Benjamin R Gross - MCHS Class of
Currently attends Colorado College

Colorado College is unique. Not only is it a small liberal arts school in the Rockies, but the academic system is exceptional in that you only take one class at a time.  This system is called the Block Plan. The year is divided into eight blocks, four a semester, and each block is three and half weeks long. Between blocks is a five day weekend to relax any way you want. A typical way to spend Block Break is to go up to the mountains with friends and go skiing for the entire break. The Block Plan allows you take trips with your class that would not be possible otherwise. Some classes are even taught entirely in other locations such as Chicago, Boston, D.C., even China or Russia.

The group that I am most involved with on campus is the Colorado College Rugby Club. During the first week of class last year, one of my classmates recommended that I come try out for the rugby team. My response was I did not know how to play rugby or even what the sport looked like. His response was, "No problem. We will teach you everything you need to know." I showed up to a practice and immediately fell in love with the sport. The team became a family. Our club team demands less time than a varsity team, but can be just as intense and serious out on the field. Last year my team traveled to St. Louis to play in a rugby tournament during Mardi Gras. This year I have been named a social chair and help to arrange the teams' off-the-field activities.
I am extremely active in the Salsa Club. I have helped the salsa club expand into a campus-wide group that brings live bands to play for our dances. My experiences in the Salsa Club enabled me to get involved in a semi-annual dance show.

I toured five schools, but the place where I immediately felt at home was at Colorado College. There is a friendly atmosphere at Colorado College that I did not experience at any of the other schools I visited. The social atmosphere is both accepting and worthwhile.  The location of Colorado College in the Rocky Mountains provides beautiful scenery as well as an excellent winter season for skiing and snowboarding.