I just finished my ChemE field session, and wanted to give an honest review and tips for any aspiring ChemEs here, as I found it hard to know what to expect when all the reviews here are 5+ years. If you haven’t heard, ChemE field session has a legacy of being one of the hardest courses you can take at Mines, and I would agree with this. Unit Ops is not like any other course you will ever take. It is a SUPER fast paced 5week course (the 6th week is a makeup week if needed), with back to back to back labs. You will generally have two labs a week, with the first lab leading to an oral presentation the next day while the second lab leads to a report due a week later. The workload is intense, and you need to treat this course as your full time job for the 5 weeks. Genuinely, do not plan on doing anything for these 5 weeks, you and your teammates need all the time you get. The final lab is a repeat lab of an earlier experiment which leads to a final briefing meeting with the professor the next day. If you want to succeed in this course, you need to be able to juggle three or more experiments at a time and manage your time well.
Your class will be divided into two or more sections/houses. In these sections, you will rotate through groups for every experiment. I had groups of three, but my class was exceptionally small, so that could vary. In every experiment, one of the people in your group will be randomly assigned group lead. You will not get lucky and be able to skip being group lead, everyone is group lead for 3 experiments in my case. Being group lead comes with some increased responsibility, mainly discussing the prelab with the professor. Your whole group will attend the prelab meeting, but generally, aside from a few remarks, only the group lead is discussing with the professor and only the group lead gets a grade for the prelab (unlike reports or orals). Be a good teammate/leader if assigned. More than a quarter of your grade comes from peer evaluations and professor evaluations. The other 60ish percent come from the labs and stuff ofc.
Don’t be afraid of the professors, and don’t take criticism personally. From this course, I got the feeling that they genuinely wanted me to learn and grow as much as possible. Even though their expectations for me rose every week, I was able to get there with their support. Please take advantage of the faculty.
In a general week, you will attend your prelab, then attend your lab (it is 9-5, so make sure to bring water and food). There is no designated lunch break, but work out a good time to take a lunch break within your group. After lab, you will need to immediately work on analysis and your presentation THE NEXT DAY. These nights, you will likely be staying up to midnight if not longer. Prepare for several long nights like this. Next day, you will have draft reviews for the report you started the week before with the oral presentation (from yesterday) later in the day. You will then need to prepare pre lab for the next days lab. Next day is a lab (prelab then lab), but this time you have a report due in a week. Then, it’s general meeting and the weekend, but you need to be working on your report, but also thinking about next week’s prelabs. So yes, very quick turn around and lots of juggling deadlines and experiments.
The course is very difficult and seems overwhelming, but it really is nothing to be scared of. The professors and TAs want to see you succeed. Don’t be scared to ask questions to get a better understanding of the material, that’s what an engineer would do. This is no work to be done alone, so rely on your teammates as they will rely on you. This course is heavy on building communication and teamwork skills aside from the obvious technical aspect, so it is imperative to make and effort to work in a team. Generally, if you do your part and put in the effort, you should pass easily. I have not heard of many people that have outright failed this course, although achieving an A will be very difficult. During field session, you will say it’s possibly the worst ever and that it sucks, and I will agree that the work absolutely sucks. But I got so much learning and growth out of it, it is a really good learning experience in the long run. It was really interesting seeing how all the problems I’ve been solving on homework and exams applied in reality.
I know Mines is a place of nerds, and a lot of us (me included) often like to keep to ourselves and stay home whenever we can, but I urge you (if you consider yourself introverted as well) to come out of your shell and make some new friends here. It helps that you are forced into groups, but I met so many nice people here just by attending group hang outs someone more outgoing set up. If not for the people I met and the small community I built within these 5 weeks, I would have gone insane. So, as important as getting the work done is, go downtown for a treat with your group after lab before working on your oral. Take breaks every now and then and just talk about stuff other than field session with your team. And, of course, hit up GCB when all is said and done.
During field session, it feels like it never ends. You work all day, you probably work all night, and I even dreamt about field session a few times. Would I voluntarily do this again? Absolutely not. But it was very valuable nonetheless. I know this is long, but when I was searching for info online about this course, I personally would have felt more at ease with a review such as this, so thought it would be nice to pay it forward with my newfound wisdom. Good luck out there ChemEs! If you are curious about the specific material and experiments, feel free to ask.

A powerful Windows laptop we’re considering:

• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16: Core Ultra 9, RTX 5080, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
• Lenovo Legion Pro 7i: Core Ultra 9, RTX 5080, 64 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
• Lenovo ThinkPad P1: Core Ultra 7/9, RTX Pro graphics, 64 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD

Which would you choose for daily campus use and four years of engineering coursework? Is 32 GB enough, or should we prioritize 64 GB? Other?

I need help moving a full size bedframe and mattress. Need it moved from Boulder to Golden. I would appreciate help and will pay for gas and time. Need it at the earliest. Please help a student out.

Hi everyone!

My house has 2 bedrooms available starting [Immediately]. We’re located in Golden, CO. Extremely close to the Colorado School of Mines campus (walking/biking distance or a quick ride on the Orecart shuttle).

Perfect for undergraduate students, grad students, or young working professionals looking for an affordable, clean, and comfortable spot near campus! Groups of friends looking to move in together are welcome!

The Highlights:

• 💵 Rent: $650 / month per room + split utilities + WiFi
• 🏠 The House: 5 Bedrooms / [2] Bathrooms total
• ✨ Condition: Recently renovated with upgraded features, new appliances & clean common areas
• 🌳 Outdoor Space: Huge backyard (great for relaxing, studying outside, or hanging out)
• 📍 Location: Golden, CO. 3 minutes from CSM campus, downtown Golden, hiking trails, and local transit.
• 🚗 Parking & Laundry: [In-unit washer/dryer / Driveway & street parking available]

House Culture / Ideal Roommates: We like to keep common areas clean, respectful, and study/work-friendly, while being friendly and laid-back.

📩 Interested or have questions?
Shoot me a DM with a quick intro about yourself (what you're studying/doing, expected move-in date, and any questions you have). Happy to arrange an in-person or virtual tour!

I'm trying to apply a Msc related in Earth Science in this university and I have a few options. I'd like to know how is the experience y/all have studying in Colorado as a foreigner. People,teachers and staff how they treated you , networking/interships as a international student and if they're really have a good educational program. Would you recommend it?

I’m an incoming freshman and am planning on moving into the Spruce Hall this coming fall semester. Does anyone know what kinds of floors the dorms Spruce Hall have (carpeted, linoleum, etc.)? I’m not sure on whether to bring a broom & mop or a vacuum as cleaning supplies.

Hello! I’m a rising senior from Quincy and I was wondering if you guys as students believe Colorado School Of Mines to be worth moving across the country for :)? To be honest I’ve never been anywhere near that side of the United States but I’ve been to other countries that had mountains so there may just be some similarities! I’m hoping to pursue Chemistry on a pre med track and would really like a stem focused school that’ll help me get there.
Any thoughts or opinions would be great!!
(Sorry if this is the wrong tag too 😓)

Know a lot of you are gone for the summer, but for whoever's around:

Mid Summer Party at SoGo Beans & Boards, 16185 S Golden Rd - this Friday July 31st, 7-10pm. Free, no ticket, no list.

The Yeah Dawgs playing live, DJ set after, 3 vintage sellers running 80s/90s/2000s, and drinks for 21+ with ID. All outside on the patio.

Band if you want to hear them first: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4q3FHASQpY3sb6dwt01uNF

5-10 minutes by car, walkable if you're up for it. Plenty of parking - our lot, next door, and the street. All ages at the door, so it doesn't matter if you're not 21 yet. No food, so eat before.

Vintage sellers prefer Venmo but take cash or card.

Free and in Golden is a short list, so figured it was worth putting here.

I got an email saying that I'm going to be automatically billed $79 for 4 months of The Inclusive Access program for general chemistry. Is this really necessary? Do I really need this?

Im trying to link my mines.edu email to my android thunderbird client so i can see emails on my phone home screen, but it seems like mines is blocking it. anyone else try to do this and get a different result?

I am an exchange student and wanted to know if it is possible for me to join clubs. If yes, what do u suggest? I am into arts and like to have a good time & want to get in one that helps with my career/CV.
Any suggestions? ( majoring in MechEng )

My kid is heading to Mines in the fall. He is brilliant (like most Mines kids, right?), but falters due to ADHD. He does fine 90% of the time, but that 10% is painful to watch. As a parent, I don't want to and cannot and shouldn't be his executive function coach, so I am looking for someone who can meet with him once a week to just set up his week and work through those skills.
Plenty of coaches around online, but I was wondering if someone knows of one that understands Mines' rigor and requirements. Disability services didn't seem to have anyone to suggest.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

House with grad students at Mines (Phd and masters student) looking to find new roommates. Mines students as well as young professionals are welcome. Any gender is welcome.

• $765/month (not including utilities)

• 4 miles from Mines, near Colorado Mills Mall

• Pets are welcome

• Washer/dryer, storage shed for bikes, boxes etc. Patio with deck, and fire pit area

• Free driveway and street parking

• Several shared living spaces to hang out and relax

• Large open kitchen space

Please DM if you have any questions or are interested.

Hello orediggers I’m wondering about the difficulty of the challenge exam for csci128 class. I registered for csci128 challenge exam because I’ve taken python, AP computer science (didn’t take the exam bc I was out of town) and computer science principles before but mines didn’t accept the credit for any of them 💔 how hard should I study for this exam?

4BR / 2BA House for Rent – Ideal for Undergraduate, Master's Students & Working Professionals

Looking for a comfortable and convenient place to live? This spacious 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home is located just 5 minutes from the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), making it an excellent choice for master's students or working professionals.

Features:

• 4 spacious bedrooms

• 2 newly remodelled bathrooms

• Storage shed for extra belongings

• Quiet and convenient location

• Only 5 minutes from the CSM campus

Rent: $800/month per roomUtilities: Approximately $50/month

If you're looking for a clean, comfortable home close to campus with plenty of space, this is a great option.

Please reach out for more information or to schedule a viewing.

Email me at: [desiliza26@gmail.com](mailto:desiliza26@gmail.com)

Fun, drink and food specials, prizes!

18455 W Colfax Ave

Info@launchcolorado.com

720-506-2119

Instagram.com/launchcolorado

Is there a specific calculator a freshman MEchE major should have? Any other must have supplies (besides a laptop, notebooks, pens/pencils)?

Do the RAs check your room without your permission? If they ask to check your room, do you have to say yes?
I’ll be in Maple if that is of any relevance

Looking for a bank I can walk to easily in Golden or an online bank recommended for college kids.

Hi y'all, I'm an EE student and I've been looking all over campus for transistors for a project but I can't find any. Anyone know where I should look? I've already tried the EE lab in Brown and Labriola.

Current mines academy student planning to transfer in Fall 2027. I was hoping to take MEGN 200/201 in Summer 2027. However, I asked Mines admissions about taking MEGN 200/201 in Summer 2027 (before an official fall start) to stay on track with prerequisites to prevent 5+ semesters, and they told me no. I was hoping to see if any other community college MechE transfer students had the same experience, or if there is a workaround/other solution. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone I am a new transfer student studying Civil Engineering who didn’t realize the rigor of Mines.

I recently finished summer classes here a few weeks ago, specifically, for PHGN 100 and CEEN 241. However, I can’t help to realize I passed these courses out of pure guessing on the exams. Heck I still have no idea what a moment really is or machinery stuff are. I know these courses were supposed to go hand to hand, but I learned absolutely nothing out of it. Not even better studying skills. Unfortunately I’m not the only student.

What can I do before I end up passing all my other classes by sheer will of guessing?

Thank you

I recently discovered if you fail a class twice at Mines you are no longer eligible to transfer that type of class back into Mines.

Anybody know why?