Hello. My son is trying to decide between SDSU vs CU Boulder for business. He was admitted to both and having a tough time deciding. He would be going fall 2021. Can those who have attended provide any feedback on the schools? pros/cons. Social life, academics, football, sense of community, will classes be in person? Etc. thanks in advance.
Are you in-state at either one?
Both will have big sports, parties, and campus life. Boulder is the quintessential college town, San Diego is of course a major city.
Have you been able to visit (even if just to walk around on your own)?
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Thanks. Planning on walking around over spring break but will be tough to get a sense of it fully
Hi, We are in a similar situation. Currently in Boulder visiting from the midwest. Trying to get a feel for the campus and students walking around on our own. Daughter trying to choose between CU Boulder, Colorado College and University of Puget Sound! Lucky choices to have but tough decision too.
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It’s been awhile since I was an undergrad at CU Boulder but, since there are no other responses, I will try to answer some of your questions.
Firstly, congratulations to your son! The Leeds School of Business is well-regarded and has good career placement within the state and region.
In regards to life in Boulder, it is a wonderful place to spend four years. The surrounding area boasts abundant nature and recreational opportunities from hiking to rock climbing to skiing and mountain biking. No equipment? No problem! Students can rent equipment from the CU Rec Center or from one of the local sporting goods stores.
CU has a work hard/party hard atmosphere. Students are quite social and know how to have a good time. With nearly 32k undergraduates, students can easily find their people at CU. I joined the Boulder Freeride club as an undergrad and spent many weekends (and some weekdays) on the slopes with the friends I met there. My daughter found her people in the vocal music scene and in the Residence Hall Association (RHA). Neither my daughter nor I had any interest in Greek Life so I can’t speak with any authority on the atmosphere in the sororities/fraternities.
Football games are a family affair. They are well-attended by current students and the many alumni who still live in the area, many of whom have kids at CU. On Friday nights before game day, the marching band and football team “stampede” down Pearl St. It’s very festive.
The only drawback I can think of is that CU can be overwhelming both in size and geography. There are ways to make the school feel smaller (e.g. Living and Learning Communities), but students will have to seek out those opportunities. Still, there is no getting around the trek across campus. Some dorms and buildings are a bus ride away from central campus and students will need to plan accordingly especially during winter.
Hopefully, a current CU Boulder parent or student can address your concerns about fall scheduling plans.
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Hi. I’ve lived in Boulder for a dozen years and my daughter just accepted admission for Fall 2021.
The latest from CU is that they are planning to have most classes in person with some consideration for students who still need to be remote. Students should not assume that they will be able to take remote classes.
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I did Boulder undergrad and SDSU grad school for MBA. I’d still choose CU for undergrad. However, SDSU is rising in better professors and career support. CU has everything there w majority of students in 10 miles radius w slopes to ski in less than an hour. SDSU has upperclassman move to PB which is 30 min drive. The beach life is a blast but it definitely takes discipline to get to class. Beach vs Mtn? Costs? Similar personalities of kids at both schools. Find what ur kid feels is most authentic to their personality if costs are not the issue. Best of luck. Proud Buff and Aztec alum.
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