Colorado College is a private liberal arts college located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, 70 miles south of Denver. CC is well known for its unique block plan, an educational approach where there are no traditional semesters. Instead, students attend one class at a time for three and a half weeks followed by a short break. Students complete four blocks each term and eight blocks a year. CC situated at the base of Pikes Peak, allowing for an active lifestyle and students take full advantage of many opportunities to hike, bike and climb.
SHORTCUTS
Stay: The Mining Exchange | Breakfast: King's Chef Diner
Lunch: Marigold Cafe | Dinner: The Rabbit Hole
Visitor Information: Tour CC
Transportation: Many airlines fly directly to Colorado Springs without requiring you to switch planes in a hub city. The Colorado Springs airport is a 20-minute drive from the campus. An alternative is to fly into Denver International Airport. Greyhound Bus offers bus service between downtown Denver to downtown Colorado Springs.
Stay: Two Wyndham Hotel properties are our top choices when visiting Colorado Springs: The Antlers or The Mining Exchange, housed in a historic building downtown. If you have more time for your visit and want to splurge, the five-star Broadmoor, is a beautiful resort on the edge of the Rockies offering golf, tennis and an indoor and outdoor pool.
Coffee: Opening early at 6 am weekdays, and 7 on Saturdays and Sundays, The Perk Downtown features their own locally roasted coffee and a large selection of teas, smoothies and fresh, local baked goods. Just south of downtown, Urban Steam is a relaxed morning gathering spot. Two other favorite students go-tos are Loyal Coffee Roasters and Poor Richard's.
Breakfast: Students love the breakfast at King’s Chef Diner. Don’t let the kitschy castle façade fool you; this long-running restaurant has been feeding locals royally since 1956. Order “The Thing,” a mound of hash browns, bacon and eggs smothered in green chili sauce - it will probably keep you going until dinner. Go hungry to Urban Egg, a favorite CC and local hangout where folks fill up on gourmet pancakes, Eggs Benedict and other breakfast staples.
Lunch: All that mountain air can make you hungry and luckily Colorado Springs has restaurants to help. Student’s favorites include burgers at Skirted Heifer, tacos and burritos at La'au's Taco Shop, sandwiches at Wooglin's Deli, pita sandwiches and gyros at Mediterranean Cafe, and various soups, sandwiches and salads at Garden of the Gods Gourmet. Marigold Café is a popular choice for French inspired lunches and dinners with killer desserts.
Dinner
Casual: Enjoy the global, eclectic menu at Shuga’s, a tiny café just south of downtown. 503W is serving Asian fusion fare with a great craft beer menu to compliment the food. Guy Fieri was recently spotted at Front Range BBQ—does that mean an episode of Diners, Drive in’s and Dives is coming soon? For thin crust Neapolitan pizzas, students head to Pizzeria Rustica. Colorado Springs has tons of burger joints—try Drifter’s Hamburgers or Crave Real Burgers.
A Step Up: The Famous is an upscale Steakhouse, considered by many as the best restaurant in town. The Rabbit Hole serves heightened classic, comfort food in a cool, subterranean space with inventive, fun cocktails.
Sweets: Using local ingredients and a slow method of churning Josh and John’s creates creamy, small batch artisan ice cream.
Local Attractions: Colorado is an outdoor enthusiast dream destination. Grab your hiking boots and head to Red Rocks Canyon Open Space, Cheyenne Canyon, Pikes Peak or Garden of the Gods. Wander around Colorado Springs neighboring town of Manitou Springs, a National Historic District with art galleries and funky boutiques. Another great town to explore is Old Colorado City. Hike at the The Broadmoor’s Seven Falls with seven cascading waterfalls and a zip line adventure course. In the winter, ski at nearby Arapahoe, Breckenridge, and Keystone.
**A student reveals his favorite spots on campus here and a recent CC graduate muses on life after graduation here.
One Year in One Minute
— Quotes From Campus —
“I came here for the unique block plan and I couldn’t be happier. Most classes are discussion based and you can delve into each subject without distraction from other subjects. I love being immersed in one subject for three weeks and then moving on to another topic. Small classes mean you really get to know your professors and other classmates.”
“Everyone is very friendly and laid back—it’s refreshing. You can always find someone who wants to go on a hike, rock climb or ski—depending on the season!”
“The town of Colorado Springs is extremely conservative while the campus of CC is ultra liberal, an interesting dichotomy to say the least.”
“CC is a small school and very outdoorsy, if you’re more of a couch potato than you won’t be happy here!”
“After each block you get a break for a few days—it’s a great opportunity to explore Colorado!”
COLORADO COLLEGE FAST FACTS
Established
1874
Mascot
Prowler
School Colors
Black & Gold
Acceptance Rate
15.8%
Common Application
Yes
Supplement Essays
Yes
Early Action/Decision
Early Decision and Early Action
SAT
Average - 1410
ACT
Average - 30
Type
Private
Size
Small - 2,084 Undergraduates
Website
Region
Admissions Office
14 East Cache La Poudre Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903-9854
(p) (719) 389-6344
(f) (719) 389-6816
admission@coloradocollege.edu
Sports Divisions
NCAA Division III
Greek Life
Yes
Noteworthy Alumni
Lynne Cheney
SHOP
COLORADO COLLEGE
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