How to Apply to Economics at Colorado College: A One-Course-at-a-Time Block Plan, Economics Sits in the Department of Economics and Business with No Separate Admission to the Major, with Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Colorado College (CC) is a liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Economics is taught by the Department of Economics and Business, which offers four majors: Economics, Mathematical Economics, Business, Economics, and Society (BESoc) and International Political Economy (shared with Political Science). The whole college runs on the Block Plan: the admission office says students take one course at a time in blocks of about 3.5 weeks, with 15 students per class. This guide follows the official pages for fall 2027 entry and covers US domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants. Business administration has its own article on this site; BESoc is the department’s interdisciplinary major and is only introduced briefly here.

1. Which economics majors exist and how you get in

• You apply to the college: CC has no separate business or economics school. The admission pages we read do not say whether you name an intended major on the application or whether economics has its own admission standard; ask the admission office (admission@coloradocollege.edu).
• The four majors: the Economics major aims to give a general knowledge of how economies allocate scarce resources and applies economic theory to public policy; Mathematical Economics is offered with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science; BESoc studies the relationships between business, the economy and society; International Political Economy studies the interaction of politics and economics. The department says graduates often work in business, nonprofit or government sectors or go to graduate school.
• Getting into the major (declaring): the Economics major requirements say students must pass the prerequisites prior to admission into the major; a student who has not taken them may declare only if currently scheduled for a later section or by consent of the chair for mitigating circumstances. You declare at the Registrar’s Office or with the online Major Declaration Form. The department’s declaring page says you meet the department first and are assigned an advisor; a professor’s agreement to advise depends on not exceeding the department’s limit on advisees per professor. That page also carries a notice of a major-declaration freeze for Block 1 with no year printed; check the year with the department.
• GPA threshold and seat limits: the pages we read give no GPA requirement for the Economics major and no cap on seats. Not published on the pages we read; ask the department (nheinecke@coloradocollege.edu, (719) 389-6407).
• Degree name and STEM designation: the economics pages we read do not name the degree or mention a STEM designation. Not published on the pages we read.
• Honors: Distinction in Economics is awarded by the department to up to the top 20% of graduating majors by GPA in the major, provided the senior thesis also earned an A.
• Double majors and minors: the pages we read do not describe them; for International Political Economy the capstone research can be done in Political Science or Economics.

2. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school: the admission office says CC has no minimum GPA, no required number of courses or subjects and no high school course distribution requirement; successful applicants typically take the most rigorous curriculum available to them. No extra high school math requirement for economics is stated; not published on the pages we read.
• Prerequisites to enter the Economics major: Principles of Economics, either the two-block EC100 or EC101 (Micro) plus EC102 (Macro); and calculus, MA125 or MA126 (MA126 is Calculus I or higher).
• Economics major (2025 version), at least 14 units (12 in economics and 2 in mathematics):
  • A. Principles: 2 units (EC100, or EC101 and EC102);
  • B. Mathematics: MA125 or MA126 (1 or 2 units) plus MA117 (Elementary Probability and Statistics) or MA217 (Introduction to Probability and Statistics);
  • C. Three intermediate theory units: EC301 Microeconomic Theory, EC302 Macroeconomic Theory, and EC303 Econometrics (or EC403 Econometric Theory);
  • D. Five economics electives, at least four at the 300 or 400 level, the fifth possibly at the 200 level, all EC courses;
  • E. Senior thesis EC499, a two-block thesis, 2 units.
  The department’s credit page separately says each major requires 15 to 16 CC credits, which differs from the 14 units above; check the latest version with the department. One CC unit equals four semester hours.
• Mathematical Economics: at least 16 units. Mathematics covers Calculus 1, 2 and 3 (MA125 or MA126, MA129, MA204), probability and statistics (MA217 or MA237), Applied Linear Algebra MA120 and Sequences and Series MA275; economics covers principles, EC301, EC302 and EC403; plus one economics, one mathematics and one mathematical-economics elective (EC404 to EC407), and a two-unit thesis, EC496. The prerequisites are principles, Calculus 1 and Calculus 2.
• BESoc (2025 version): at least 16 units. Prerequisites are principles of economics and BU201 (Introduction to Business and Society); the requirements include MA117 or MA217, MA125 or MA126, one of EC301 or EC302, BU205 Principles of Financial Accounting, BU310, BU318 Business Analytics, BU319 Qualitative Research Methods, and a thesis, BU499.
• International Political Economy (2020 PDF): 15 or 16 units, including 6 units of economics (principles, EC301, EC302, international trade or international finance, and a development or finance elective), 2 units of mathematics, political science courses and a senior research project.
• Credit the official pages state:
  • AP Microeconomics or Macroeconomics with a 5 or 4 earns 1 unit each and places out of EC101 or EC102 (Registrar);
  • IB Higher Level Economics with a 5, 6 or 7 earns credit for EC101 and EC102; the department gives no credit for Standard Level Economics;
  • IB Higher Level Math with a 5, 6 or 7 earns 2 math units covering MA126 and MA129; an IB HL 4 or SL 5, 6 or 7 earns 1 unit covering MA126; AP Calculus BC with a 5 earns 2 units, BC with a 4 or 3 and AB with a 5, 4 or 3 earn 1 unit; AP Statistics can replace MA117, and MA217 may be substituted for MA117;
  • The Registrar also says it does not give double credit for the same subject from AP and IB, and gives no credit for CLEP or life experience; rules for A-Levels and others are on the Registrar page.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Platforms: the Common Application, Apply Coalition with Scoir, or QuestBridge. There is no application fee.
• Plans (the pages print no year; check that they apply to fall 2027 entry): Early Decision I (binding) November 1, decision mid-December; Early Action (non-binding) November 1; Early Decision II (binding) January 15, decision mid-February; Regular Action (non-binding) January 15. Non-binding plans reply by May 1.
• Decision dates differ across pages: for Early Action the first-year page says mid-January, the international page says early January and the overview says January; for Regular Action the first-year page says early March and other pages say mid-March.
• Required: the application, transcripts and school report, a counselor evaluation, and one teacher recommendation (two teacher recommendations if no counselor recommendation is available); the Early Decision agreement if applying ED.
• Optional: SAT/ACT scores, the supplemental essay (the 2026-27 short essay; the international page gives 300 words), a 30-minute virtual informational interview with a student ambassador (not evaluative), an art supplement through the applicant portal (SlideRoom portfolios from the Common App are not accepted), and the financial aid application.
• Testing: test-optional since 2019; submitted scores are considered only if they strengthen the application, and scores that could hurt are not considered.
• Review: holistic, looking at course rigor, trends, writing, recommendations and personal context.
• Deferral: the site says about 30 to 40 students defer each year, for a semester or a year.

4. US domestic applicants

• CC is private; the pages show no in-state and out-of-state difference. 2026-27 tuition is $75,702.
• For students from Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona there is the Four Corners Pledge: family income under $60,000, no parental contribution for tuition, housing and meals; $60,000 to $125,000, none for tuition; $125,000 to $250,000, parental contribution up to $40,346 a year; if your demonstrated need is higher you receive the larger award.
• CC says it meets 100% of demonstrated need. For need-based aid you submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile and other documents by the admission deadline of the round you choose; the application is not complete until they arrive.
• Scholarships: applications submitted through the Common App, QuestBridge or Apply Coalition are automatically considered for the Leadership Scholarship (four years, $60,000 in total, $15,000 a year) with no separate application; the cost page separately says every applicant is in the running for a $15,000 merit scholarship, so the two statements differ slightly; three scholarships have their own applications: Barnes (math and sciences), El Pomar (Colorado students, public policy or nonprofit work) and WES (equity issues).

5. International applicants (including those from China)

• Who counts as international: non-citizens seeking an F-1 or other visa apply as international; dual citizens, permanent residents, DACA and undocumented students not seeking an F-1, and US citizens living abroad apply as domestic. Platforms, deadlines and review are the same.
• Transcripts: coursework through the end of the penultimate year at application, then mid-year and final grades; transcripts not in English must be translated by a certified translator; the school also submits a school report.
• English proficiency: if your native language is not English or your school’s language of instruction is not English, submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo; the highest score is used. CC says students at or above these levels are best prepared: TOEFL 5.0 (100 on the previous scale), IELTS 7.0, Duolingo 130. TOEFL institution code 4072. Official scores are favored; if a test is not available you may request a waiver by email after applying. CC gives no fee waivers for English exams. InitialView or Vericant interviews can supplement but not replace the English requirement.
• Financial aid: you must say whether you are applying for aid when you apply; marking “no” blocks changing your mind for two years. CC says international aid applicants are its most competitive group and only a handful can be fully funded. You may submit the CSS Profile or CC’s own ISFAA; only UWC students get CSS Profile fee waivers.
• Visa and arrival: International Student & Scholar Services (isss@coloradocollege.edu) supports visa applications and runs an International Student Orientation before New Student Orientation.

6. Applicants from China

• The CC pages we read have no China-specific or gaokao note. Not published on the pages we read: whether the gaokao is considered, what school-leaving exam materials are needed and how Chinese transcripts are handled. Ask the admission office (admission@coloradocollege.edu) or your regional counselor.
• The general international rules above (transcripts, school report, English proof) apply; whether a credential evaluation service is required is not published on the pages we read.

7. Transfer applicants

• Fall or spring entry, through the Transfer Common App only. Deadlines: spring October 15 (decision early December); fall Early Action and Pathways March 1 (rolling decisions mid-April to early May); fall Regular Action May 1 (rolling mid-May to early June). Deadlines may change; extensions can be requested in writing.
• Materials: official transcripts from every school attended, college course descriptions, the College Report from a college official, two academic evaluations (at least one from a college professor), the personal essay, and an optional supplement (250 to 300 words). Financial aid documents are due with the application.
• CC accepts at most 16 transfer units in total (including AP, IB and earlier college credit), equal to two years of study; a grade of C- or higher is required, courses must be substantially similar to CC courses and come from a regionally accredited degree-granting institution. Grades do not transfer.
• Transferring into economics: transfer students may declare any major on enrolling; CC cautions that not all credits may count toward a major and that finishing within 16 blocks is not guaranteed. Department rules: most principles courses (EC100, 101, 102) and financial accounting transfer; EC301 Microeconomic Theory and EC302 Macroeconomic Theory accept no transfer credit; courses with EC301 or EC302 as a prerequisite transfer as 300-level electives, courses with principles as a prerequisite as 200-level, courses with no prerequisite as 100-level. To check that a course counts toward a department major, email the syllabi to Professor Kristina Acri (kacri@coloradocollege.edu). Transfer students are generally exempt from the First-Year Program.
• Whether international transfer students need a credential evaluation is not stated on the transfer page we read.

8. Costs, research and internships

• 2026-27 (official cost-of-attendance table, nine months): tuition $75,702, student activity fee $528, housing (double room) $9,616, meal plan $7,744, books and supplies $1,240, miscellaneous $1,800, transportation $1,230 ($1,500 expected for international students), loan fees $63 and $67, for an estimated total of $97,990; health insurance of $5,316 is extra, and with the Student Health Insurance Plan the total is $103,306.
• The site also says aided students pay an average of $32,616 after grants and scholarships, and the average annual aid package for first-year students is about $58,000; a net price calculator is available.
• Thesis: the Economics, BESoc and other majors require a two-block senior thesis; the department has thesis process, past theses and awards pages.
• The department describes courses as combining theory with experiential learning, guest speakers and off-campus work (for example, the economics of sports course features sports executives and a field trip). A list of study-away programs with approved economics and business courses is on the department’s credit page. Specific internship openings are not published on the pages we read; ask the Career Center.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Pick a platform and plan; transcripts and school report, counselor evaluation, teacher recommendation;
• Decide whether to send SAT/ACT; for need-based aid, file the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the deadline;
• After enrolling, take principles and calculus, then declare the major.

International applicants (including those from China):

• English translation of transcripts; English test scores or a waiver request;
• If you need aid, say so on the application and submit the CSS Profile or ISFAA;
• Ask the admission office about gaokao and school-leaving exam materials.

Transfer applicants:

• College and high school transcripts, course descriptions, College Report, two academic evaluations;
• Send syllabi for economics courses to the department for approval; EC301 and EC302 accept no transfer credit.

Sources: Colorado College, Economics & Business department; Department: majors and declaring; Department: Economics major; Economics major requirements (2025 PDF); Department: Mathematical Economics; Mathematical Economics requirements (PDF); Department: Business, Economics, and Society; BESoc requirements (2025 PDF); International Political Economy requirements (PDF); Department: credit; Registrar: transfer, AP and IB credit; Admission: applying; Admission: first-year students; Admission: international students; Admission: transfer students; Admission: cost and aid; Admission: scholarships; Student Financial Services: 2026-27 costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 rates). Check Colorado College for the latest details.