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University of Wyoming: Why do so many Colorado kids attend?

The "Laradise" Loophole: Why Laramie is the Secret Backup Plan for the Front Range

Sean O3 min read

University of Wyoming: Why do so many Colorado kids cross the border?

If you’re a high school senior in Denver, you’ve seen the stickers. The brown and gold "Steamboat" logo is everywhere on I-25. It’s easy to write off the University of Wyoming (UW) as the place people go when they don’t get into Boulder or want to save a buck, but that narrative misses the actual "nuance" of the Wyoming draw.

For a lot of Colorado students, UW isn’t a fallback—it’s a tactical escape.

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The Financial Math (WUE is King) 

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange). Because of this program, a student from Highlands Ranch can often attend UW for about 150% of in-state tuition. When you factor in the soaring cost of housing in Boulder or Fort Collins, it is often literally cheaper to be an "out-of-state" student in Laramie than an "in-state" student at CU.


The Culture Clash 

But the real reason students stay—or leave—is the vibe. UW is the only four-year university in the entire state. That creates a "Cowboy Tough" pride that is hard to find at a school like MSU Denver or even CSU. On a game day in Laramie, the entire state shows up.


The Nuance They Won't Tell You 

Here’s the part the brochure skips: The wind. People joke about it, but Laramie winters are "don't leave your dorm or you'll lose a finger" cold. Also, while Laramie is nicknamed "Laradise," it’s a town of 30,000 people. If you’re used to the nightlife of LoDo, you might find the "Stad-centric" social scene limiting after a semester.

Students who transfer out of UW usually do it because they underestimated the isolation. Students who stay do it because they found a tight-knit community that isn't as "scened" or pretentious as the Front Range.

Is the "Cowboy" life actually for you, or are you just chasing a cheaper bill? That’s a question only a current student can answer.


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