Colorado College

Colorado Springs, CO · founded 1874 · 2,200 students · liberal arts college

Known for: Colorado College is renowned for its unique Block Plan, where students take one intensive course at a time for 3.5 weeks. It is also famous for its stunning location at the foot of Pikes Peak and its strong emphasis on experiential learning and outdoor education.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #27
Forbes: #82

Top programmes

Environmental Science
Political Science
Economics
Biology
Sociology
History

Notable alumni

Ken Salazar — Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Senator from Colorado
Lynne Cheney — Author and former Second Lady of the United States
Marc Webb — Film director ('500 Days of Summer', 'The Amazing Spider-Man')
James Heckman — Nobel Prize-winning economist
John Hickenlooper — U.S. Senator from Colorado and former Governor of Colorado
Michele Roberts — Former Executive Director of the NBA Players Association
Thomas Hornsby Ferril — Poet Laureate of Colorado

Traditions

The First Annual First Monday Show
Llamapalooza (spring music festival)
Winter Ball
The Colorado College Christmas Festival

If Colorado College were…

As a food: Omakase sushi — One meticulously crafted course at a time, total immersion, no distractions—the Block Plan is the academic equivalent of a chef deciding your entire meal in sequential, intense experiences.
As an athlete: Alex Honnold — Free solo climber, hyper-focused, thrives in the Rockies, takes calculated risks with singular intensity—exactly the vibe of students doing one Block at a time while scaling actual fourteeners on weekends.
As a person alive today: Lynsey Addario — Photojournalist who embeds deeply in single stories, travels constantly, combines intellectual rigor with physical adventure—mirrors CC's immersive academics and 'block break' wanderlust culture.
As a historical figure: John Muir — Naturalist who studied obsessively, wrote intensely, and believed wilderness was essential to learning—CC's Block Plan in the shadow of Pikes Peak is his pedagogy made manifest.
As a movie or TV show: 127 Hours — Intense, focused, set in the Rockies, about endurance and singular commitment—one Block is like one canyon, you're all in until you emerge transformed or exhausted.
As a US president: Theodore Roosevelt — Rugged outdoorsman, voracious reader, believed in strenuous life and conservation—CC students channel TR's blend of intellectual intensity and mountain-summit ambition.
As a city: Boulder, Colorado — Outdoorsy, progressive, at the base of dramatic peaks, filled with people who hike before breakfast and read philosophy after—CC is Boulder's more intense, focused younger sibling.
As an element: Titanium — Strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant, used in high-performance mountain gear and aerospace—CC students are built for endurance, adaptability, and thriving at altitude.
As a car: Subaru Outback Wilderness — Block Plan intensity meets Pikes Peak proximity—one class at a time, then straight to the trailhead. It's the academically rigorous overachiever that summits fourteeners on weekends and never apologizes for mud on the bu

Campus life

Campus life is heavily influenced by the Block Plan's intensive academic schedule and the spectacular outdoor setting. Students are active and outdoorsy, with easy access to hiking, skiing, and climbing. The social scene is largely campus-focused with numerous clubs and organizations.