What a friend would tell you
What DU is looking for
DU rewards applicants who connect their goals to Denver's specific assets: the outdoor industry, the growing tech scene, or the international studies programs (the Korbel School is the crown jewel). Show how you will use the city and the mountains as extensions of your education. Students who present as passive learners waiting for a syllabus do not fit the DU model.
What students wish they'd known
DU's sticker price ($55K+) is high for a school with moderate national name recognition. The student body skews affluent and outdoorsy, which can feel exclusionary for students outside that profile. Greek life at 25% shapes weekend social options more than expected. Denver is fun, but the University Park neighborhood is residential and quiet, not a vibrant college district. The hockey program draws more energy than football, which is gone.
DU might be a fit if...
- You want a mid-size private university in Denver where ski access, outdoor culture, and urban internships coexist
- You are drawn to international relations or business with a school that leverages Denver's growing tech and aerospace economy
- You want generous merit aid at a school where the campus and the city feel equally important to the experience
DU Admissions Strategy
1.5x
Early Decision Advantage
Early Decision admits at 1.5x the RD rate. The trade: ED is binding. Apply only if you'd say yes on the spot.
Early Decision: the numbers
DU's Early Decision acceptance rate is 83.8% vs 55% overall. ED is binding. If you are admitted, you are committing to enroll. This signals strong commitment and gives a meaningful admissions advantage.
Deadlines: ED November 1 · RD January 15
Deadlines: ED November 1 · RD January 15
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Not Tracked
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Optional
Yield Rate
43%
43% of admits enroll, which is typical for a selective school. Waitlists here move every year.
Want the strongest possible application to DU, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at DU
$64,000
Sticker Price
$22,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 84% receive financial aid.
For context: DU spends about $16,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, right around the $15K national average.
What DU Graduates Get
$52,000
Avg Starting Salary
95%
Employed or in Grad School
66%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (76%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
DU Campus & Culture
The Campus
DU's 125-acre campus sits in the University Park neighborhood of south Denver, eight miles from downtown. The Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness is one of the largest college athletic facilities in the country. Red brick and stone buildings mix with newer glass construction like the Daniels College of Business. The Rocky Mountain Front Range is visible from campus on clear days.
The Social Scene
Outdoorsy, vibrant tech scene, craft beer culture, ski access
DU Traditions & Trivia
Hockey Night Lights
Each fall, students pitch tents and camp overnight on the lawn outside the Ritchie Center, competing for free season hockey tickets, with music, food, and lawn games through the night.
First Snow
When one inch of snow falls on campus for the first time each winter, the university throws a pop-up celebration with hot cocoa and giveaways on the spot.
Academics at DU
What DU is known for
International relations, business, outdoor culture, Denver location
Most popular majors at DU
Standout programs
International relations, business, engineering, environmental science
How the curriculum works
Common curriculum core with major specialization
Recommended high school courses
4 English, 3 Math, 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language
Notable DU Alumni
Condoleezza Rice
Former Secretary of State, DU PhD in political science
Peter Coors
Beer executive and Coors Brewing Company leader
Gale Norton
Former US Secretary of the Interior, DU Law
Bob Beauprez
Former US Congressman and Colorado gubernatorial candidate
Ron Ziegler
White House Press Secretary under Nixon, DU class of 1961
If you like DU, also consider
University of Colorado Boulder
Thirty miles north, public flagship with stronger campus culture and lower tuition
Colorado College
Colorado Springs LAC with Block Plan and outdoor culture
Colorado School of Mines
STEM-focused Colorado school with engineering depth
University of Oregon
Pacific Northwest alternative with similar outdoor ethos
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
Comparable private with Dallas location and stronger alumni network