How I chose CC.
After hosting accepted students during the April 2nd and April 9th Open House, I started to reminisce about my college process. It delights me to think this was just last year.
I’m not going to lie. As a senior in high school, I did not have the slightest idea of where I wanted to attend college. Many of my classmates had romanticized the idea of college. Students applied to very prestigious universities with a major already in mind. I DIDN’T. Something was wrong with me. I wasn’t looking forward to the college process-I had no clue for what I was looking for in a college. My parents assumed that I was going to apply to the major universities in Oklahoma. Nevertheless, my teachers, friends, and college counselor recommended that I look at other schools outside of Oklahoma. While I did apply to three Oklahoma universities, I also applied to six more schools. Researching colleges was overwhelming. Did I want a school in a rural or urban location? What is your ideal student body size? Diversity? Financial aid? Majors? Campus life?
These questions opened up a lot possibilities for my future. The thought of planning my future as a 17-year-old scared me. My solution for this dilemma? Apply to a wide range of schools to insure that come decision time, I would have many options. I applied to the medical research university, the religious-affiliated university, the engineering university, the pre-law school; a few schools in the South, Southwest, North, Northeast, the West; schools with predominantly right or left political views; and of course, liberal art colleges. Come acceptance/rejection time, I was accepted to all nine schools. I didn’t expect that to happen, because I assumed that schools would essentially decide if I was a good match for them. There was no way that I was a “good fit” for all nine schools. I realized the most important aspect of my future necessitates an interdisciplinary and critical understanding of society. A liberal arts education would definitely fulfill the expectations of my future. To make matters more difficult, I applied to two liberal art colleges-one of course being Colorado College.
I visited both schools. First, I visited CC and knew I loved it. The other school wasn’t the right match for me. Essentially, I knew that Colorado College was going to be my home for four years.
I wasn’t aware of this at the time, but I wanted to go to a school that truly believed in a “unique intellectual adventure.” This school is unique-there are few like this. Where else are you able to submerse yourself in one class at a time? Where else are you able to be a philosopher, an educator, a theologian, a sociologist, and a feminist within a span of a year? This school is intellectual–I’ve been able to take courses that I never thought I would love or interests that I am passionate about. Without the block plan, I would never be able to experiment with different courses, start friendships with everyone in my current block (despite differing opinions), or share a common love for knowledge. Overall, it’s been an adventure. Undoubtedly.
Seriously, don’t ever apply to nine schools. CC is awesome.
When I visited CC last year. It was snowing and cold!
You have made a great choice. CC is a top tier college! Ranked 24th among Tier 1 Liberal Arts Colleges by US News, and listed in the Princeton Review “America’s Best Value Colleges”.