University of Colorado at Boulder has a breathtaking pedestrian campus, just 30 miles from downtown Denver. All the buildings share a consistent Italian-style architecture modeled after the villages in Tuscany. Although it’s a public university, UC – Boulder boasts students from all 50 states, as well as 40 international countries.
The college attracts students who love the outdoors (hiking, skiing, biking), and indeed, Boulder is rated #2 as the healthiest city in the US. 72% of the students are enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences. Additional specialized schools include the Leeds School of Business, the College of Engineering and Applied Science (the #1 school for NASA funding for aerospace research), College of Music, School of Education (students can become certified in elementary and secondary education), Program in Environmental Design (strong emphasis on LEED-certified buildings), Program in Journalism and Mass Communications (with a large emphasis on social media).
The school practices what it preaches, and values sustainability, recycling, and farm-to-table organic ingredients in dining facilities. A unique curricular feature is RAP – Residential Academic Programs – in which students can take small classes taught by faculty in their residential dorm. The mascot is a buffalo!