Which colleges are in Durango?
Two, and they're very different. Fort Lewis College is a four-year public college on a mesa above town. Pueblo Community College Southwest is a two-year community college with a Durango site, though its main campus is in Mancos. Here's the quick comparison. FLC's address is on its home page, and the enrollment figure is a rounded one from the tourism office.
| Fort Lewis College | PCC Southwest | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Four-year public college | Community college |
| Where | 1000 Rim Drive, Durango | Main campus in Mancos; site in Durango |
| Size | About 3,230 undergraduates | Not listed |
| Known for | Native American Tuition Waiver | Guaranteed-transfer degrees |
What is Fort Lewis College like?
A selective public college with a lot of history. The tourism office says FLC has roughly 3,230 undergraduates and 80 graduate students. Its three schools offer more than 50 majors, minors and certificates. They cover the arts and sciences, business and education. There are also five graduate programs in education. The 247-acre campus sits at 6,872 feet on a mesa over downtown Durango. Teams are the Skyhawks and compete in NCAA Division II.
FLC joined the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges in 1995. In 2005 the state raised its admission standards, so it became a "selective" college (FLC history).
Why does Fort Lewis have a tuition waiver?
Because of a deed from 1911. The college began as a military fort at Pagosa Springs in 1878, moved to Hesperus in 1880 and became an Indian boarding school in 1891. In 1911 the property went to the state for a school with a condition. The college says the deed required it to admit Indian students free of tuition, in perpetuity.
Today that's the Native American Tuition Waiver. FLC says it covers enrolled citizens of a federally recognized tribal nation or Alaska Native village, and their children (FLC). The move from Hesperus to the Durango mesa, 18 miles east, came in 1956, and the first bachelor's degrees followed in 1964. The waiver covers tuition only. Students still pay fees, housing, meals and books. FLC says it awards about 26 percent of its degrees to Native American students, more than any other four-year college in the country.
What does Pueblo Community College Southwest offer?
A closer route to a certificate or a transfer. PCC Southwest serves five counties: Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan (PCC). Its main campus is in the town of Mancos, and it also lists a Durango site. The college's site lists degrees and certificates, online learning, apprenticeship programs, GED prep and guaranteed-transfer degrees.
Not sure which location teaches a given class? Call PCC Southwest at 970-564-6200 or email southwest@pueblocc.edu. For the Durango site's address and hours, check the college's Southwest page.
What does a campus visit include?
FLC says campus tours come with a free pass to Purgatory Resort. Its Skyhawk Station is the hub for advising, registration, financial aid, billing and student IDs. The college's home page also says 95 percent of students receive more than $10,000 in financial aid. That's FLC's own claim, so ask the financial aid office what applies to you.
Can high school students take college classes?
Yes, in some cases. Durango High School's profile says students can earn college credit through concurrent enrollment with Fort Lewis College or the area community colleges. Details are in our answer about Durango's high schools.
How do you get to campus?
FLC sits on a mesa above town. Durango Transit runs Fort Lewis and Fort Lewis Express routes, and FLC students ride the fixed routes free with a Skycard sticker or an active phone pass (City of Durango). See our answer on public transportation in Durango for routes. For the K-12 side, the Durango schools guide covers the district.