Admissions

Come and visit the campus and city to see if it seems like someplace you would like to be. Also, sit in on a class for your prospective major to see if you like the atmosphere.

For your first couple of days, you should carry a campus map around with you. Some of the planners they sell in the book stores come with maps in the back, so that's not a problem. Also, at the end of each semester, make sure that you sell your books back to Shipping On the Hill, because they give you more money than the school book store does. Also make sure that you manage time wisely. It can be easy to get into the habit of partying every weekend, but make sure you study, because when finals come along, so do the consequences.

Stay focused. Just like at any campus, there are distractions. My first semester, I ignored my professor's tips for success thinking I could just get by like I did in high school, and that was a mistake. Once I realized that, I saw HUGE improvements. So start out doing the suggested readings and use the Help Rooms they offer and form study groups (they make it fun). Being such a big campus, it's easy to get lost both physically and mentally. So go see your counselors often, they really help and give you great advice. If you do all this from the get-go, you won't need to cram or stress at the last minute and will have more opportunities to enjoy the school spirit and Boulder itself. Also, it is a huge expense so apply for scholarships and, if necessary, get a Work Study job. They are super flexible and don't pay too badly.

Pay no attention to the party school label behind the curtain. You will find drinking and crazy behavior at every University in the country. Boulder does a fairly good job of limiting this in their fraternities and sororities, and provides a number of alternative actions. Any student wary of drinking and partying can find lots of friends to hang out with and safe places to go.

I would deffinitly recommend this school just don't forget to look at your budget. Are you paying or are your parents/grandparents/whoever paying? If you don't think you can afford it now there are always community colleges in Colorado you can start out at and many of the credits at those schools are transferable to CU or any other university in Colorado. Another thing, campus living is great. It may not seem cool to live on campus for more then one year but it's not to expensive, you get a large selection of dining experiences, and it's close to everything in Boulder. Plus you only have to wake up an hour before classes start and there's no driving involved. Finally, the campus is not to large but a bike can make things easier, or even a scooter. Wheels are always good to have but if you don't buy some comfortable walking shoes. I walk and it's not to bad it's just a lot of wallking. lastly, take advantage of your resources. There's a huge recreational center which is free for students to use, and there are always events going on on campus, many of which are free to students.

Work hard and pay attention to scholarships and deadlines!

Apply early and apply for scholarships. These helped to bring my cost to match in-state tuition rates. C4C has lots of diverse food choices, including gluten free, and labels foods at their stations serving lots of tastes with variety. Books can be ordered early, and ordering used (early) from the bookstore helped me bring my costs down more. My used books were in almost new condition. Teachers, TA's and advisors are all super helpful when you have trouble, like losing a BuffOne card, (which gives you access to dorms, your room and food) or having questions about course work. Talk to them before you have problems so they know you when you do! When I told people I was attending this school, they warned me about the party culture. The social scene seems like any other university, because people will make their own decisions anywhere. You can find people who think like you think and make similar choices at CU. The students are diverse, care about social issues and the planet, appreciate the geography, and want to make the world a better place.

Boulder is notorious for its reputation as a party school. Having said that, the parties were not as unavoidable as the rumors made them out to be. Personally, I knew quite a handful of students that did not choose Boulder mainly for its reputation as a party school. It all depends on who you choose to be friends with, and most people are respectful of people's decisions of whether or not to drink.

Have fun but don't get overly involved and party too much your first semester that's how people fail and drop out of college. It may seem hard or not as fun but ease into college life that way you can have fun both semesters and for the rest of college instead of being on academic probation and having to explain to your parents why you failed your first semester and messed up your college career.