At some point, everyone will graduate from Chatfield and begin their busy lives in the real world. Most graduating students will decide to continue to college, whether that be local or out-of-state. There are over 6,000 colleges in the US that are attended by students who attended Chatfield Senior High School.

College lets you explore many interests, gain skills for specific careers in the world, and grow as a person. It is a great place to learn about difficult subjects and develop critical thinking skills. Plus, it often leads to higher earning potential in the future, which will help you be successful in the future. Going to college is a major stepping stone for many into independent adulthood. College is a significant commitment, but it can open so many doors for you in the future.

This article will go over the 10 most popular colleges and universities that the class of 2022 Chatfield students applied to after graduation. Each student’s desires are different, but these are just some of my recommendations.

1. Colorado State University (CSU): Colorado State is a public school located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Some important aspects are their highly-appreciated research programs, exciting sporting events, fraternities, sororities, becoming a Ram, and more.
2. University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder): The University of Colorado Boulder is a public school in Boulder, Colorado. It is most known for its successes in the aerospace engineering and science fields and its electric football games, with the new coaching presence of former MLB and NFL player Deion Sanders, just to top it off.
3. Colorado Mesa University (CMU): Colorado Mesa is a school located in Grand Junction, Colorado. The best parts about attending CMU are the unique relationships that students create with faculty. Also, the natural setting and atmosphere allow students to feel free when studying.
4. Montana State University (MSU): Montana State is the first university on this list that is out of state, located in Bozeman, Montana. They value their studies in the surrounding outdoor areas and even allow students to work outside of the classrooms. For example, students have traveled to Yellowstone National Park to take pictures and learn about wildlife. Sports such as football and skiing are big in Montana as well.
5. University of Wyoming (UW): The University of Wyoming is another out-of-state school, but it’s just north of Colorado in Laramie, Wyoming. Some things that they are known for are attracting students from all over the world and their electric football game atmosphere.
6. San Diego State University (SDSU): San Diego State is a popular school in San Diego, California. It is a great school for business, engineering, and public health studies, along with their stellar sports, especially basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. Near the school, there are large beaches on the Pacific Ocean that allow people to hang out when they aren’t busy with school studies.
7. Colorado School of Mines (Mines): The Colorado School of Mines is a university in Golden, Colorado. Their most notable features are the studies on applied sciences and engineering and highly-rated sports. It is also referred to as one of the oldest STEM schools in the country.
8. Metropolitan State University (MSU): Metro State University is a large school in the heart of Denver, Colorado. It is most known for its biological studies along with psychology. Because of its central location in Denver, many sporting events are happening throughout the school year, which allows for unoccupied students to watch the local teams, like the Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Mammoth, Denver Broncos, and Denver Nuggets, dominate.
9. University of Denver (DU): The University of Denver is quite a secluded and prestigious school in Denver, Colorado. They thrive with their finance, psychology, and marketing studies. During students’ free time, they enjoy traveling to the mountains for much-needed getaways.
10. University of Northern Colorado (UNC): The University of Northern Colorado is a big school in Greeley, Colorado. Some of their most popular majors are education, visual and performing arts, business, and psychology. The landscape surrounding the school is amazing, and their sports, especially football, are always nationally competitive every year.

Although going to college can be great for you, it can be pricey due to factors like tuition, housing, administrative costs, and more. To manage these outrageous prices, people apply for financial aid, scholarships, and work-study programs. Some also attend community colleges before transferring to four-year universities to lower their overall costs. Others might choose online programs or part-time studies to balance work and education. It’s all about finding the right path for you!

There are many popular options for colleges in Colorado and even other states around the country. It is safe to say that Chatfield alumni are brilliant and are striving for great things in the future. Hopefully some of the schools and universities mentioned in this article could emerge as potential schools that can peak your interest, help guide you into the future, and prepare you for life after graduation.