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If you already live in the west, pick a public university in your own state. It doesn't have to be the enormous state univ. Most states have several smaller public universities. Going public in-state will keep it from being "very expensive." Private schools and out-of-state schools are quite expensive. Major may not seem to matter yet, but if you have any idea (like, "i kinda like science") then lean toward schools that offer reputable programs in sciences, medicine, etc. Although academics may not seem to matter as much as forests and not too many parties, you'll be much better off if you go somewhere that will prepare you best for whatever career path you end up choosing.
Based on how the OP phrased his question, it sounds like he does NOT live in the mountain west, knows very little about the region, and possibly has never even been there. He sounds very naive, and perhaps isn't even ready for college, to put it bluntly. I don't know about every school in this region, but CU Boulder, the best state university in Colorado and the mountain west region, costs a FORTUNE for out of state students to attend. A lot of spoiled east coast kids go there so they can party and ski, and their rich parents pay ridiculous out of state tuition prices. CU is an extreme example, but pretty much every public university costs a heck of a lot more for out of state students. I'm wondering if the state universities in WY, MT, ID, and UT are better deals for out of staters than Colorado schools? Another school to look at, not Rocky Mountains, but mountain-y, is Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ-- it's in a huge ponderosa pine forest (not the typical Arizona desert setting), unique town. Not exactly cheap for out of staters though.
Out of state tuition has risen all over the west. Most state schools probably won't fit your needs, as many of them have large student populations. For example, I attended University of Arizona for two years, which has about 35-40k students when you throw in grad students, and costs about 17 grand a semester for an out of state student. I transferred to a university in my home state because it's just so much cheaper, although I did have scholarships at UofA which were extremely helpful, so if you have a strong enough academic record by all means try to get a scholarship wherever you end up.
For comparison, Adams State, a small college in Alamosa, CO that might be more of what you are looking for, has about 5,000 students total, with out of state costs coming in at about 10k/semester. Word of warning though - smaller schools like Adams State tend to have predominantly in-state students, so depending on where you are from, you may have a harder time acclimating and getting used to a different way of life (this is actually typical of most universities in West to my knowledge, regardless of size; it all comes down to states giving students more incentives, ie money, to stick close to home).
Another comparison, since it was previously mentioned - NAU has about 14-16k students, with the same high out of state costs. It is in a nice area, and is at the foot of Mt. Elden and Humphrey's Peak, AZ's highest point. There is a ski resort near town too.
Also as was previously mentioned, look into schools that have strong programs in areas you might be leaning towards. This will make your life far easier, and will counter the bureacratic burden students sometimes feel in college (this is more typical of larger schools, however).
This is an extremely helpful site to help you get an idea of what kind of schools might be best for you:
You can list your preferences and it will come up with a list of schools based on that, or you can research schools individually. When you find schools that appeal to you, go to their webpages or contact them for more info.
I don't know about every school in this region, but CU Boulder, the best state university in Colorado and the mountain west region, costs a FORTUNE for out of state students to attend. A lot of spoiled east coast kids go there so they can party and ski, and their rich parents pay ridiculous out of state tuition prices.
I went to high school in South Carolina, applied to Colorado as a "reach" school, and somehow got accepted. My parents laughed out loud when I told them the out of state tuition; I think the words were, "No way in hell!" Tuition was something like $30,000/year.
But, I can't tell if the O.P. is looking for a college or a vacation spot. A cheap out-of-state school, somewhere in America, not too large, with no field in mind?
Last edited by anonymous; 11-16-2007 at 07:32 AM..
Based on how the OP phrased his question, it sounds like he does NOT live in the mountain west, knows very little about the region, and possibly has never even been there.
Especially the "dense forests" and "mountains" part. The universities in CO, for the most part, are not located in the forested mountains, but upon the treeless plains. This is true even of CU-Boulder, which is right up against the mtns, but not in them. CSU is even farther from the mtns than Boulder.
University of Utah or Utah State (ranked 6th best value in the nation by Consumer Reports. I think Utah State is a bit more reputable than U of U. There's also the University of Wyoming, University of Idaho, Idaho State, University of Colorado, Colorado State, University of Montana and Montana State.
Many of these universities aren't located in dense forests, but small regional centers that are often on the valley floor, near mountains with pine forests and a lot of snow.
I think Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff might meet many of your criteria. Flagstaff is one of the coldest areas in the state of Arizona, is surrounded by Ponderosa Pine trees, and experiences snow (widely varying amounts) each year.
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