Frequently Asked Questions about CMC
These are some of the most common CMC admissions questions. If your question is not answered in the list below, please write our admissions office at joinus@coloradomtn.edu.
About Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College is a dual-mission public institution with a wide range of specialized certificates, 2-year programs and bachelor’s degree programs. We have full articulation/transfer agreements with all other 4-year colleges in Colorado. Learn more about our transfer agreements.
Yes! High school students are eligible for enrollment. We recommend that you consult with your high school counselor or CMC counselor to determine which courses are best for you. Generally this means choosing from specialized, college preparation and freshman level core curriculum courses.
The college was founded in 1965, with classes beginning in 1967.
CMC offers many different programs, ranging from one-semester certificate programs to two-year transferable degrees and bachelor’s degrees. Go to Programs to search through all our options.
Student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, and the average class size is around 15, never over 25 students.
The number of students attending annually is 13,000.
Average full-time student: 24 years of age.
Average age of all students (full- and part-time): 25 years of age.
81% of students are from Colorado.
CMC’s Latinx enrollment has doubled in six years to 27%, qualifying CMC to apply for federal Hispanic-Serving Institution status.
Our student records currently report ethnicity as follows:
- 48% White
- 29% Hispanic or Latino
- 18% Unknown
- 5% US Minorities
Our college is located across 7,500 square miles in the north-central area of Colorado. We have 11 campuses and sites in seven Colorado counties, including Routt, Eagle, Lake, Garfield, Pitkin, Summit and Chaffee. Our residential campuses are located in Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs and Leadville. Check out our District Map.
CMC’s college-wide completion rates are in line with or slightly above the national average. Learn about awards that CMC has received for excellence in student success.
We offer a varsity-level ski team at our Steamboat Springs Campus. The ski team participates in the Rocky Mountain Conference.
We also have a Cross Country Team based at CMC Leadville. Students at other campuses are welcome to join and train locally.
We also offer beautiful soccer fields at our Spring Valley campus and have a competitive running club at the Leadville campus.
Visit CMC Athletics at CMCEagles.com
See the Average Costs of Attendance at CMC
Some programs like the AA and AS degrees are designed to transfer to 4-year colleges within Colorado. Other programs that are designed to get you hired in an occupation are not designed to transfer, but we have formed some specific transfer agreements with colleges to accept those credits. If you plan to transfer out of state, we recommend that you meet with your advisor to start working with the other institution to guarantee a smooth and complete transfer of your course work.
See Transfer to CMC for more information.
There are a wide range of online classes offered at CMC as web courses or interactive video courses. They typically run the same length as a semester long course.
Web courses give you the ultimate flexibility in accessing course information and communicating with your instructor over the internet.
Interactive Video courses put you in touch with other students and an instructor via real-time, interactive video links.
You can receive a complete associate degree in Associate of Arts, Associate of General Studies, Early Childhood Education, and Paralegal online.Learn more about Online Learning.
Special Populations: Colorado Mountain College is committed to providing access to everyone with the ability to benefit from a program of higher education. We empower students to take responsibility for their education.
Services are available to meet your special needs and assist you in meeting your educational goals. These accommodations may include instructional support such as note taking, oral testing, proofing of written work, interpreting, books on tape, tutoring, and extended testing time.
Special equipment may be provided upon request.
To qualify for services, documentation of the disability is required prior to enrollment. With these accommodations, students are required to meet the academic standards of the college. Check out Access, Inclusion, and Disability Services.
Our goal is to assist students in all aspects of your career development from the time students enter CMC through graduation. All CMC students are welcome and encouraged to utilize our no-cost Career Services.
Of the 27 major ski resorts in Colorado, 13 are in our district and near our campuses. Which is closest depends on the campus.
The Leadville campus is within an hour drive of 8 ski resorts including Ski Cooper, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Vail, and others.
Our Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen campuses are just minutes from the base of Breckenridge, Vail Resort, Buttermilk and Ajax, respectively.
Steamboat Springs Campus is about 10 minutes from Steamboat Resort, and Spring Valley Campus in Glenwood is about 15 minutes from Ski Sunlight and 45 minutes from all of the Aspen ski areas and Vail Resort.
The ski team is located at the Steamboat Springs Campus. The team only competes in Alpine Ski Racing and does not include snowboarding.
Visit CMC Athletics at CMCEagles.com
You can buy CMC merchandise online through the CMC Campus Store and at any of our three residential campus bookstores, located in Steamboat Springs, Leadville, and Glenwood Springs. All stores have a unique and continually evolving selection of clothing, supplies, and accessories.
Admissions - Getting into CMC
The general CMC application has no deadline, but some programs do have an application deadline. CMC does not charge application fees to apply to any of our programs.
Colorado Mountain College is an open enrollment college and accepts all students regardless of GPA or test scores. Some programs are more competitive due to their popularity and have more selective admissions procedures.
As most of our programs are open enrollment, an acceptance rate is not applicable. CMC admits degree seeking students with a high school diploma or GED, and courses or programs are filled as space is available. A few programs, have more specific admission requirements.
Please contact Admissions at joinus@coloradomtn.edu with any questions.
We do not require ACT/SAT test scores, but we do encourage you to submit them. If you do not submit them, you must take our Accuplacer testing prior to meeting with an advisor. Some programs that encourage the use of the test scores:
- Nursing
- Veterinary Technology
- Professional Photography
Colorado Mountain College is an open enrollment school where admissions is granted to anyone, so testing scores from ACT or SAT are not required but highly recommended and are used for advisement and placement. If you are seeking a degree and have not completed ACT or SAT exams prior to enrollment, you will be required to take a placement test. Colorado Mountain College requires placement tests to determine which classes best suit your abilities. You will not be required to take these tests:
- If you have taken the ACT and achieved an English score of 18 or higher, reading of 17 or higher, and a math score of 23 or higher, you are considered to be at college level for each of these subjects. Colorado Mountain College will take test scores up to 5 years old. However, with some subjects, such as math, you may want to retest.
- If you have taken the SAT and achieved a an evidence-based reading and writing score of 470, and a math score of 500 or higher, you are considered to be at college level for each of these subjects. Colorado Mountain College will take test scores up to 5 years old. However, with some subjects, such as math, you may want to retest.
To get in contact with the admissions representative for your area please email joinus@coloradomtn.edu and your request will immediately be directed to the correct admissions representative.
To access our online information request form for brochures, catalogs, or answers to any of your questions, please use our Request Form.
An in-district resident is a person who has lived in Colorado for at least one year, and at least 32 days within the CMC District. Students who are under 23-years-old have their tuition classified by their parent or guardian’s residency.
Additionally, if a student who is 23 or older or the parents of dependent students have a second home in district they will qualify for in-district tuition.
See our District Map and find a further information about Residency and Tuition Classification
Yes! We can make your educational experience very affordable. Depending on your academic, financial, and residency status, we offer a full selection of private and public need-based scholarships. Scholarships priority deadline is March 1 and financial aid has a priority deadline of March 31. Contact our financial aid office for more information.
Living On-campus at CMC
Yes, we offer personal visits Monday through Friday at all three residential campuses. These campuses also offer formal CMC visit days throughout the year. For more information, please see Visit CMC.
Yes. Colorado Mountain College offers three fully equipped and modern residential campuses, and they are all coed. See the residence hall pages at the Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley and Leadville campuses for more information.
Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley has a maximum occupancy of 248 students.
Leadville has a maximum occupancy of 125 students.
Steamboat Springs has a maximum occupancy of 231 students.
It might be helpful, but you don’t really need one. All of our communities are easily accessible by bus, and many by bike trail.
Steamboat Springs and Leadville campuses are less than a mile from the center of the closest town, and Spring Valley is about 3 miles from downtown Glenwood Springs.
CMC does not charge for a parking pass.
Absolutely. Our residence halls are modern and roomy and offer private bathrooms and other amenities. See the CMC Residence Halls for information about residence halls at Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs -Spring Valley and Leadville. Learn about meal plans, too.
Sorry. Only if it is a small freshwater fish. No piranhas or exotic saltwater creatures.
