Discover the Top-Ranked Engineering Programs at Colorado School of Mines

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around perceptions and experiences related to the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), particularly regarding its reputation in engineering fields, student life, and the academic environment. Participants share insights about the school's focus on engineering disciplines, especially Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, and discuss the rigor of the education provided.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants regard CSM as a top-notch, highly competitive engineering school, based on personal impressions and anecdotal evidence.
  • Concerns were raised about the potential bias of older professors against female students, with a participant expressing hope that such attitudes have changed over time.
  • One participant noted that while CSM's graduates are highly employable, the data regarding starting salaries may be skewed due to the predominance of engineering graduates.
  • There are mentions of the rigorous nature of the education at CSM, with some participants suggesting that Physics is a challenging course that could be a "weed out" class.
  • Participants shared experiences about transferring credits from other institutions, indicating that CSM accepts certain courses from local community colleges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the strong reputation of CSM as an engineering school, but there are differing views on the academic environment and experiences, particularly regarding gender dynamics and the rigor of specific courses. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the current state of bias and the overall student experience.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the current attitudes of faculty towards female students and the implications of the school's focus on engineering disciplines for those considering other fields of study.

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I'm heading out to CSM for the fall semester, and I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about the school. I've done some research and I know the "party line", but I'd really like to hear what people on PF think about the school, or it's reputation. I'm planning to go into either Chemical or Petroleum Engineering.

Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
When I was researching schools (way back when I was looking for a university to attend), I had the impression CSM was a top-notch, highly competitive school. It's been so many years I don't remember how I got that impression, but to this day I regard it as an excellent engineering school.
 
They posted this http://www.mines.edu/Mines-ranks-No.-1-among-public-universities-for-graduates-starting-salaries" a year ago. Considering that basically all of their graduates are engineers (compare to other public school), I think the data is skewed/misleading but it's nice to think about if you are a student.

I know that they send some of their graduates to top tier graduate schools, not sure if that means anything, although it at least stands as a possibility if you are considering graduate school. And within Colorado, almost everyone holds the school in high regards so that's also nice if you are a student.
 
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Thanks lisab and pekopeko!

I was just curious how people perceived the school. Pekopeko, that's good to know about CSM's reputation within Colorado.

I know Colorado School of Mines is an excellent school and it's rankings, etc., but I know very little from people who are students (or graduates) about what life is actually like there. I took a campus tour, but that is merely a "censored" view of the campus. The negatives and annoyances aren't talked about.
 
I have a friend (female) who graduated from there years ago (maybe a decade or so?). She said that it was definitely a very rigorous education but it made her very employable. I was considering going there, but I don't want to be an engineer and that seems to be their primary focus. She warned me that some of the professors were rather on the old side and could be biased against the girls in the class. I would hope that such attitudes have changed in the intervening years, but I guess it is something to be aware of, especially if you are a female. If you aren't, be sure to support the girls! They are smart too, dangit! :) Oh, and I heard that Physics was one of their weed out courses, so you might consider taking it somewhere else and transferring in with it...or at least plan to stick it out and work hard!

That's about what I know about it. It is definitely an excellent, top school. If my plan had been to be an engineer, I would have applied there in a heartbeat (especially since I live in Colorado). It also has a great location near the mountains.
 
Girlygeek said:
I have a friend (female) who graduated from there years ago (maybe a decade or so?). She said that it was definitely a very rigorous education but it made her very employable. I was considering going there, but I don't want to be an engineer and that seems to be their primary focus. She warned me that some of the professors were rather on the old side and could be biased against the girls in the class. I would hope that such attitudes have changed in the intervening years, but I guess it is something to be aware of, especially if you are a female. If you aren't, be sure to support the girls! They are smart too, dangit! :) Oh, and I heard that Physics was one of their weed out courses, so you might consider taking it somewhere else and transferring in with it...or at least plan to stick it out and work hard!

That's about what I know about it. It is definitely an excellent, top school. If my plan had been to be an engineer, I would have applied there in a heartbeat (especially since I live in Colorado). It also has a great location near the mountains.

Thanks for sharing, that's exactly what I was looking for!
I'm a boy, so it's always good to hear from the other side :biggrin:...
That's interesting about the Physics courses. I had heard somewhere they were ranked pretty high in the nation. Hopefully they'll take the transfer credit...
 
I know they took transfer credit from the local community college (Front Range) because I have a couple of friends from my calculus class that were transferring over to CSM. Physics (calc-based), General Chemistry (I&II) and Calculus (I, II, and III) were some of the classes I know one girl was transferring over. Hopefully you won't have a problem. Good luck!
 

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