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Ive posted a few times here in the Colorado board and right now I'm considering attending the University of Colorado in Boulder for Computer Science (Specifically Software Programming). I was going to go to UNC in Chapel Hill NC but they wont accept me because I have already attained a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice here in NY (I dont specifically understand their reasoning behind that but whatever).
With that said right now I should just clear up the fact that the reason Im considering going back to school is because I have a kidney disorder that has been disqualifying me from many law enforcment agencies I applied to (I'm going to rip my physician a new one next time I see him because he advised me that my disorder was so mild that I would never be denied into law enforcement work)...
Now with that rant over haha I just want to get the feel of the area from those who may have attended school there or just live in the surrounding areas.
Specifically those who attended CU Boulder. What was it that you liked about the campus? Average class sizes? How do the teachers interact with their students such as do they give ample attention or are they just there to collect a paycheck? School activities or sponsored events?
Also, if anyone knows of some hidden gem apartments around the area that wont cost an arm and a leg? I will have to file for out of state tuition the first year and my final year I will get in state tuition (28,000 compared to 8,000 I believe).
Ive posted a few times here in the Colorado board and right now I'm considering attending the University of Colorado in Boulder for Computer Science (Specifically Software Programming). I was going to go to UNC in Chapel Hill NC but they wont accept me because I have already attained a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice here in NY (I dont specifically understand their reasoning behind that but whatever).
With that said right now I should just clear up the fact that the reason Im considering going back to school is because I have a kidney disorder that has been disqualifying me from many law enforcment agencies I applied to (I'm going to rip my physician a new one next time I see him because he advised me that my disorder was so mild that I would never be denied into law enforcement work)...
Now with that rant over haha I just want to get the feel of the area from those who may have attended school there or just live in the surrounding areas.
Specifically those who attended CU Boulder. What was it that you liked about the campus? Average class sizes? How do the teachers interact with their students such as do they give ample attention or are they just there to collect a paycheck? School activities or sponsored events?
Also, if anyone knows of some hidden gem apartments around the area that wont cost an arm and a leg? I will have to file for out of state tuition the first year and my final year I will get in state tuition (28,000 compared to 8,000 I believe).
Any advice is appreciated!
Wow, what a raw deal with the LE job search and the kidney issue. I wouldn't give up your search for work in LE just yet. I'm no expert on that but that doesn't really sound right or fair to me. Perhaps you should talk to an attorney regarding whether they really have legal grounds to reject you over that and if so whether there is a not entirely dishonest way to avoid disclosing your med. condition when you apply for an LE job.
I am a CU, Boulder alumnus. BA Liberal Arts '92. Since then I'd say the school has only gotten better in quality.
It's a good university, probably a fair bit better than average and located in a very happening place.
Class sizes are not small as a general rule, although some are. Others are 100+ students (usually core requirement courses).
Overall, the student body is not exactly brilliant or superlative. There are many students there whose goals (in order of importance) are:
1) Try a lot of neat drugs and "party"
2) Go skiing as much as possible.
3) Have fun spending all of this money that ma, pa 'n gramps shower on me. (i.e. many of the out-of-state students are from rather affluent families)
4) Somehow graduate with a bona fide college degree within 6 years while spending as little time as possible studying
There are also very serious, dedicated students there, including quite a few international/foreign students. It's up to you to pick the right crowd to associate with while enrolled.
I think the science/engineering students are a little more serious about school than some of the other majors.
My daughter went to CU after two years in a small private college. What she liked about CU in comparison was that there seemed to be a place for everyone at CU, that is, it is possible to find friends w/o having to be a certain "type" of person; that CU was/is pretty flexible, whereas her private school was pretty much in and out in 4 years.
Getting in-state tuition is difficult if you are under 23. There are some links about in-state tuition on this forum.
Yea, Im pretty upset over the whole kidney issue disqualifying me lately. My assumption is that with the economy many more people are heading into law enforcement work and these individuals probably dont have the medical issues I have so they are just winging out those who would cost more in insurance.
Regardless, I will be filing a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security since they are one of the branches to DQ me. I still will be testing with a few other police agencies since medical evalutions differ for each department.
I appreciate the insight on the college. I applied to it and filled out my FAFSA along with some scholarships. Im going to see what the ballpark figure will be for the college and go from that (I graduated with no debt but the thought of spending another 50k on school for 2 years doesnt sit well with me at the moment).
Im 24 and still interested in the party scene, nowhere near as much as I used to be but I like the options of going out on a friday night occasionally and meeting the locals. I know with a computer science degree I wont be partying every night though, will require a lot of focus.
Went to CU for 6 years, finally graduated! Chem Eng '08, so same building you would be in.
The vibe...very rich kids from out of state collide with the brightest average in-state kids. What is mean is out of state is insanely expensive, and also it is the toughest in state school to get into, School of Mines aside. That is a different story. Lots of Cali kids bring their new BMW or Audi to Boulder to shred the snow on their boards and occasionally go to class. Throw in some hippy vibes of the 60s/70s still lingering around and remove most minorities except asians at the engineering school. Sad to say, but it is one of the least diverse schools of its size in the nation, last I heard. There is a lot of partying in certain parts of the school. The business school has classes on Tuesdays and Thursday. The other days, they are usually drunk. The engineers don't party as much, because we are constantly getting destroyed by our classes.
Enough of the negative. I wouldn't have changed a minute of it. It is a great school, academically. State of the art facilities with very advanced research, especially in the engineering department. They pull in a lot of grant and research money because they are the best in many fields. World class physics department.The professors are great. It's all what you make of it. If you go to their office hours, you will get extra help. Some profs definitely have a research agenda and don't care. I hear that's any school though. Don't think you'll see that much in the CS school.
Class sizes...first 2 years of generals can be anywhere from 50 to 300 people. Classes with your majors are probably more like 20-50, for the last 2 years. Those are approximate numbers.
Employers realize it's a good school. Lot's of companies come and recruit there. I might be biased, but you asked for someone who went there!
Overall, a laid back vibe compared to other schools I've seen. It's not the cheapest place to live, but it's damn beautiful, and if you ever leave, you will miss it like crazy.
I lived in like 6 different places in the 6 years there. For what you are looking for, the hot tip is:
Cavalier Apartments Cavalier Apartments
That is like a 5 minute walk to the engineering building where your CS classes would be. Rent was around $550 / mo for a bonafide 1 bedroom apartment, not a studio. Plus a huge walk in closet. It is THE cheapest, closest deal you will find to campus for a very decent set up.
I also may be attending CU Boulder, specifically as a physics major. If I were to attend CU, I'd be getting my degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, not the Engineering College. The bit I find curious is that I'd be getting a BA, rather than a BS, in physics. I understand that traditionally, the BA is the less rigorous of the two, but I've also heard that when a school does not offer the two, the title is largely a matter of history and varies from school to school. So my question is this: Would having a BA from CU negatively affect my chances of admittance into a graduate school when stacked up against students from other universities who have received their BS...es? Or are the courses taken more important than the degree presented in such an instance?
I'll have to take a look at Cavalier Apartments, that kind of rent in Boulder sounds insane, let alone right by campus.
I also may be attending CU Boulder, specifically as a physics major. If I were to attend CU, I'd be getting my degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, not the Engineering College. The bit I find curious is that I'd be getting a BA, rather than a BS, in physics. I understand that traditionally, the BA is the less rigorous of the two, but I've also heard that when a school does not offer the two, the title is largely a matter of history and varies from school to school. So my question is this: Would having a BA from CU negatively affect my chances of admittance into a graduate school when stacked up against students from other universities who have received their BS...es? Or are the courses taken more important than the degree presented in such an instance?
I'll have to take a look at Cavalier Apartments, that kind of rent in Boulder sounds insane, let alone right by campus.
I think the trend is towards the BA in sciences. My DD got a BA in biology from CU. She has a grad school interview this month. I don't think it's negatively affected her chances. The work was not "lightweight". CU has a stellar physics dept with a couple of Nobel Prize winners.
Sorry to hear about your kidney disorder and the discrimination you faced. To address your concerns/questions:
Best things on campus? Well, class. I found most professors very professional and helpful as well as very qualified and erudite. Unfortunately, many classes, typically the early core curriculum classes, are headed by teaching assistants( or TA, graduate students). There's a decent campus gym/recreation center. Walking through campus, on the Boulder creek, Boulder parks or the surrounding area is great and beautiful. Obviously, if you are also into things like climbing, skiing or snowboarding then there is a lot of nearby opportunities. Football games are big, most students there get plastered and I was actually working security when the Nebraska incident occurred on TV. The games are rowdy, whether or not that's a plus is up to opinion. The frat/sorority parties are sleazy and a small percentage of the off-campus parties, so you'll probably find something suitable for you on the party scene since you said you were into that. Like someone said, there are a lot of student just into drugs, partying, shopping and skiing but there are thoughtful and studious students as well. Scandals occurred during my stay, it was a bit distracting and saddening; I have no idea what it is like now.
I have never been to Cavalier Apartments but that price sounds incredible given Boulder and being close to campus. If money is an issue and you have wheels, consider living outside of Boulder and traveling to save money.
Tuition is criminally high, so consider that comparable universities are out there with reasonable tuition fees. Good luck with your scholarships! Without a scholarship, a New Yorker like me could not have went(unless you have rich parents).
Just as a BTW, I attended CU for eight semesters and graduated in 2009.
I think the trend is towards the BA in sciences. My DD got a BA in biology from CU. She has a grad school interview this month. I don't think it's negatively affected her chances. The work was not "lightweight". CU has a stellar physics dept with a couple of Nobel Prize winners.
Thank you for your reply. Your response is in line with what I've been hearing from a lot of people-- that the BS/BA distinction is only applicable when a school offers both in a particular field, and the coursework is severely different (typically the BA having more breadth but less depth, and vice versa.) While at CU the work is, as you said, not lightweight by any means.
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