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Colorado College Road Trip: University of Denver

By U.S. News & World Report

Located five miles from downtown, the University of Denver, known as DU, is recognized for its international studies and business programs, particularly hospitality management; its access to skiing and other mountain pursuits; a vibrant study abroad program; and its national champion men’s lacrosse team.

“I needed to be close to the mountains, and I wanted to go to a good school as well,” says Vermonter Connor Davis, a 2016 graduate in journalism, avid skier, and former editor of DU’s newspaper.

“Study abroad was a big draw,” says Jess Davidson, a 2016 graduate in political science who studied in South Africa for a semester and worked on DU-sponsored research in Uganda one summer.

Founded in 1864, DU is the oldest and largest private university in the Rocky Mountain region. While the school’s 76 percent admit rate seems high, officials say the caliber of student also is high, with the average GPA of entrants running 3.68. Less than a quarter of students hail from Colorado, with large numbers coming from the East and West Coasts, Illinois and Minnesota. The student body is 68 percent white, although the new chancellor wants to increase diversity.

[Check out other colleges and universities in Colorado.]

About one-third of undergrads major in business; many enter the university’s formal dual bachelor’s-graduate programs that allow them to start and complete their advanced degree sooner than is typical in such fields as business, engineering, public policy, education, social work and law.

“I’m getting my master’s in less than five years,” says Davidson of Fort Collins, Colorado, who is continuing at DU for a master’s in public policy analysis.

With at least two-thirds of undergrads choosing to study abroad, the Institute of International Education regularly puts DU at or near the top in the nation for overseas study. The question “isn’t whether you are going to study abroad, but where you will go,” notes Aaron Sanchez, a senior in marketing from Thornton, Colorado. DU has more than 150 programs in its global studies portfolio.

[See which top colleges and universities are in the Centennial State.]

The emphasis is shifting toward collaborative and experiential learning, already big in the engineering program. Students do senior capstone projects that have involved, for example, helping a local biotech or other firm solve problems or create new products. “A lot of students get jobs with these customers,” says Bradley Davidson, a mechanical engineering assistant professor and director of DU’s Human Dynamics Laboratory.

DU students are required to live on campus their first two years — “When you are in the freshmen dorms, you’re waking up to the mountains,” says Cameron Hickert, a 2016 graduate in physics and international studies from Colorado Springs — and freshmen have a choice of five theme-based living-and-learning communities that have them taking seminar classes together while living on the same floor. A quarter of students participate in the Greek system.

Cherished traditions include tailgating before lacrosse games, winter carnival and camping out in line to get hockey tickets. “The Colorado College-DU game,” says Jess Davidson, “is huge.”

Colorado College Road Trips:
— University of Colorado–Boulder
— Colorado College
— Colorado School of Mines

This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2017” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.

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Take a College Road Trip to Colorado

College Road Trip: Colorado School of Mines

College Road Trip: University of Colorado–Boulder

Colorado College Road Trip: University of Denver originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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