At Colorado College, the typical semester does not exist. Instead of taking a full course load like students at most other schools, CC students take one class every three-and-a-half weeks through the schools Block Plan. Classes are small and, with no designated end time, can run as long as a teacher needs. Each month, students get a four-and-a-half day Block Break to recharge before starting a new course. In total, students will take eight classes a year. When not in class, students can experience all the Colorado landscape has to offer. CC is located in Colorado Springs at the base of Pikes Peak, where students can hike, bike and climb. In addition, the student Outdoor Recreation Committee facilitates excursions such as backpacking, cross-country skiing, kayaking and ice climbing.On campus, students can partake in annual events like the Winter Ball, a formal dance, and CC Llamapalooza, a music festival. Volunteerism is another student body focus: All first-year students must complete a service trip before freshman year. Later in their studies, students also have an option to participate in the Community Engaged Leadership Certificate Program. CC has a small Greek community with three fraternities and three sororities. The college has Division I womens soccer and mens hockey teams; all other CC Tigers teams compete in the NCAA Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Most students stay close to the many on-campus activities at CC because freshmen, sophomores and juniors must live in college residence facilities, with a few exceptions.A faculty-student relationship is encouraged outside of the classroom. Faculty members are reimbursed by the college when they host students in their homes for dinner. Called the Breaking Bread program, faculty members host about 200 total events a year. Notable alumni of CC include former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, U.S. Representative Diana DeGette and Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman.

Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts school known for its strong programs in math, science, and engineering. Harvey Mudd is located in Claremont, Calif., about 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles.