First-Year Students: Admission Requirements & Deadlines
Every year, Colorado College enrolls an academically accomplished class of students who bring a wide range of interests, talents, and backgrounds to our campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Our holistic review process considers your academic work, writing, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and personal qualities—and because we believe students are more than a score, standardized testing is optional. There is no fee to apply. Those admitted join a community shaped by the Block Plan, CC's distinctive curriculum in which students take one course at a time over 3.5-week immersive blocks. This approach attracts intellectually curious, self-directed students who thrive when they can go deep.
How to Apply to Colorado College
We accept:
There is no fee to apply to Colorado College.In addition to your main application, you will need to have your school submit:
- Transcripts from all high schools you've attended
- One teacher recommendation and one school counselor recommendation. If a school counselor's recommendation is not available, two teacher recommendations are required.
If you are applying through our binding Early Decision option, you'll also need to submit an Early Decision Agreement.
When submitting your application, you will indicate whether you wish to submit SAT or ACT scores or opt out. The majority of students enrolled at CC did not submit test scores during their application process.
If you choose to submit test scores, we'll only consider them if they strengthen your application. Scores that could negatively affect your chances of admission will not be considered. If you apply without test scores (or if your scores don't strengthen your application) we'll place greater emphasis on your academic performance.
More information is available about our test-optional policy.
You have the option to submit:
- A short supplemental essay
- An interview with an admission ambassador
- An art portfolio
- Additional recommendations
If you intend to apply for need-based financial aid, you will need to submit additional materials including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), CSS Profile, and more.
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Deadlines & Decision Plans
| Plan | Binding? | Deadline | Decision Release |
| Early Decision I | Yes | Nov. 1 | Dec. |
| Early Action | No | Nov. 1 | Jan. |
| Early Decision II | Yes | Jan. 15 | Feb. |
| Regular Action | No | Jan. 15 | Mar. |
If applying for financial aid, all documents, including the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and more, must be submitted by the application round you choose. Your application is not considered complete until we receive all necessary financial aid documents. We recommend completing the FAFSA and CSS Profile at least two weeks prior to the corresponding deadline.
Not sure which application plan is right for you?
Review more information about Early Decision and Early Action decision plans.
Details on Optional Materials
In addition to your personal statement, Colorado College offers applicants the choice to submit a short supplemental essay as part of the application for the 2026-2027 cycle.
Visit our Supplemental Essay page for further tips and insights.
Applicants may choose to participate in a 30-45 minute virtual interview, conducted by one of our student admission ambassadors. For a productive conversation, we ask that you first participate in either a virtual or in-person information session. Interviews are not evaluative, nor are they required for admission.
If you're interested in the arts, we invite you to submit an optional art supplement in visual art, music, dance, theater, creative writing, or film. Art supplements will be considered as part of our holistic review process.
Art supplements must be submitted via the CC Applicant Portal. This part of the portal will only appear if you indicated on your application that you would like to submit an art supplement. Note that we do not accept SlideRoom portfolios from the Common App.
There is no fee to submit an art supplement.
We support media files as large as 5 GB, but please be advised that larger files will take longer to upload and may stall if you are on a wireless connection or one that cannot sustain a connection for the necessary period of time. Uploaded documents may contain no more than 75 pages. We support the following file formats:
Video: .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv
Audio: .aac, .m4a, .mka, .mp3, .oga, .ogg, .wav
Slide: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
Document: .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
You must submit your application first before the Art Supplement section will appear on your Applicant Portal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Colorado College does not have a minimum GPA requirement, nor do we have a specific required minimum number of courses or subjects.
Successful applicants typically pursue the most rigorous curriculum available to them and demonstrate strong academic performance.
We require one teacher evaluation—preferably from your junior or senior year, from a teacher in a core subject: English or language arts, math, science, social studies, or a foreign language. Additional recommendation letters from teachers, supervisors, coaches, and others are not required, but if you feel that they can provide new and compelling perspectives into your candidacy, they can be emailed to admission@coloradocollege.edu.
Colorado College seeks students who challenge themselves academically, engage deeply in their communities, and demonstrate intellectual curiosity. There is no single profile of an admitted student, but successful applicants typically pursue rigorous coursework and contribute meaningfully inside and outside the classroom.
We evaluate applications based on:
- Academic achievement
- Course rigor
- Writing
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular involvement
- Personal qualities
- Context and opportunities available at your school
- Test scores (if submitted)
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Gap Semester and Gap Year Options
Students have the option in their application to indicate an interest in deferring their enrollment by a semester (enrolling as a Winter Start in January) or taking a gap year to travel, volunteer, or participate in military service or a religious mission.
Visit our Gap Experience page for more information, including request and approval information, and recommended programs.
DACA & Undocumented Students
Colorado College considers all applicants for admission regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
Because institutional financial aid for undocumented and DACA students is funded through limited college resources, only a very small number of students can be supported each year. Admission with financial assistance is therefore exceptionally competitive.
Undocumented and DACA students who wish to be considered for institutional financial aid can apply through any application round. Financial aid awards for admitted students are funded through institutional grant assistance.
Questions about admission may be directed to admission@coloradocollege.edu.
Athletic Recruitment
Colorado College seeks student-athletes who will contribute to the academic, social, and extracurricular life of the campus. For our Division III program, we look for students who are excited by rigorous academics and who will engage fully in the opportunities available both on and off the field, court, track, or course.
Admission Process
Admission decisions are made exclusively by the Office of Admission. Coaches may identify and advocate for prospective student-athletes, but they cannot offer, promise, or guarantee admission.
All admission decisions are communicated by the Office of Admission. Any information shared by coaches or other college representatives before an official admission decision should be considered preliminary.
A student's application must be complete before an admission decision can be made. This includes all required application materials and supporting documents.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
By NCAA policy, there are no athletic scholarships awarded in Division III programs. Athletic scholarships are available in CC's two Division I sports: Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Soccer.
Students may be considered for need-based financial aid and merit scholarships through the same processes available to all applicants. Financial aid and scholarship decisions are made by the Office of Financial Aid after admission. Families are encouraged to use our Net Price Calculator to estimate costs before applying.
The Coach's Role
A coach's evaluation of an applicant's athletic ability and potential contribution to a team is one factor considered during the admission process. Because team needs, roster composition, and positional priorities vary, evaluations may differ among coaches and institutions.
Students interested in being recruited should complete the recruiting questionnaire available on the respective athletic team webpage in order to begin the pre-review process.
Homeschooled and nontraditional students
Colorado College welcomes applications from homeschooled students and students whose academic records differ from a traditional high school transcript. We review every application individually and consider a wide range of academic evidence, including narrative evaluations, course descriptions, portfolios, reading lists, community college coursework, and other forms of academic assessment.
That's okay! Colorado College does not require an official high school diploma or GED for admission. If you don't have a standard transcript, you can substitute other materials that demonstrate your academic work. Reading lists, curricular information, teacher narratives about courses of study, and copies of papers or projects can be used in place of a traditional transcript.
You will still need to explain your program of study and how you developed skills in different subject areas. Some kind of outside validation is also helpful, such as a community college transcript from a course you took during high school.
Yes. Homeschooled students and those enrolled in alternative school programs are welcome to apply, and they are not disadvantaged in the admission process. CC evaluates every applicant individually, so your path to learning doesn't need to look like everyone else's. If you've taken any courses outside your home at a community college, through a co-op, or in another structured program, include those records, as they help provide an outside measure of your academic achievement.
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