lolalee

My son wants to go to a block plan school and is a really fun person with lots of friends but won't apply to CC because he says everyone does drugs. How significant is the drug culture and is there a sizable population that is not a part of it? Many thanks.

Canadianmom

Has he considered Brigham Young U?

Seriously, drugs were part of the culture back when I went to university before the earth cooled, and they continue to be a part of the culture at many colleges. Binge drinking, too. He really needs to visit schools that he is interested in. My son visited about 10 LACs and was offered drugs and alcohol at every single one except CC, where he stayed with some very straight kids. But easy to find there, too, if that is what a student wants.

Canadianmom

PS

How about Cornell College? I don't know anything about it except that it also has the block plan, is in the midwest, and is profiled in Colleges That Change Lives. Probably a lot easier to get into, too.

There is a strange chemistry that makes a kid love a certain college. CC is really terrific, but if your son doesn't feel that way about it, why push it?

swimming08

As a graduate of a highly ranked east coast LAC and a parent of a CC sophmore, I completely agree with Canadiammom. Before my son applied, we heard the "over the top drug use " rumors. My son attended an accepted students overnight visit and came home with a completely different view of CC. He is currently a sophmore and varsity athlete and is beyond happy. CC is ranked in the top 10 of colleges and universities with the "happiest students" according to the recently released 2010 Princeton Review. If it had a unusually high drug culture I doubt it would have made the top 10. From what my son has seen and heard from friends at other highly ranked LACs and universities, not only are the rumors not true but there is no more drug/alcohol use at CC than there is anyway else (except maybe a military academy and BYU). There is drug use and alcohol comsumption at CC just like at almost schools, but my son seems to think many CC students spend less time drinking than many of his friends at other schools across the country because they spend so much of their free time pursuing outdoor activities. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to survive the block plan if you are using drugs and binge drinking all week. If your son's concern is based upon personal observations than CC is not the place for him but if it is based upon rumors or the statements of one or two past students then he should really visit and see for himself. You should read an article from the Denverpost.com dated June 2008 about admissions at CC. I will post the link but if it does not work you can google --denver post article about Colorado College admission hits and misses----It is an interesting article on how the student body at CC has evolved.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_945931

tk21769

Check out the review of Colorado College on CollegeGuide.org. This site provides detailed reviews from a conservative/traditionalist perspective. Colorado College is one of the only schools among the USNWR top 30 LACs to get a "green light" rating on this site (Davidson also got one). I doubt it would have received this rating if CollegeGuide considered it a drug infested den of iniquity (although CC is generally considered a rather liberal school).

Colorado College used to be considered sort of a "hippie college" but has been getting more and more selective over the years (maybe coinciding with Richard Celeste's presidency). I agree with other comments above about the demands of the block plan and the outdoor interests of many students. In addition, the school tends to attract a rather athletic student body. I would think (or at least hope) that serious drug use does not mix too well with intense academics and extracurriculars like rock climbing at 12,000 feet.

Cardinal Fang

I can't get the link in post #4 to work.

lolalee

By googling I got this link and was able to read the article. Very interesting.

College admissions miss "risks" - The Denver Post

07DAD

My S is a Junior at CC. He hasn't found CC to be a druggie culture.

Here is the CC policy page. Take a look at the drugs and alcohol policy.

The Guide College Policies

That statement by swimming08 is a near quote by my S.

My S is heavily involved in adjuncts (the 1/4 block courses in the evenings) and in student dance productions. He indicated that an actively involved student tends to have even less time to be high.

Michiyo

Has your son thought about living in the substance-free hall? As a straight-edge student here at CC, I have found that living in the substance-free dorm hall has definitely insulated me from the typical college drug-alcohol culture.

cptofthehouse

According to *******, CC has significant drug use, more than at some other peer schools such as Bucknell, and a number of east coast LACs. To me, it is just under the line where it affects the college atmosphere as I feel it does at schools like Bard and some other artsy type schools.

At CC, there are enough kids who are not into drugs and are more the preppy type of kids so that the drug culture does not define the college life.

It's a tough call. There are schools that are overly frat, drinking, partying, good ol' boy, there are the goth type schools, etc and others that may be at an extreme where kids can be uncomfortable. That is why a visit can be helpful.

swimming08

I am confused....who/what is ******** ?