University of Colorado--Boulder Student Reviews

Academic Life

I would say that the education at Boulder is more geared toward learning for its own sake but it depends which major you choose. Most of my friends in the arts and sciences majors feel that they haven't been prepared for a specific job. The school of journalism, engineers, architects, business, and those type of majors tend to prepare more for getting an actual job after graduation. Career Services is a really good resource for help with finding jobs, internships, or learning more about the process. The academics at Boulder are highly regarded by others. When I say I go to school at Boulder usually there is a favorable response. My experience with the psychology department has been positive for the most part. There were some classes I was disappointed with, that were too easy, but the majority have been challenging, engaging, and overall I have been satisfied with the education I've received at CU. Professors are usually very helpful, but it is the students responsibility to approach them. The first days of class they'll invite you to come to their office hours, and give occassional reminders throughout the semester, but it is up to you to take advantage of it. I would- it makes it much easier to get letters of recommendation later on. Also, because classes are so big this is one of the more likely ways a professor will learn your name, especially if the class is a large lecture. One of my favorite classes at CU was "Social Constructions of Sexuality" I highly suggest taking this class, and you'll hear by word of mouth the same thing, it's extremely popular, and one of the more intellectually/academically challenging courses I've taken. My least favorite class in the psychology major was "Statistics and Research Methods" but it's required so you just have to deal with it. A psychology course that was one of my best was " Psychology of Personality" with Doctor Jennifer Schwartz. She is an excellent professor that encourages class discussion, challenges us to think, and teaches in an interesting expressive way. There are other professors like this in the department, but she was one of the ones I had that was excellent. The time students spend studying depends on the major they are in and the difficulty of their courses. I have some friends in the engineering and physics departments who spend almost all of their time during the weekdays and some weekend days studying. Most of my friends in the arts and sciences majors though don't spend an overwhelming amount of time studying. There is always so much to do in Boulder that most students spend more time out enjoying Boulder. Usually it depends what kind of student you are, the academics are decently challenging but not overwhelming. In my experience it has been very easy to balance free time with academics. As a general rule, I'd say students are less competitive and more laid back in Boulder. Once again this answer could depend though on who you ask and what majors they are taking.