAC concept.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:42 am |
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BTW
The reason Quest is inappropriate for my S is that they will not have strong sports teams for awhile, it is too close to home, and right now is too small.
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:46 am |
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I believe you are the one from whom I first learned of it. You mentioned it when you first started posting.
It looks like a school that could be great (with an unbeatable location) but still something of an unknown quantity. I haven't been able to find information about its student demographics, for example (granted there are just first years there right now). And you do have to like the block plan.
What would be particularly cool about it right now is the prospect of being in those first classes -- before there is a full student community, before there are even upperclass students present. It would be a chance to define traditions for future generations.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:54 am |
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I believe you are the one from whom I first learned of it. You mentioned it when you first started posting.
LOL!!
What would be particularly cool about it right now is the prospect of being in those first classes -- before there is a full student community, before there are even upperclass students present. It would be a chance to define traditions for future generations.
Totally agree.....WAY cool!
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outwest
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 598 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:54 am |
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Canadian asked me to upload these two pictures from Colorado College for her:
Here is a gorgeous building. I assume that is Canadian Junior on the steps:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/outwest5/IMG_0040_3.jpg
I am not sure what this desert picture is. I showed it to my husband, who went to CC with my D, and he said it looked similar to the terrain he saw from outside the plane window. Canadian can explain further:
The desert picture:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/outwest5/IMG_0044_3.jpg
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:56 am |
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Back to CC.......
I'm going out of town soon and may not have time to write a review, but somebody bug me in two weeks and I'll get to it.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:02 am |
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Thanks, Outwest.
I'm assuming you can't clearly see darling Canadian Jr.'s face and so am not violating his privacy. But someone let me know if I am amiss.
The second photo is an area about a 20 minute drive from CC. I think it is called "Valley of the Gods". Or something like that.
You can see the Rockies from the school. Wish I had taken more photos.
I realized that I didn't know about this site when I did the main part of our college tour, and that's why I didn't post a review.
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:14 am |
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| Would anyone object to me moving this whole thread into the Review folder? It's kinda-sorta a review thread already. Canadian could add her (now that I know what gender of pronoun to use) review to it when she is able.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:19 am |
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Great idea. Saves me from a lot of copying and pasting, too!
And, sheesh, Descartes, couldn't you tell how feminine I am?
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:23 am |
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Canadian wrote: And, sheesh, Descartes, couldn't you tell how feminine I am?
I should have known from the lovely font in which you choose to share your thoughts with us.
I think I need sign-off on moving from mmaah so s/he isn't confused when the thread turns up missing.
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Canadian
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 05:33 am |
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I should have known from the lovely font in which you choose to share your thoughts with us.
LOL!
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Mrs. Aardvark
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jan 31st, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 71 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 12:44 pm |
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I have one data point for this college.
We have some friends whose daughter went there for one year, then transferred out because of what she felt was excessive drinking.
She is now at Scripps and quite happy there.
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bumpyroad
Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 06:13 pm |
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This school is still in my D's list - she visited and liked everything she saw. She's a mountain-climber, so the outdoors vibe suits her. Mrs. Bumpy isn't too sure about the academic rigor, but from what I've heard it's pretty intense.
Another data point - a friend of my D's from her mountaineering group went to Carleton for a year and hated it, then switched to CC and is very happy there. I think the message is that this school is fairly different from most schools, so you should definitely visit.
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outwest
Member
| Joined: | Sun Mar 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 598 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 10:50 pm |
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Agree, bumpyroad. In fact, if you were to compare the interests of Canadians son and my D you would think that they both would like similar schools and they did have several in common. But, the ones she likes, he didn't care for and visa versa. Colorado is different because of the block system. The system itself can be terrific for some students and allows for extensive fieldtrips, etc. I think this is one school that needs to be thoroughly investigated. It reminds me of Reed that way. The kids who like it REALLLLLLY like it.
As far as academic rigor, when my D sat in on a class she found the length of time in class incredibly long (several hours). You only take one subject at a time. Her and my DH both felt the students came across as quite bright. I doubt it has the same academic intensity as Carleton. My DH felt the students seemed very balanced between having fun and studying. They seemed relaxed and happy. He was surprised at my Ds reaction to it because it is right there by the mountains- prime backpacking country. Instead, her favorite schools on her list all are located in FLAT areas! Go figure.
Last edited on Mon Feb 18th, 2008 11:14 pm by outwest
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