Graduate Student Life

Students come to Boulder expecting great science and a great place to live with numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. Boulder is very athletically inclined and an August 2003 poll of graduate students reported that many of them enjoy such activities as skiing, snowboarding, cycling, running, hiking/backpacking, climbing, snowshoeing, fly fishing and kayaking. Conveniently, all of these activities can be done in the Boulder area or within a few hours drive to world-class ski areas, Rocky Mountain National Park or several wilderness areas. Students also participate in various team sports including department-based softball and ice hockey intramural teams. In addition, students enjoy the cultural activities on campus, the various nightspots and restaurants in Boulder and the easy access to the Denver metropolitan area.

The poll also showed that 80% of the students live in Boulder, whereas the rest live in surrounding communities. While a small percentage of students drive to campus, most report biking or using the excellent local bus system that is free to students. Some students live close enough to campus to walk, and the overall average commute time is only about 15 minutes. As one might expect, the majority of students rent their places of residence, but some do own their home (usually outside of Boulder). Most students live with roommates or partners, and the average monthly housing payment is $575.00/person. Finally, after having spent significant time together during their first year in the MCDB graduate program, each year’s class of students exhibit great camaraderie, making life long friendships.