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Parent's Page So your child is thinking about enrolling in Colorado Mountain College's Outdoor Recreation Leadership Program. We think it is a good choice. There are lots of jobs in the field, the lifestyle promotes health and happiness, and this degree can lead to many other degrees if your son or daughter transfers to a four-year institution. There are many benefits in coming to school here and studying Outdoor Recreation Leadership -- here are a few of them:
Jobs The field of Outdoor Recreation Leadership is literally booming. As more and more people move into the cities more and more of them will wish to escape and recreate in the great out-of-doors. They will need qualified persons like your sons and daughters to take them there.
The ORL Program is designed to prepare students for two major steps:
STEP ONE -- Upon graduation, students may enter any one of four Colorado universities (Colorado State University, Western State College, University of Southern Colorado, or University of Northern Colorado) as a junior in a related field to continue their education. In this way, the ORL program is a relatively inexpensive alternative to take care of the first two years of school while avoiding the 300+ person classes of other larger schools. At CMC our largest classes are around 30 people. We also offer actual hands-on learning in both interpersonal skills such as leadership, oral and written communication (including computers), conflict resolution, etc. as well as life-long adventure skills such as rock climbing, mountaineering, whitewater rafting and kayaking, backcountry skiing, kayak touring, etc.
STEP TWO -- The ORL program prepares students to enter into the field of Outdoor Recreation Leadership directly upon graduation. ORL graduates have certificates in Wilderness First Responder (medical), Life guarding (non-moving water), Avalanche Forecasting Level I (evaluation of safe winter terrain), Leave No Trace (minimum impact camping and travel techniques), and an optional Swift Water Rescue certificate (moving water). Graduates will also have practical work experience via the one-hundred and thirty-five hours of internships they must complete. All in all, your son or daughter will be well prepared to either to transfer to a four-year program or to begin working as an outdoor leader.
Safety At CMC we are proud of our excellent safety record. Our faculty serve on the National Wilderness Risk Managers Committee and we are serious about teaching and promoting a safety frame of mind to all of our participants. However, there are inherent risks in traveling, teaching , living and working in the outdoors where your son or daughter will spend substantial time in the ORL program. The risk of serious injury or even death is unavoidable in the outdoor environment. But, as in many respected outdoor leadership training organizations, the recognition of and the ability to deal with hazards are among the things we stress. These skills will be valuable to your son or daughter during their time at CMC, but they will probably be of even greater importance to them when they leave CMC and begin recreating on their own in the backcountry. We do carry electronic communication devices where appropriate including, but not limited to, cellular phones, VHF radios, UHF radios, and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons. No form of electronic communication is totally reliable and our groups may be cut off from radio or phone communication for days at a time. If groups are out of range for electronic communication devices, we simply resort to the old standby -- we walk out if something happens.
Program Costs This program costs a little more than a regular AA or AS degree because we do a lot more than a regular AA or AS degree. We spend approximately 25 nights a semester in the field and sometimes travel by school van several hundred miles to reach an outstanding teaching area. These costs are not covered by the regular tuition. The ORL program charges each participant a flat fee of $405 per semester they are enrolled in the program to cover mileage, food, and lodging. A breakdown of the costs may be obtained by contacting CMC Timberline by clicking the information link on the ORL homepage.
Yes, this is a real college with high academic standards. CMC is one of the national leaders in incorporating outdoor leadership training in the context of a college degree program. We are helping to set the standards by which all other colleges will be judged. The faculty are highly qualified in their fields of expertise and maintain nationally-recognized certificates of competency. The academic standards we set are high but fair. Four other Colorado institutes of higher learning accept the ORL AGS degree as the first two years of college, Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Western State College in Gunnison, University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, and University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo.
Admissions to Colorado Mountain College First of all, Colorado Mountain College is an open-door institution without rigorous admission requirements (i.e. ACT or SAT scores). However, all students are required to either have a minimum SAT or ACT score or take placement testing. Therefore, it is best to take either the SAT or ACT test prior to coming to CMC (within the past two years). The scores you make on these tests will determine if you will need to take additional placement tests once on campus and may determine the level of English, math, or other courses that you may take without additional work in these areas.
Students who do not meet the competency levels established by the College may
still enroll in classes at CMC. The
College is an excellent resource for developmental education classes designed to
help you be successful in the rest of your college career.
Our developmental classes are small and our faculty are friendly.
Our graduates say that CMC has provided a solid foundation for the
challenges they have faced.
If
you achieve an ACT English score of 18, a reading score of 19, and a math score
of 19 or a SAT verbal score of 450 and a math score of 500, you will not be
required to take developmental courses and begin immediately in the degree
program with college-level studies.
Please ask that your ACT or SAT test scores be sent to Colorado Mountain College, Timberline Campus, Admissions Office, 901 U.S. Highway 24, Leadville, CO 80461.
Admission
to the ORL Program The ORL program is academically-rigorous. It is designed to be the first two years of a university program and therefore has similar standards. Students who need developmental courses may still begin classes at CMC that will be counted toward an ORL degree in the Wilderness Studies Program. Once the student is capable of performing at the college level, he or she may begin classes in the ORL Program.
Yes, Outdoor Recreation Leadership is a real career opportunity with paying jobs at the end. There an estimated 10,000 outdoor adventure organizations in North America. All of them need qualified personnel as trip leaders, logistics staff, and administrators. The ORL program prepares students in many aspects of the field to assume these roles. Our graduates are already enjoying the fruits of their labor at CMC by working at the Colorado Outward Bound School, The Wilderness School, the National Outdoor Leadership School, the American Alpine Institute, the Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, Colorado State University's Outdoor Adventure Program, many river rafting companies, and other organizations too numerous to mention here. The advisors here encourage students to go on for a four-year degree in either recreation or to seek a corollary degree in business, science, or education to augment their learning here.
Please Contact us if you would like more information Telephone
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Last modified: May 04, 2007 |
