2020-2021 Colorado

[TheDataKing]

Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: University of Colorado

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[wannabedoc138]

Their website and MSAR says they require casper, but I cannot find their school on the casper website. Is anyone else having this issue?

 

[Hzreio]

Their website and MSAR says they require casper, but I cannot find their school on the casper website. Is anyone else having this issue?

It’s under UC Denver

 

[wannabedoc138]

It’s under UC Denver

Whoops... Thank you!

 

[bugsbunny25]

For the secondary prompt "Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine," is there a comprehensive mission statement where we can see these goals? I found like a two sentence blurb on the website, but it wasn't anything specific?

 

[Mean Green Raider]

Hey y'all,
I am applying to Colorado this cycle (517 MCAT and about 3.8 cGPA and 3.8 sGPA), but I'm from Texas. Growing up, my family went to Colorado for a few summers and during undergrad/this year I make it a habit to go to Colorado when I can (so like weak to moderate ties to the state). I saw that my stats are competitive for UC for OOS, but I was wondering how much being from Texas hurts me. What are my realistic chances of getting the secondary for UC, getting an interview at UC, and then getting an acceptance at UC? Thanks in advance .

 

[SiberianIris]

Hey y'all,
I am applying to Colorado this cycle (517 MCAT and about 3.8 cGPA and 3.8 sGPA), but I'm from Texas. Growing up, my family went to Colorado for a few summers and during undergrad/this year I make it a habit to go to Colorado when I can (so like weak to moderate ties to the state). I saw that my stats are competitive for UC for OOS, but I was wondering how much being from Texas hurts me. What are my realistic chances of getting the secondary for UC, getting an interview at UC, and then getting an acceptance at UC? Thanks in advance .

It's really hard to say how much being from Texas will disadvantage you, but it probably will to some extent just given the fact that most people from Texas prefer to stay in Texas, especially given your incredible in-state tuition! And unfortunately I doubt your experiences here will matter very much - a lot of Texans come here for vacation, I wouldn't call that state ties.

(Also, it's a weird linguistic quirk, but the University of Colorado is never called UC. The individual branch campuses are sometimes called UC Anschutz, UC Denver, or UC Colorado Springs, but the institution as a whole is always CU - maybe to distinguish it from the University of California?)

 

[3Ds&anL]

Just to add to the previous post:
1. There are indeed med students from Texas at CU. CU is a state institution so will generally favor IS vs OOS either way.
2. It's CU. There's some confusion due to the organization UCHealth, which is the health care system. But when referring to the University of Colorado, locals always say "CU" and not "UC". This goes for any of the 4 campuses (CU Boulder, CUCS, CU Denver, CU Anschutz). Medical students abbreviate the medical school as CUSOM (also confusing on SDN because of an osteopathic school which uses the same abbreviation). This lingo will help y'all blend in. ;-)

 

[SiberianIris]

Just to add to the previous post:
2. It's CU. There's some confusion due to the organization UCHealth, which is the health care system. But when referring to the University of Colorado, locals always say "CU" and not "UC". This goes for any of the 4 campuses (CU Boulder, CUCS, CU Denver, CU Anschutz). Medical students abbreviate the medical school as CUSOM (also confusing on SDN because of an osteopathic school which uses the same abbreviation). This lingo will help y'all blend in. ;-)

Ehh, I definitely know people who say UC Denver and UCCS, especially people who've gone to those institutions for undergrad. It's very inconsistent and definitely not helped by UC Health, which, why did they call it that? All it does is confuse people.

Crickets from CU so far for me. I'd really love to stay in-state if possible, so hoping to get some action soon!

Edit: speak of the devil! Got it 30 seconds after posting this - IS

 

[sputniksweetheart]

received secondary ! OOS.

prompt is same as last year

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

 

[Hzreio]

received secondary ! OOS.

prompt is same as last year

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

+1

 

[theoddorre]

+1, international

 

[clumsy.md]

received secondary ! OOS.

prompt is same as last year

Part A. The School of Medicine regards the diversity of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. Please write about things in your background that have been important to your development or that have been challenging to you on your path to a career in medicine. These could include your socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and work or life experiences. Explain how these have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.

Part B. Please write about the “fit” between your experiences and goals and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Character count?

 

[sputniksweetheart]

Character count?

1500 characters

 

[mrmystery112358]

Colorado's online status says they haven't received my Casper... anyone else having that issue?

 

[SiberianIris]

Colorado's online status says they haven't received my Casper... anyone else having that issue?

A lot of schools take a bit of time to process applications and match them to Casper results. Give it a few days and it will almost certainly show up!

 

[MediocreClimber]

+1 OOS

 

[clumsy.md]

Hey y'all,
I am applying to Colorado this cycle (517 MCAT and about 3.8 cGPA and 3.8 sGPA), but I'm from Texas. Growing up, my family went to Colorado for a few summers and during undergrad/this year I make it a habit to go to Colorado when I can (so like weak to moderate ties to the state). I saw that my stats are competitive for UC for OOS, but I was wondering how much being from Texas hurts me. What are my realistic chances of getting the secondary for UC, getting an interview at UC, and then getting an acceptance at UC? Thanks in advance .

Your chances of getting a secondary are great. No one can predict how the committee will evaluate your application but based solely on stats, you're looking good.

Also, to maintain anonymity on SDN, it's highly encouraged to not include pictures of yourself on the forum (if that is you). Between your username and picture, it's pretty easy to identify you

 

[Bada Bing]

I'm super confused about the Colorado Springs branch. I've read the page twice on their website and I don't get what the deal is. Is anyone applying there?

 

[SiberianIris]

I'm super confused about the Colorado Springs branch. I've read the page twice on their website and I don't get what the deal is. Is anyone applying there?

Basically, the Colorado Springs branch involves doing your preclinicals at the main campus and your clinical years in Colorado Springs. It's got longitudinal clerkships instead of the traditional blocs at the main campus.

There's a second branch campus opening in Fort Collins this year that will be all four years, I think.

 

[Bada Bing]

Basically, the Colorado Springs branch involves doing your preclinicals at the main campus and your clinical years in Colorado Springs. It's got longitudinal clerkships instead of the traditional blocs at the main campus.

There's a second branch campus opening in Fort Collins this year that will be all four years, I think.

Hmm okay. So basically the difference is LIC and a suburban location. I think I'll stick with the main program. I feel like there's probably a higher acceptance rate for the branches... but I don't want to have to convince myself to apply.

 

[3Ds&anL]

Ehh, I definitely know people who say UC Denver and UCCS, especially people who've gone to those institutions for undergrad. It's very inconsistent and definitely not helped by UC Health, which, why did they call it that? All it does is confuse people.

Crickets from CU so far for me. I'd really love to stay in-state if possible, so hoping to get some action soon!

Edit: speak of the devil! Got it 30 seconds after posting this - IS

No worries, maybe that is new at those other colleges (personally as someone with friends and family who graduated from several colleges from the CU system, have never heard that).

Just FYI I am a medical student here - and definitely no med students call it UC.

Great question about UCHealth, who knows.

Good luck to all of you.

 

[SiberianIris]

Hmm okay. So basically the difference is LIC and a suburban location. I think I'll stick with the main program. I feel like there's probably a higher acceptance rate for the branches... but I don't want to have to convince myself to apply.

Well, the main campus is suburban. Anschutz isn't in Denver proper, it's in Aurora, which is an eastern suburb of Denver. I think the big difference is the LIC and the location which pulls more from southern Colorado, as well as a focus on community health.

 

[Wuzzle123]

+1 secondary

 

[carbonred]

Does Colorado send out in batches? Still waiting OOS anyone else

 

[sdc52]

Does Colorado need a MCAT score to send a secondary? My app was transmitted the first day and I haven't received one (OOS)

 

[Wuzzle123]

Does Colorado send out in batches? Still waiting OOS anyone else

I read somewhere they do. I know Vanderbilt does a batch system

 

[viralhiker]

Diversity essay + why us in 1500 characters. Oof.

 

[AtlasPup]

Does Colorado send out in batches? Still waiting OOS anyone else

I am still waiting also. IS, AMCAS verfied 6/4, complete file w/ above average stats.

 

[onelastshot]

Does anyone know the screening criteria for getting secondary as OOS?

 

[theoriginalyaga]

secondary received, OOS.

 

[carbonred]

Received my secondary OOS

 

[AtlasPup]

secondary received, OOS.

+1

 

[Maybedoc1]

I stumbled upon this video, which was helpful.

 

[gluconeo10]

I stumbled upon this video, which was helpful.

Just by the way, she is no longer with Colorado. There is a new interim Assistant Dean of Admissions.
The video is still very informational though, thank you for sharing!

Edit: I heard she switched schools last April

 

[Maybedoc1]

Just by the way, she is no longer with Colorado. There is a new interim Assistant Dean of Admissions.
The video is still very informational though, thank you for sharing!

Edit: I heard she switched schools last April

Ah I didn't know that. Thanks for letting me know! They are also working on a new curriculum so I'm not sure how that will affect things.

 

[fun10139med]

What are everyone's thoughts on the Fort Collins branch?

 

[Maybedoc1]

How are people feeling about their secondary essay for this school? It seems pretty impossible to write a diversity/why this school in 1500 characters without sacrificing either writing quality or depth. There's so much I could write but I'm so limited by character count that I can't really expand on anything without writing at a fifth-grade level.

 

[SiberianIris]

What are everyone's thoughts on the Fort Collins branch?

CSU has one of the best vet schools in the country, especially for large animals, and also a CDC infectious disease lab, so if anything involving the interaction of animal/human medicine and/or ID is interesting to you, it would probably be great. It probably won't have in house programs and research in all specialties, so that might be a limitation. Fort Collins is a fun town with much easier mountain access than the main campus.

 

[annperkins]

How are people feeling about their secondary essay for this school? It seems pretty impossible to write a diversity/why this school in 1500 characters without sacrificing either writing quality or depth. There's so much I could write but I'm so limited by character count that I can't really expand on anything without writing at a fifth-grade level.

It took me SO LONG condensing/ shortening my essay but it was worth it because it'd be a dream to go here

 

[plsletmebeadoctor]

For the secondary, are you writing part A and B separately or combining them into one essay?

 

[AtlasPup]

For the secondary, are you writing part A and B separately or combining them into one essay?

With only 1500 characters to answer both questions, I wrote them into one cohesive paragraph and used a similar theme to answer both so that I could most wisely use the limited character amount.

 

[prufrock2891]

Are there any current students that could chime in on some questions? Thank you!

1. Can you expound a bit on the preclinical curriculum? What is the typical weekly schedule like? What is the division between PBL & lecture? How many mandatory sessions / hours are there per week? Also, I see on MSAR that it's P/F but there are internal rankings?

2. Any thoughts on the facilities for the school (preclinical) or affiliated hospitals?

3. How is Aurora / Denver? What are some positive and negative aspects about living there?

4. What is research like there? More clinical or basic emphasized? Competitive?

 

[Bloobury]

They don't publish a minimum MCAT score (they review "holistically"), but they do require a score before sending secondaries. Received my secondary as soon as my score was available.

 

[Bloobury]

Are there any current students that could chime in on some questions? Thank you!

1. Can you expound a bit on the preclinical curriculum? What is the typical weekly schedule like? What is the division between PBL & lecture? How many mandatory sessions / hours are there per week? Also, I see on MSAR that it's P/F but there are internal rankings?

2. Any thoughts on the facilities for the school (preclinical) or affiliated hospitals?

3. How is Aurora / Denver? What are some positive and negative aspects about living there?

4. What is research like there? More clinical or basic emphasized? Competitive?

Aurora is kind of blah and the campus is a solid half hour from downtown Denver in rush hour traffic, but it is served by a few different bus lines and an intercampus shuttle that takes students and staff to the Denver campus (wayyyy more convenient and nicer than taking the 20 or, god forbid, the dreaded 15 down Colfax). I was told by someone in the badging office my first day that "If I were you, I wouldn't go off campus by yourself after dark". Aurora has more poverty and crime than Denver. But honestly, I never felt unsafe.

The campus is nice, but it's on the eastern side of Denver, so if you're living near campus there'll be a trade-off of needing to get all the way to the other side of the city before you get to the mountains. My preference is to live closer to where I play than where I work. Rent goes up accordingly.

 

[deleted1044561]

How are people feeling about their secondary essay for this school? It seems pretty impossible to write a diversity/why this school in 1500 characters without sacrificing either writing quality or depth. There's so much I could write but I'm so limited by character count that I can't really expand on anything without writing at a fifth-grade level.

Secondary is a toughy for sure. At least it's only one essay though.

 

[applicanttimes2]

Can any current students or people super familiar with Colorado comment on their curriculum? Is it mostly active learning? Or mostly lectures?

 

[deleted445355]

Current student here (MS3)...three words I have for prospective applicants. DON'T COME HERE! The program is malignant. I've been mistreated by several students and faculty over the past several years. It's true at a lot of places but my school has consistently ranked high for mistreatment on AMA student satisfactions surveys consistently for many years, more so than other places. 66% of students here report mistreatment compared to 44% national average. The school was so concerned that it enacted a faculty professionalism committee to deal with this persistent issues. If it's the only school you get accepted to, then you have no choice but if you do have a choice, go elsewhere and you will be much happier!

 

[CO Tent Pitcher]

Current student here (MS3)...three words I have for prospective applicants. DON'T COME HERE! The program is malignant. I've been mistreated by several students and faculty over the past several years. It's true at a lot of places but my school has consistently ranked high for mistreatment on AMA student satisfactions surveys consistently for many years, more so than other places. 66% of students here report mistreatment compared to 44% national average. The school was so concerned that it enacted a faculty professionalism committee to deal with this persistent issues. If it's the only school you get accepted to, then you have no choice but if you do have a choice, go elsewhere and you will be much happier!

I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you. This is concerning to me as a Colorado resident with CUSOM as one of my top choice schools. I have also had others I know that attend here tell me about the unhappiness and depression amongst the students seeming to be worse than cohorts at other schools. Would you be willing to expand on the mistreatment you, or others you know, have experienced? Thanks!

 

[deleted445355]

I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you. This is concerning to me as a Colorado resident with CUSOM as one of my top choice schools. I have also had others I know that attend here tell me about the unhappiness and depression amongst the students seeming to be worse than cohorts at other schools. Would you be willing to expand on the mistreatment you, or others you know, have experienced? Thanks!

Ending student mistreatment: early successes and continuing challenges

See this article. It is true I must say as a student here sadly. I'm not able to PM you, given your user setting limiting viewers of your profile, but if you re-sett it, I can shoot you a message.