Greetings From the Campus of Colorado School of the Mines….in Golden, CO!
(originally written 4/16/09 on a rainy day) You know you’re not in Denver anymore when you reach Golden – it’s a small town of 17,000 residents, surrounded by beautiful foothill mountains – a world away from downtown Denver, which is only 20 minutes away. The Coors Brewery plant in town further adds to the ambiance. It’s been there since the late 1800’s, the location chosen for the natural spring water from the foothills. Mines student traditionally celebrate their 21st birthday with a free plant tour, followed by the free beer samples.
The School of the Mines is a serious Engineering, Science and Math school. It does still have a mining major, but that is the least popular. It is mostly known for Engineering, Math and the Sciences. For those students interested in Geology – this is the place to go. It also has an Economics/Business major, but this is mostly used as a minor; students in this major also need to complete the set core year of engineering classes. The Engineering majors (electrical, civil, mechanical) are the most popular and most women (30% of students) tend to go for the chemical and bio-chemical engineering majors. There are humanities requirements to round things out, but there are no majors in them. Graduates are so popular, with excellent job placement, that the career center has a waiting list for companies who want to come on campus to recruit.
When considering the School of the Mines, “work ethic” is the most important element to determine fit. This is a school for kids who can get themselves up in the morning to go to class on time, balance ski temptations with hours of homework, and proactively seek the abundant tutoring help and recognize when they need it. The school seeks kids who will work hard. They are willing to provide as much support as needed for them to succeed, but the student must fundamentally have a strong work ethic. A secondary element is an outside interest – it can be anything (an outdoors-type interest is a plus), but the school does not want kids who will just sit in their room and study. They want a dynamic community of students who “are not nerds” but students who will interact with each other, lead organizations, and participate in club events like the cardboard canoe races on the creek or robotics competitions. It’s not an easy school to get into – a 3.75 average GPA, 27/28 ACT, or 670 SAT math.
The School of the Mines is also a school about “tradition.” It has existed since the late 1800’s Colorado Gold Mining days. Each freshman must bring a 10 pound rock from their home to the school. During orientation, there is a ceremony where they climb nearby Mt. Zion, to place their rock on the school’s “M,” which they subsequently whitewash. Upon graduation, they re-climb Mt. Zion to claim a rock to take away with them. People say you can identify Mines alumi by the symbolic hardhat on their shelf and the whitewashed rock used as their office doorstop. Students also receive additional perks such as use of the forgery in the basement to work on personal projects. A brand new recreation center includes a rock climbing wall and a hot tub.
The School of the Mines is a place for students who are serious about their academics, want to go to school with like-minded people, but know how to have fun too.
Please visit my photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/maritasurace/ColoradoSchoolOfTheMines# and my website at http://www.collegeapplicationadvisors.com/
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