7 Best Mfa Programs In Colorado Springs, CO (2022 Updated)

Pros: I like Colorado College, and the block plan and small intimate class size really intrigued me into coming here, even though I'm not a native Coloradan. It's definitely a great location if you love the outdoors and a good four seasons of weather. Those are the main reasons I chose this school. I quickly learned that I could fit in here! Additionally, I love CC's approaches to learning such as their sustainability agreement and anti racist approach. They're even starting to pick up on mental health which everyone can agree is very important nowadays. The block plan is a great way to learn content, especially if balancing multiple semester classes at once doesn't seem desirable to you. If that is the case, consider this school, since there's only about less than 10 schools on the Block Plan. Overall, I'd give CC as a whole 5 out of 5 stars, and I hope you consider attending! It's truly a hidden gem school in the heart of the Rockies!Hunter Markowich

I don’t have 1 bad thing to say about Colorado College. When I visited here a year ago, the staff and students were very helpful and kind. While wandering around the campus, I had numerous people ask if I needed anything or help me find different places. The buildings and sights are great. I would definitely recommend this school.Expl0r

Beautiful area to walk through and enjoy the trees and the grass. be aware that they are currently requiring masks anywhere on campus so even walking around outside you'll need a mask. It's their private property so they can do what they want. It's a small sacrifice to make though to enjoy the space.Josh West

Where you send your kids to school is a decision you make with your heart. When both of your kids are born premature some 30 years ago and from the beginning are in a fight for their lives, you pray, you plead and you promise. You promise that if somehow they can live that you will give them the best. That is where the Colorado Springs School came in. It was the right decision. It was FAMILY from the beginning. In a setting out of Gatsby, with small classes, a progressive educational system focusing on children getting experiential learning and planned trips all over the world, this school built confidence, built experience, and built lifelong friendships. My kids still have many close friends from their days at CSS. My daughter went from a precocious kindergarten dufus to become an attorney. She married on the campus, in the majesty of the Trianon, with many of her CSS classmates and teachers in attendance. My son went from a Ninja Turtle moon boot kindergarten picture on the CSS steps to an international business degree at DU, and now pursues a commercial real estate practice in Denver. He will marry there this summer and many CSS and DU friends will be in attendance. The CSS education started with ice cream socials, proceeded to big friend, little friend, was a flurry of intensive and personal education and trips all over the world, and ended with graduation as the kindergartners sang to the seniors. It was a dream. My kids played almost every sport, my daughter was a cheerleader, sports were incredible and both were class leaders. This small school gave them a chance to do everything. EVERYTHING. Both kids later coached at the school. My wife and I have gone to games for years after our kids graduated. Every time it is like an old home week reunion. The Colorado Springs school was the best decision we ever made. Let's be clear: deciding where your kids go to school is exercising control. You are controlling where your kids are educated, by whom they are educated, and who they get to grow up with in a real and personal way. Just as you decide what they eat and what sports they play and many other facets of their lives, giving your kids an education at this school gives you the ability to give your kids your best shot. None too soon your kids will use their fresh, clear eyed (and all knowing) 18 year old knowledge of the world to choose their college and oh boy is that an eye opener. Until then though you can guide them, and guide them well, by sending them to the Colorado Springs School. You are choosing FAMILY. The Colorado Springs School is FAMILY. My wife and I have always thought that the job of parents is to give their children roots and wings. Our hearts tell us that a tangible part of the roots we provided was CSS. You love em up and then send them off as preschoolers and kindergartners to be educated by others; a leap of faith as you hold back your tears. The trust we gave to CSS was rewarded beyond anything we could have dreamed. It was the job of CSS to help us protect them and prepare them until their wings were ready for the next step. CSS came through in spades and they still do.Tony Cross

This school offers an amazing education. My three kids each started the school when they were 3 years old. This school has supported them, given them opportunities at every turn, and challenged them to grow as people. Two of my kids have now graduated from the high school, and the third will graduate next year. It has been an amazing combination of strong academics with experiential education… a place where my kids could call “home” all while taking AP classes, diving into immersive seminars, join in the tennis team, the robotics club, the many band opportunities, the theater program… lots of opportunities to be involved at this amazing school. 18 years, and I wouldn’t have sent my kids anywhere else!Linda Jackson (Lind7a)

We relocated to Colorado Springs this school year so that my two teenage daughters could join the CSS Upper School (high school). The school community embraced our family immediately. My children are known, they are involved in sports and clubs, they are making friends locally and from all over the world, and they are getting and excellent college preparatory education. What more can a parent ask for?Joy Maguire-Parsons

These are the words that describe this school (in no particular order): polished, well-rounded, mature, cultured, sophisticated, enlightened, EDUCATED, encouraging, dedicated, and ARTSY. The teachers and staff work well with 504 plans and have an excellent exchange student program. A special shout out to Rhonda Cameron, the music teacher. She is absolutely brilliant and understands music in a way that translates beautifully to the children. The 2017/2018 Advanced Choir's spring performance was on point. (Helpful tip: Freshman year takes some getting used to but isn't freshman year always hard? My advice: Stick with it.) Overall, a well-rounded and safe school with sublime teachers and students.Valerie Burchett

CIVA's emphasis on college preparation and the arts is a unique blend which works well for creative, high achieving students. The large number of foreign exchange students who attend CIVA gives students the opportunity to interact with other cultures on a first-hand basis. Civa's international travel program and service learning opportunities gives students a chance to grow, not only academically, but personally as well. The diverse and highly trained staff work tirelessly to provide the best educational experience for students.Andrea Brown

As a CIVA graduate, I have been at this school or four amazing years. And the Faculty of this school really know how to help the students and help them become successful for the future ahead of them. And the teachers are there to help you through school or personal problems. They are family. And it's hard for me to leave them. But they mean well!!! I wouldn't have graduated if it wasn't for their help!!!! Thank you teachers!!! The School is great over all and a welcome family!!! Everyone there is amazing!!!!Sara Harrison

Everyone should boycott this place indefinitely. I went to an event they scheduled months ago & promoted. Absolutely no one from the org showed up. The other attendees were angry too. Doors locked. We all waited outside a half-hour extra. I found out later that they had taken down the event posters inside! So they canceled the event in advance & purposely did not notify attendees (Eventbrite = super easy to notify) out of some weird mix of spite & incompetence. Other folks told us later that this org does this often for different events w/ no explanation or apology EVER! Some drove an hour like me just for this event, so they would need a loan to comp these people at current gas prices! BOYCOTT them into non-existence!mowglie

I have a studio in this building for my design business for a couple of years, and I cannot express enough how amazing the staff is here, along with the artists and other business owners. This community supports the arts, creative industries, and offer fantastic support. They participate in the city's monthly First Friday in curating fine art in many different mediums in the main gallery of the building—rotated monthly. You'll also find beautiful artwork along the halls throughout the entire building. If you are looking for art or a creative boost, Cottonwood is a lovely place to visit or take-up a studio!Lori Patton O'Hara

A remarkable place with so many opportunities for free expression. We are always intrigued by the imagination of creation. Visitors can participate in producing a work of art to complete a canvas, one piece at a time. What a novel idea! The world would greatly benefit if all earthlings unselfishly unite to make this planet a canvas paradise, a colorful gallery were all cooperate in love and peace. For all humans are one race, traced back to two first beings. We applaud you all for sharing your adroit Art, and thank Executive Director – Jon Khoury (aka "the Khourageous") enthusiasm & novel ideas.Bavarian PH

UCCS is a great school and best bang for your buck. Campus is nice and will continue to improve as construction finishes up. While the Freshmen and Sophomore classes are sometimes pretty large (usually the Science classes for me, others were pretty small), your Junior and Senior level classes are extremely small which allows you to connect with not only the instructors but students as well, which is often a problem in large classes. Graduating in May and do not regret my decision to come here. A few tips of advise: – Parking does SUCK, it may improve next year with the new parking garage. Either live on campus, come early, or park in the parking lot away from the campus and get a shuttle, no other way around it until they figure out a long term solution. – Pay attention to your student portal when it comes to Financial Aid. Sometimes things may come up out of the blue without your knowledge. Also, it is best to talk to an ACTUAL staff member at Financial Aid. No offense to the student employees, they sometimes do not know what they are talking about and just assume things which can sometimes cause problems, do yourself a favor and talk to an actual staff member to get the best information or solution regarding a problem. – Finally, if you do stay on campus, Summit Village, the Freshmen dorms, seems to be very active given the impression I have seen from it. On the other hand, Alpine Village is not very active in the social aspect. Hope you have good roommates and you should be set for the year, otherwise get involved with something because Alpine Village is like an actual apartment community, little to no interaction with one another.Kyle Walker

I had a really good experience at UCCS getting my BSME. Many of the engineering professors are excellent teachers and also have had real world experience that is valuable for students to hear about. The class sizes in engineering classes were pretty small and you almost always have good access to your teachers to ask questions and make sure you can absorb the material. The tuition was pretty reasonable when I was in school there up until 2012, but I understand it has been increasing rapidly. On the down side this schools wants to deny that it is a commuter school and therefore does not making parking ease a priority, which is a big negative when you have to deal with it every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. The passes are expensive, you aren't guaranteed a spot, traffic is a mad dash for the last remaining far away spots. UCCS should really invest more in large parking structures. It also seems like they might be putting too much money and effort into odd, not very helpful activities and services when they should be focusing more on quality of education and ease of access for their students.Keagen C

Some teachers are awesome and other teachers are horrible that don’t want to help you. Overall, students are also rude and for some reason believe they are better than everyone else. Oh and the staff is horrible and unprofessional. Not to mention that they charged me two payments in one month when I specifically asked when signing up for payments if they were going to charge me twice and they said no which REALLY messed up my methods of organizing my bills. When I asked about it they took forever to answer me and haven’t gotten back to me on refunding it as promised. Hate it. Never going back and never should have gone there. Sure the campus is beautiful but the quality of the classes, experience and overall school is definitely not worth what they charge. Parking is rediculous too.Maria De Lira

No I wasn't going here for class. I think I have enough degrees. we were here though to drop off a whole bunch of batteries to be recycled. it seems to be about the only place in Colorado Springs where you can recycle regular single-use batteriesGeoff Mulligan

Great school, just wish they stooped calling me asking to donate money. I already paid you $30k for my tuition stop asking for more.Neste Andrea

I signed up for a BEGINING Photoshop 101 class. There was no mention of using a PC as opposed to MAC. The instructor was very sequential and clear. However He couldn't help me because I have a MAC and he told me he didn't know how to use a MAC. I got pretty lost within 20-30 minutes. Since he couldn't help me with tools etc. I was really behind the class. I told him I shouldn't be in the class and he told me not to quit, just catch up. I explained the situation to the very kind people in the office. They suggested I e-mail the director, Tanya. She never returned my e-mail. Now I am out the $179 for a class that is useless to me.Deena Bennett

I had a similar experience with a beginning calligraphy class. Everyone had obviously been taking the class a few times. The instructor taught at their level not mine. I dropped out. I'm about to try a different class. I hope this one works out.Ihelen Griffith

I love every class I've ever taken at Bemis. The instructors have been awesome! I always feel welcome when I walk through the doors. I hope to take classes forever!Bleueyed