How to Apply

The first step to filing an official application for admission to Colorado College is to complete Form I. Please do this as soon as possible, even before you fill out the Common Application.

Next, you must complete the actual Common Application. We strongly encourage you to submit the electronic version of this form online (www.commonapp.org). We also require that your school send a school report, counselor evaluation and official transcript, as well as two recommendations from teachers in academic subjects. Lastly, please file the Supplement to the Common Application. Please review our complete listing of requirements. Please mail all original forms to:

Filling Out The Forms
Please fill out the Common Application carefully and completely. If necessary, feel free to list your responses on additional pages or a resume. Each additional sheet of paper should be labeled with your name and date of birth. Even if your handwriting is very legible, we recommend that you complete the application online. If you must fill this out on a hard copy, please do so with a typewriter, or download the interactive pdf and fill out the forms on your computer and then print them out.

We encourage you to write about significant awards, activities, or personal accomplishments. In our view, it is better to provide more information than not enough. However, the submission of art portfolios, recordings or digital media is discouraged since this information is seldom reviewed by the Admission Committee or our academic departments. Also, these materials will not be returned. Submit a $50 non-refundable application fee (payable to Colorado College) or fee waiver with your application. Do not send cash. CC participates in the College Board fee waiver program; see your counselor for details.

Standardized Test Information

We require either the SAT I or the ACT (with or without the essay). If you have taken the SAT or ACT, please fill in your scores and the test date. Also, be sure to have an official copy of the scores sent. To register for the SAT I, go to
www.collegeboard.org. The last SAT we can consider is the January test date for Regular Decision (November test date for Early Action or ED I and December for ED II). To register for the ACT, go to www.act.org. The last ACT we can consider is the February test date for Regular Decision (November test date for Early Action or ED I). SAT Subject scores are accepted but not required.

International students. If you attend a school where English is not the language of instruction, and English is not your first language, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in addition to the SAT I or ACT. We do not accept A-level tests and other culminating tests as substitutes for the SAT or ACT. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service at many testing agencies throughout the world. The last TOEFL we can consider is the January test date. To learn more about the test, visit the TOEFL Web site at www.toefl.org. If you are unable to take the TOEFL, the APIEL or the SAT II ELPT test are acceptable substitutes. A minimum 550 TOEFL (600 preferred) or 5 on the APIEL is required.

Early Action and Early Decision
Early Action. We encourage students who identify Colorado College as one of their top choices to elect our non-binding Early Action program. Usually, we notify candidates of our decision around mid-January. Early Action applicants may be offered admission, denied admission, or deferred to the regular decision timeline.

Early Decision I. We encourage students who have Colorado College as their first choice college prior to November 15th to apply Early Decision Round I with the understanding that, if admitted, they are expected to enroll.

Early Decision II. We encourage students who identify Colorado College as their top choice college after November 15th but before January 1st to apply Early Decision Round II. Also, students who would be more competitive in our process
after submitting fall semester grades and/or additional test scores should apply Early Decision Round II. If admitted, you are expected to enroll.

Although any student may apply Early Action or Early Decision , those who receive early offers of admission usually have exceptionally strong academic records through their junior year of high school. If you are interested in applying for admission using one of our early options, please ask your counselor to send mid-semester or first-trimester grades as soon as they become available.

Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents seeking financial assistance from the college may not apply early. For more information about Early programs, please see our Frequently Asked Questions section.

Recommendations
We require a recommendation from your college counselor. Please be sure to give him or her enough notice so that he/she can write a thoughtful recommendation. Your counselor should also send an official transcript by the application deadline. Also, ask your counselor to submit a mid-year report as soon as first-semester or first-trimester grades are available.

We require two teacher recommendations in academic subject areas such as English, math, science, foreign language, or social studies. Select these teachers carefully - they should be people who know you well and can speak specifically about your academic contributions to their classes and to the school as a whole. Deliver these forms to your teachers well in advance of the application deadline so that they have time to thoughtfully complete them. Generally speaking, additional
recommendations are not helpful. However, if you feel that your guidance counselor and two teachers cannot give us an accurate picture of who you are, feel free to send in an additional optional recommendation.

Common Application Supplement
Our Supplement to the Common Application actually consists of three parts. Form I should be filled out as soon as possible and sent in, even before you fill out the full Common Application. Form I requires you to elect one of our four application deadlines. Supplement to the Common Application requires you to respond to several questions and write two short-answer essays. All forms must be postmarked by the application deadline you elected.

Campus Visit
Colorado College does not require campus visits or interviews. However, we encourage you to visit the college and see firsthand what makes us distinctive. We invite all visiting students to participate in a group information session, attend a class, have lunch in the student center and take a campus tour. Seniors are encouraged to schedule an interview (appointments are limited) and spend the night in a residence hall with a student host during their visit. Interview appointments are offered on campus during the fall and late spring. To arrange your visit or interview, please call (800) 542-7214 or (719) 389-6344 or e-mail Admission@ColoradoCollege.edu.

Winter Start Program
Approximately 10 percent of the entering class of first-year students comes to Colorado College under the Winter Start Program. These students are free during the fall to work, travel, or study, and then begin their studies in January (second semester). Many enroll in CC's Summer Session, and then all continue with the regular college calendar after completing their first spring semester.

The Winter Start Program enables the college to enroll an additional 40-50 first-year students for whom we would otherwise have no room. All students who apply to CC will be considered for both fall and winter start options. If you have a particular interest in the Winter Start Program, please note this on your application. More information on this program is available from the admission office.

Transfer Applicant Status
Any student who has not yet graduated from high school (even having already earned AP, IB, or college credit) should apply as a first-year student. Advanced standing and credit can be granted - call the admission office or see the Web site for more information. Any student who has been a regularstatus college student for one semester or more should apply as a transfer student. This is true even if you do not anticipate getting any transfer credits from your prior institution accepted at Colorado College. You may download our transfer application.

International Students
Please contact the admission office for an international application. This application will have forms more appropriate to your schooling. You may also download our international application.