Good Colleges with ski access

Squatch · 09-17-2006, 03:17 PM

This is in the spirit of Powderchick's thread, but I didn't want interupt the FLC-WSU lovefest that was going on in there.

What are some good schools that offer ski access (as well as other outdoor sports, etc)?

My brother is a senior in HS right now and has no idea what he wants in a school. Something like Boulder would be good except for the fact that is way too large a school, and I think he would be best served with a more personal education. Skiing is something that he really likes, but he's in Chicago right now and doesn't really ski that much, so it's not his life's focus, unlike many on TGR.

He's also leaning towards engineering, and tends to have science and computers as main academic interests (history is a close third, I think). Something like a small private school with a decent engineering program would be good--He and I both received very impersonal high school educations, and I think he would be much better suited with a more personal college experience.

I was hoping the masses would suggest the schools that are underrated and unheard of living in the midwest. Skiing is not a huge priority for him, although it wasn't for me, either, until I started to do it more and get into it. However I think he would like a school with a lot of outdoor activities; I think he would get really bored at Illinois State or the equivalent--their main extracurricular seems to be beer and video games.

**4matic** · 09-17-2006, 03:18 PM

Southern Oregon University is only 15 miles from the resort.

**enzo3366** · 09-17-2006, 03:20 PM

dartmouth?

**GBB** · 09-17-2006, 03:21 PM

Thanks for starting this Squatch. I'm in the same boat as your brother (senior in HS, looking at colleges, but I want business) I want to be able to go skiing a lot, but I also want a good education at the same time. I'm thinking DU or CU but I don't know.

Not meaning to hijack your thread Squatch.

**soul_skier** · 09-17-2006, 03:26 PM

UVM, i'm here, and its 5:30pm, and i've gone wakeboarding, rock climbing and hung out at north beach for a few hours, and thats just todau. When there is snow, Stowe, Smuggs, MRG, Sugarbush and Bolton are all within an hour. Montreal is close too if you want an absurd time. For lots of outdoor activities, UVM is hard to beat. We have a decent business school, and to be honest i know nothing about our engineering program.

for all those who say the EC has no real mountains, i'll admit we are lacking on the above treeline terrain, but a good east coast skier that can mach through the trees out here will destroy just about any west coast skier when they get to "Real Mountians." When I first went to UVM, i was a good skier, i had grown up skiing squaw and could handle myself on just about any terrain, when i got back from UVM, the first thing i did was drive to kirkwood, ski california couloir in 4 turns, do heart chute, and scare the shit out of the people i was skiing with. Say what you will, but the EC makes you a much better skier.

**powdherb** · 09-17-2006, 03:27 PM

As far as skiing in college goes, this idea has been beaten dead. But I will add my two cents. I have several friends who moved from park city, ut to different towns. I went to high school in pc, as did my friends who moved to different places. I have a few friends who stayed, (u of u) which is obviously, hands down, the best ski location in N. America with a large university near by. The Front Range Area (CU.DU) are good schools, but you have to deal with all the bullshit that comes along with the front range, traffic gapers, Boulder. I attended the unversity of washington for a while, and the Seattle area offers good skiing (Crystal, Alpy). Now I am back at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wa. I believe strongly that Bellingham is a great area with Baker within an hour and Whistler just over 2. As far as I am concerned the east coast doesn't count. Not to be an ass, I just prefer to ski real mountains.

**nutcase** · 09-17-2006, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by 4matic

Southern Oregon University is only 15 miles from the resort.

Plus the women at that school are smoking

**brutah** · 09-17-2006, 03:37 PM

it is hard to find a good, small college with ski access. Most of the colleges that offer good classes, especially good engineering classes are going to bigger state universities, such as, CU-boulder, MSU or Utah. Other colleges that are close to the mountains and smaller, tend to be a little less on the acadmedic side, especially when it comes to the sciences. I'm not sure about east coast schools, but do you really want to send your brother to the east coast??

FYI, I wouldn't consider Illinois State, a small school by any means.

**davey** · 09-17-2006, 03:37 PM

I went to U nevada reno, and lived up at lake tahoe. Not sure if its a good enough school though.

**Elin** · 09-17-2006, 03:42 PM

westminster? not sure how the engineering program is there. basically, all i know about it is that it is private, small, and near the university of utah. may be worth looking into though

**Art Vandelay** · 09-17-2006, 03:45 PM

Colorado School of Mines. Golden is pretty sweet for outdoors.

**StormDay** · 09-17-2006, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Squatch

He's also leaning towards engineering, and tends to have science and computers as main academic interests (history is a close third, I think). Something like a small private school with a decent engineering program would be good--He and I both received very impersonal high school educations, and I think he would be much better suited with a more personal college experience.

RPI - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY 45 minutes to Stratton.

http://www.rpi.edu/

Squatch · 09-17-2006, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by BRUTAH

it is hard to find a good, small college with ski access. Most of the colleges that offer good classes, especially good engineering classes are going to bigger state universities, such as, CU-boulder, MSU or Utah. Other colleges that are close to the mountains and smaller, tend to be a little less on the acadmedic side, especially when it comes to the sciences. I'm not sure about east coast schools, but do you really want to send your brother to the east coast??

FYI, I wouldn't consider Illinois State, a small school by any means.

I guess therein lies the rub. I don't think ISU is small, either...it just seems to be the default path for him, and I think it (or any other mid-level, large-ish state schools) would be a poor choice for him.

He doesn't have the grades to go to Dartmouth, unfortunately.

I would say "sure, come to boulder or similar" but if I could do it over again I wouldn't be in boulder, either. I was kind of in the same boat that he is when I graduated HS...I was ambivalent towards school and I kinda just chose a school that would be fun and I'd easily get into. Frankly, I'm not that happy with CU's education. It took a while, though, but I'm finally making it work and doing something I'm interested in without being jaded and cynical about classes. Personality-wise, he is even more cynical and bitter than I am, and I don't want his college education to be a waste. It was easy for me to skip classes and not get any personal connection with my teachers/classes at a large school, and I'm worried it will be even easier for him.

**P_McPoser** · 09-17-2006, 03:56 PM

Egineering? Small? Uh, CSM maybe? Just a thought...

**Sphinx** · 09-17-2006, 03:59 PM

Small schools are teh suck. Go to a big research school. Particularly if you study the sciences or engineering - get involved in a research project. The biggest of schools will feel small after a few years. Besides, the world is big, get used to it.

I nominate the University of Washington.

**focus** · 09-17-2006, 04:00 PM

He should seriously consider Michigan Tech. The Keweenaw is unlike anywhere else in the midwest.

small -- check (6500 or so students)

outoor activities -- check (world class x-country skiing, great mtn biking, more snow than CO...the only thing we lack are really big mountains)

top engineering program -- check (top 25 nationally)

plus it's close to home without being too close...

**72Twenty** · 09-17-2006, 04:06 PM

Check Here....

Squatch · 09-17-2006, 04:16 PM

that's a ton of good info, thanks...only issue is he has no fucking clue what he wants to do. he can always transfer, i guess, but i don't want him to pigeonhole himself by going to a school so focused on engineering. (and yes, I know bigger schools will have more options for courses...unfortunately it appears these are mutually exclusive requirements.)

**icanseeformiles(andmiles)** · 09-17-2006, 04:21 PM

Montana State
Northern Arizona - altho' skiing not best in recent years, within driving distance of taos and telluride for a weekend
WWU is a good choice with Bellingham being relatively small, kayaking of all kinds, skiing close, hiking, mtbing, etc.

**pechelman** · 09-17-2006, 04:21 PM

ive got no info really at all, but maybe Utah State Univ?
I know that their aerospace program is good and there were tons of hot chicks everywhere when I drove through logan a couple summers ago.
Tons of great stuff to do outdoors there.

**"The Big One"** · 09-17-2006, 04:26 PM

I'm in the same boat as your brother, and I'm probably going to MSU. Its really not that big (10,000 undergrad) so a personalized education would probly be pretty good their, and engineering is one of its better schools. Bozeman also has the outdoors thing taken care of.

**P_McPoser** · 09-17-2006, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by icanseeformiles(andmiles)

Montana State
Northern Arizona - altho' skiing not best in recent years, within driving distance of taos and telluride for a weekend
WWU is a good choice with Bellingham being relatively small, kayaking of all kinds, skiing close, hiking, mtbing, etc.

NAU is not a good engineering school by any means, though.

**FigureEleven** · 09-17-2006, 04:37 PM

You might want to check out DU as well... good engineering program with lots of personal attention. Lots of options beyond engineering if your brother changes his mind. Killer business school. DU Hockey fucking rules. Same ski access as Boulder. I got my BSEE and MBA from there. Feel free to PM with any questions.

**skiandbike** · 09-17-2006, 04:41 PM

I went through all of this a couple years ago too. Have him check out Harvey Mudd College in SoCal...small (around 1k), one of the best undergrad engineering schools around, and the rest of the Claremont Colleges help balance out HMC's terrible guy-girl ratio. HUGE outdoors club on campus too, check it out. I ended up at Pomona and haven't regretted being out here in the occasional smog. Baldy is 30 min outside campus and has pretty decent skiing when there's snow, plus there aren't many places that let you ski in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon. You really can't go wrong with WWU or UW either.