CSU
really is a mixed bag now that I look back
on it. I received my degree in May of 2008
in Apparel and Merchandising. I'm originally from Missouri, and transferred
to CSU from Miami(OH). (where ben roethlisberger went). I
came to CSU after applying for transfer from Miami, and
after refusing to apply to CU. Don't get me wrong
I love the town of Boulder and have a few
dear friends there, but on the whole, the kids there
are arrogant and rude, and very reminiscent of Miami (which
is commonly called “J.Crew U”). After being accepted as a
transfer at CSU, I chose to attend without EVER having
seen the school or town. After graduating, I've taken a
job with DC Shoes in Northern San Diego. The good:
- I love Fort Collins! there's so much
to love; Breweries, huge bike lanes, heaps of trees, horsetooth
reservoir, and excellent restaurants. The town has lots of
activities designed for the town, but frequented by students such
as brewfest, New Belgium bike in movies, the Tour de
Fat, and others. The town and students seem to vibe
really well together. I would honestly live in FoCo
for the rest of my life... raise a family, and
do the whole nine.
- CSU students; The kids
are what makes CSU what it is. We are about
82% coloradoan (even though I'm out of state), and that
makes us truly THE colorado university, and definitely lends itself
to a true Colorado experience. Without the students, CSU would
be just another school.
- The Ramskellar: We have
a bar in our student center. Nuff' said. Did I
mention that we also sell beer at our football stadium?
- The outdoors! Horsetooth Reservoir, Rist Canyon, Red Feathers... what's
not to love. Don't forget about snowboarding too.
- Proximity
to Denver: Need to get out of the Fort? No
problem. Denver is an hour to the south.
The Bad:
- Campus buildings: Save the Oval, CSU is
aesthetically unpleasing. The only redeeming factors are the oval, morgan,
and the foothills in the distance with our beloved Aggie
A.
- Campus Police: This seems to be a
problem with every school. Overzealous cops and especially bicycle offers
make daily commutes and life tough. You almost feel like
you're consistently being watched.
- Apathy: Seems to plague
any state school. Kids just don't care. This extends to
coursework, local issues, and national issues... It seems too much
just to check cnn.com or anything for that matter in
the morning.
- Level of prestige/academics: I don't know
how to say this. I'm truly not the sharpest knife
in the drawer, but it just seems more oft than
not that I'd be talking about a national or local
issue, or even class material.... and only see blank and
confused faces staring at me. It breaks my heart to
know that my little brother had a good ACT score
and didn't get in, compared to some of the dreadful
scores my fellow classmates had yet still got in.
- Mediocrity: Athletically we are just AWFUL. It seems as
though our school may turn the page with a new,
young, and hungry AD and football coach. I love college
sports and the whole gameday atmosphere...but part of that comes
with winning games. This is where CSU lacks.
-
Money: CSU lags behind many universities in money for academics,
athletics, etc., which has really left us behind, but I
can see us turning a corner with some news buildings
etc.
In Summary: I had my heart broken when I
didn't get into Notre Dame, and thought college just didn't
matter after that. CSU changed all of that. I will
FOREVER be proud to be an alum of CSU, and
love both the school and town with unrelenting passion and
fervor. Go to CSU. get past the aesthetics, and you'll
find something truly unique and special. My biggest mistake was
picking a school based on aesthetics (Miami). Go Rams!
If you have any questions, feel free to Email me.
Articles
Hi...i'd be interested to pick your brain a bit about Ft. Collins and CSU. I'm a midwest transplant also in San Diego and considering a move to the mountains for grad school/family.
Thanks!
Awesome posting, I would say the exact same thing!
Why did you choose csu over cu boulder? just out of curiosity.
