University of Denver Admission
University of Denver Undergraduate Program
University of Denver Application

The Facts

The University of Denver is perhaps best known for its Daniels College of Business, which was recently ranked as one of the best 25 business school for salary return on educational investment by Forbes Magazine. However, the school is also quite strong in its Hotel, restaurant and tourism management programs with hands-on training in Denver’s many four star hotels and restaurants and the nearby chic ski resort of Vail. The school also boasts excellent programs in Digital media, international studies and foreign languages, communications, and psychology. The university also houses a fantastic creative writing program as well as a program in Atmospheric physics. The liberal arts program houses the general education requirements which include credits in the arts and humanities, creative expression, English, foreign language, mathematics and computer science, natural science, and social sciences. The core component consists of three broader themes: Communities and Environments, Self and Identities, and Change and Continuity.

The school runs on a quarter system, which means that finals and papers can come up very quickly, making for a challenging academic environment. However, with DU’s small size, on 4,000 undergraduates, and a student to faculty ratio of a miniscule 9:1, professors are easily accessible and always ready to help students push through the difficulty.

Admission is relatively competitive; last year over 4,500 students applied and 3,000 were admitted while only around 1,000 actually enrolled. The Class of 2004 had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1030 to 1250 and an average cumulative ACT score ranging from 22 to 27. Over 60% of admitted students were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average GPA of approximately 3.49.

The Social Scene

Denver is not, by definition, a pure college town, however it offers students a huge amount of activities, both cultural and social. The campus is just about an hour away from some of the best skiing in the world, and students often take advantage of this opportunity on weekends. The school does guarantee housing, however, over 57% of students opt to live off-campus. Because of the sprawling nature of the city and the nearby outdoor activities, many students do own cars, however, parking passes are limited and handed out in a yearly lottery.

Greek life is a bid deal on campus, and 31% of men and 22% of women pledge yearly. The Greek houses are on campus for the most part, and clearly dominate the social scence, throwing weekly large bashes for all who wish to attend. The requisite college football team is replaced by a world-class skiing team at DU that recently received a record 17th NCAA Division I national title. Many students make it out to their meets, and a win is cause for big social events and partying. Guys and girls alike are snowbunnies, and may take you on a romantic ski trip complete with a bear rug in front of a fire.

What's Good

“It’s nice to have access to urban convieniences with the accessiblity to nature so close.”

“People here are laid back and know how to balance work and play, for the most part.”

“The campus is definitely a community; the professors actually know their students’ names. It’s so rare.”

What's Bad

“There is no real diversity here. Pretty much everyone is fairly wealthy and white, with Beamers and their parent’s money in their pockets.”

“The introductory classes are huge, and you really have to fight your way to recognition.”

“If you don’t like cold-weather sports like skiing and hockey, there isn’t anything athletic to do.”

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