Colorado Springs - UCCS and Commute questions (Denver: employment, neighborhood)

[chelsea06]

Hi Everyone!

I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this forum! I'm going to be moving to Colorado Springs area from Toronto (recently married a U.S.military man) and I have a few questions:

1. I'm hoping to go to UCCS for the MBA program. Does anyone here currently attend that school (or specifically that program)? Any comments? How is campus recruiting? I'm hoping to start a career in accounting following my completion of the degree.

2. Does anyone here make the commute to Denver? I should mention that I lived about 40 minutes outside of Toronto and often had to make the snowy, sometimes 1.5 hour commute into the city for work. Is it kinda comparable? I think I might want to look for work in Denver if it means more employment opportunities.

Thanks for your help! I'm really looking forward to the move, the city looks beautiful!!!

[otowi]

1. I don't know anything specifically about the MBA program at UCCS. The school itself I've never heard anything bad about. It used to be a commuter campus but it has grown beyond that now. What is campus recruiting? Do you mean job placement? I would call UCCS, someone in the MBA department, and ask them. I don't know that U.S. schools do a lot of job placement assistance, but maybe some. But if you're interested in accounting, you may want to set up business for yourself.

2. I do not advise the commute to Denver unless you really have no choice. Look for work here first, and go the commute-to-Denver route only if you have to. It would be more than 40 minutes each way, most likely, depending on where you live in the Springs. It isn't a terrible commute per se - it has some good views - but it is long and when you get up to Denver the traffic into town can be nasty, and same on your way back.

[lurtsman]

I'm in the MBA program at UCCS. My classes start this fall. They have a placement director that will provide some assistance with landing you a position and help network you towards some of the better openings. At this time there is still 10% unemployment, so they can only be moderately effective.

Making that commute every day would suck. Look for a local place to work, or live in Denver and take your classes from UCCS online. You should do the first year online anyway if you don't have residency because it will be cheaper. When you have residency, on campus is cheaper. I'm studying Finance and international business. We might end up with some of the same courses

Congratulations on marrying one of our military. It seems you've made a number of fine choices. Going into the right fields, the right programs, the right spouse, and the right city. You'll find weather here is much better than Toronto, though you may find the city has a less cosmopolitan feel to it.

Of note: Denver also has massive unemployment problems. Most places here do--especially any place you would want to live. It'll take at least a few more years to right that ship.

[Katdecker]

My hubby has made the commute to Denver for the last ten years. CDOT keeps the highway clear. The worst part will be getting from your neighborhood to the highway. Depends on where your going to work in Denver.