Boulder is a legendary place that draws everyone from East Coast ski bums to California refugees. The scenery is breathtaking and the science programs are first-rate. The University of Arizona is the only public university of similar stature in the Mountain West. Check out the residential academic programs and other living/learning communities.

Wild buffalo may be all but extinct on America’s Great Plains, but they’re in boisterous residence, proudly wearing gold and black, at the University of Colorado Boulder. A bevy of scholars’ programs, residential academic programs, and other learning communities give the campus a community feel, and students choose from a solid menu of academic programs, including research experience, study abroad, and service learning. “There are so many ways to be active and engaged in your learning at Boulder,” cheers a sophomore. And with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, is it any wonder that CU Boulder Buffaloes are a happy herd?

Tree-shaded walkways, winding bike paths, open spaces, and an incredible view of the dramatic Flatirons rock formation make CU’s 600-acre Boulder campus a haven for students from both coasts and for Colorado residents eager to pursue knowledge in a snowy paradise. The university was founded in 1876 as Colorado was becoming a state, and the campus includes about 200 classic rural Italian-style buildings and complexes built of Colorado sandstone with red tile roofs. City bus passes are included in the cost of tuition and fees, the campus Environmental Center facilitates sustainable culture and practices, and ongoing renovations and construction projects embody the university’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. Recent campus additions include the 180,000-square-foot Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building and a 700-bed residence hall.

Entering freshmen and transfer students at CU Boulder choose from the following colleges, schools, and programs: the College of Arts and Sciences (which enrolls 70 percent of the students); the College of Music; the College of Engineering and Applied Science (the hardest to enter, students say); the College of Media, Communication, and Information; the Program in Environmental Design; the Leeds School of Business; the School of Education; and the Program in Exploratory Studies (which allows students to explore options before selecting a major). General education requirements cover three skills acquisition areas-written communication, quantitative reasoning and math, and foreign language-and three distribution categories: arts and humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.

“Unlike other highly competitive universities, there is a high level of collaboration,” says an applied mathematics major. “Your classmates won’t refuse to work with you, and you are always comfortable asking questions and asking for help.” CU Boulder offers more than 4,100 courses each year in approximately 150 areas of study; psychology, strategic communication, finance, and integrative physiology are among the most popular majors. Outstanding programs include aerospace engineering sciences, physics, astronomy, chemical and biological engineering, computer science, music, business administration, and environmental studies. CU Boulder is consistently among the top universities in the country to receive NASA funding, leading to lots of opportunities for the design, construction, and flight of model spacecraft-and to 18 CU Boulder alumni having worked as astronauts. A space minor is open to qualified students in any major. The university also offers 40 bachelor’s-accelerated master’s degree programs, which allow students to earn two degrees in a shorter period of time. Forty-four percent of undergraduate classes enroll fewer than 20 students, and a freshman says, “In my experience, professors and graduate student instructors alike have taken a keen interest in students’ progress, success, and learning.”

CU Boulder has tried to make its large campus seem smaller through its 12 residential academic programs (small, specialized living/learning environments) focusing on topics such as leadership, global studies, the arts, and engineering. Participants take one or two courses, each limited to 25 students, in their residence halls. “The Residential Academic Program for freshmen is essential for gaining a well-rounded experience at CU,” advises a senior. Seven other living/learning communities are also options. The Presidents Leadership Class is a four-year scholarship program that provides the most promising students with leadership training, internships, volunteer opportunities, and visits with influential political, business, and community leaders. The top 10 percent of each incoming class in the College of Arts and Sciences is invited to join the Honors Program, which offers more than 80 honors courses per year. About a third of students undertake undergraduate research, and just as many pack their bags for 350 university-sponsored study abroad programs in 65 countries around the world.

“Students are relaxed and explorative, curious and inquisitive, fun-loving and good-natured, focused and committed,” says one Buffalo. Fifty-seven percent of CU Boulder’s undergraduates come from Colorado, and 6 percent come from abroad. Hispanics comprise 13 percent of the undergraduate population, Asian Americans 6 percent, African Americans 2 percent, and multiracial students 6 percent. Hot topics include “wealth, liberalism, and inequality,” according to one student. Qualified undergrads receive merit scholarships worth an average of $9,300, and 262 athletes receive scholarships as well. Additional programs provide debt-free financial incentives for qualified in-state students whose family income is at or below the federal poverty line. The university also guarantees incoming freshmen that tuition and fees will not increase over their four years.

First-year students are required to live on campus, and 28 percent of all undergrads stay in university housing. “The older dorms are still in pretty good shape but aren’t as nice as the newer dorms,” a sophomore reports. Most sophomores, juniors, and seniors find off-campus digs in Boulder. An alternative to the main Center for Community dining center and 16 smaller dining locations is the Alferd Packer Restaurant & Grill, which takes its name from a controversial 19th-century folk figure known as the “Colorado Cannibal.” Bon appétit. Generally, students say the campus is safe. CU Boulder also offers nighttime transportation via a service called CU NightRide.

For the culturally minded, the university and the city of Boulder offer films and plays, the renowned Colorado Shakespeare Festival, art galleries and museums, and concerts by top bands. Denver is only 30 miles southeast, reachable by a free bus service. Most students get involved in community service, and the CU Engage center coordinates service-learning courses and community-based research opportunities. Twelve percent of CU Boulder men and 22 percent of women go Greek, though fraternity and sorority parties have changed dramatically since CU Boulder’s sorority chapters became the first in the nation to voluntarily make their houses dry. On campus, the ban on alcohol is taken seriously, and dorms are officially substance-free. Still, “The party scene is fairly large and has a lot going on most weekends,” says a political science major. “CU is considered a top party school and people do live up to that expectation.” Day trips to ski resorts like Breckenridge and Vail largely replace weekend getaways here, but for those who’ve got to get out of the cold, Las Vegas isn’t so far, says one student.

Physical exercise is a popular extracurricular activity at CU Boulder. The massive Student Recreation Center features indoor and outdoor pools, a multipurpose turf gym, an ice rink, a climbing gym, and several multipurpose courts, among other facilities. Varsity teams compete in the Division I Pac-12 Conference, and the Buffaloes skiing and women’s cross-country teams are recent national champions. Men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and women’s lacrosse are also strong. Ralphie, the live buffalo who acts as CU Boulder’s mascot, doesn’t miss a game-and neither do many students. Each year, football fans flock to Denver to watch the Rocky Mountain Showdown game against Colorado State. The club sports program, which boasts 30 options, is highly competitive, winning more than 60 national championships in the last 20 years in sports ranging from ice hockey and ultimate Frisbee to cycling and triathlon. Intramurals sign up 28 percent of the students each year.

If you want to flex your muscles as well as your mind, look beyond the ivy-covered bricks and gray city skies endemic to so many Eastern institutions, and consider all the West has to offer instead. “The amount of resources students can utilize to further their education or gain experience in their field at CU and in the city of Boulder is immense and overwhelming,” says one student.

-Fiske Guide