It’s been an exciting month at the University of Colorado! Many of our incoming students have moved into their new homes away from home on our campuses. It’s an absolute pleasure to spend time with them on move-in days every year. I love welcoming students, whether they’re living on campus or commuting from their homes and places of work. I also love hearing why they chose CU and what they’re looking forward to while they’re with us. Their journeys and aspirations are incredibly inspiring and are powerful reminders of why we do what we do at CU.

When I see the promise of the thousands of students walking through our doors, it also reminds me how much opportunity awaits those who considered pursuing a college degree but decided against it. While everyone has their own reasons, there are a handful of persistent narratives out there that can plant doubt in people’s minds, making them question whether CU is a realistic option for college. So, in honor of a new academic year, let’s examine some of these narratives, starting with a big one.

Narrative #1: College isn’t worth it. The ongoing national debate about the value of higher education is concerning – and frustrating – because the data from countless sources are clear: More education leads to better prospects for earnings and employment. On average, people with bachelor’s degrees earn $1.8 million more than those with just a high school degree over the course of their careers. They’re also more likely to be employed during economic downturns. At CU, 85% of our alumni earn more than state and national average annual earnings with careers in top-earning fields like management, engineering, law, health care and business. 

Narrative #2: CU is too expensive. While college costs more than all of us want it to, CU likely costs less than many people think. When I ask people how much they think CU costs, more often than not, they significantly overshoot the mark. Still, college is a substantial investment. But we have a deep commitment to making a CU education cheaper for students and their families. We work to reduce time to degree by making it easier to transfer credits and by partnering with high schools to offer concurrent and dual enrollment opportunities. We offer the CU Promise program at all of our campuses, which fully covers tuition and fees for Colorado Pell-eligible students (from households with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 to $65,000). Over the past decade, CU’s investment in grants and scholarships has doubled and last year, our students received more than $400 million in grants and scholarships. We invest more money from university resources at CU into financial aid than the state invests in financial aid for all of Colorado’s colleges and universities combined.

Narrative #3: I’ll be saddled with massive debt after I graduate from CU. Across our campuses, about half of our resident students graduate from CU with no debt. Those who do graduate with debt owe a total of between $25,000 and $28,000 on average. This translates into student loan repayments that total just 5% of average annual earnings. 

Narrative #4: There’s no way I could get accepted to CU, so why apply? The best way to attend CU is to apply to CU. We have strong acceptance rates for Colorado students across all our campuses. Systemwide, 86% of in-state applicants to CU were accepted for the 2024-25 academic year. That bears repeating: 86%.

Narrative #5: CU isn’t for me. I won’t fit in. We have four unique campuses that make up the CU system. We take our name very seriously. We are Colorado’s university. It’s our mission to serve the people of Colorado – all of Colorado. We’re focused on access, which means putting a CU education within reach for any Coloradan who wants it and being a place where students can find their community regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs or whether they come from a big city or a rural town. I urge you to explore all our campuses. CU is an extraordinary place and there’s a place for you here.

We educate students at CU to be critical thinkers so they know how to sift through the mountains of information surrounding them and find their way. It’s our job to help our students discover and develop opportunities, new skills and knowledge, invaluable experiences and critical connections. We help position them for happy, successful, healthy and fulfilling lives. I want every potential student in Colorado and beyond to feel the power of possibility that comes with a CU education. I want every potential student to feel the rush of excitement that comes with not knowing what your future holds but knowing that you’re ready for it. And I want every potential student to experience the first day of a college school year – filled with curiosity, aspiration and hope.