2025-2026 Colorado

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2025-2026 Colorado Secondary Essay Prompts

**This school has emphasized in the past to not repeat content from your AMCAS PS**

1. The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 500 words.

2. Please describe how your background and/or unique life experiences have shaped your approach to creating welcoming, respectful, and collaborative environments for people from all walks of life.
(300 word max)

Optional Essays Based on Interest:

Fort Collins Branch

Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Colorado Springs Branch
The Colorado Springs LIC Program exists at the intersection of academic and community medicine. Colorado Springs LIC students experience the myriad of academic, private, corporate, military, non-profit, and public service organizations that come together to care for a community. Clinical, didactic, and project-based learning emphasizes how physician leadership and community engagement can promote the health of communities. Didactic education is based in Colorado Springs with clinical sites spanning small cities along the Southern Front Range including Pueblo, Cañon City, Monument, and Woodland Park. Please describe how participation in the Colorado Springs LIC Program would advance your career goals and how your life experiences align with an interest in our program. If applicable, you may also note any ties to Colorado Springs or the Southern Front Range. Please limit your statement to 300 words.

Rural branch
Why are you interested in being a rural physician? How will rural life and work fit your personal and professional goals? You may include your past experiences and ties or interest to rural Colorado. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

For Aerospace engineering dual degree
Describe your career path up to this point and how that has led to your interest in human spaceflight. What is your motivation for seeking a dual degree in Aerospace Engineering and how does this fit into your vision for your career.



Good luck to all applying!

Interview Feedback:
 
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Waiting to see if we get anything. Ah.
 
1. The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? Limit this response to 500 words.
2. Please describe how your background and/or unique life experiences have shaped your approach to creating welcoming, respectful, and collaborative environments for people from all walks of life. (300 word max)

Optional ones based on choice:
Please tell us why you are interested in being a part of the 4-year CUSOM at CSU (Fort Collins Branch campus)? With the background that FCB’s smaller class sizes and unique structure lead to a highly interactive curriculum, please tell us how this campus matches your learning style and personal philosophy. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

The Colorado Springs LIC Program exists at the intersection of academic and community medicine. Colorado Springs LIC students experience the myriad of academic, private, corporate, military, non-profit, and public service organizations that come together to care for a community. Clinical, didactic, and project-based learning emphasizes how physician leadership and community engagement can promote the health of communities. Didactic education is based in Colorado Springs with clinical sites spanning small cities along the Southern Front Range including Pueblo, Cañon City, Monument, and Woodland Park. Please describe how participation in the Colorado Springs LIC Program would advance your career goals and how your life experiences align with an interest in our program. If applicable, you may also note any ties to Colorado Springs or the Southern Front Range. Please limit your statement to 300 words.

Why are you interested in being a rural physician? How will rural life and work fit your personal and professional goals? You may include your past experiences and ties or interest to rural Colorado. Limit your statement to 1500 characters, including spaces (approximately 300 words).

Describe your career path up to this point and how that has led to your interest in human spaceflight. What is your motivation for seeking a dual degree in Aerospace Engineering and how does this fit into your vision for your career.
 
Question about the first prompt: "The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? (500 words)"

So I understand that we should discuss how we've embodied one of those characteristics. For the last sentence in the prompt, are they asking us what OTHER characteristic (other than the one you've already talked about in the majority of the essay) has space for improvement/growth?
 
Question about the first prompt: "The pillars of our curriculum are Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment. Tell us about how you have embodied one or more of these attributes in your path to medicine thus far. In which of these areas do you see the most opportunity for personal growth and why? (500 words)"

So I understand that we should discuss how we've embodied one of those characteristics. For the last sentence in the prompt, are they asking us what OTHER characteristic (other than the one you've already talked about in the majority of the essay) has space for improvement/growth?
I read it as: demonstrate strength in all three and also pick one as a growth area.
 
Ah see I read it as, talk about which of these characteristics you have embodied. Then talk about which of them you see the most opportunity for personal growth in. So I was picking Leadership and Commitment as ones I have embodied, then talking about how I have the most room for growth in Curiosity.

Maybe I am off base?
I don't think that is a bad way to answer the question. The question does leave room by saying "one or more." I think the more you can show strengths in all three, while also leaving room for growth, the better.
 
Ah see I read it as, talk about which of these characteristics you have embodied. Then talk about which of them you see the most opportunity for personal growth in. So I was picking Leadership and Commitment as ones I have embodied, then talking about how I have the most room for growth in Curiosity.

Maybe I am off base?
That's also what I'm doing, except showing strength in all three but then also how I have the most room to grow in leadership. since there's plenty of room to touch on all three
 
the payment system is still broken (at this point I think it's intentional until they release the secondary for everyone)
 
OOS still waiting for AMCAS verification but pre-writing their secondary now; I am just wondering whether it looks bad if I leave all 4 optional essays blank.

It looks like the first 2 tracks are hard to write as an OOS with no tie, the rural track doesn't quite align with my background (nontrad PhD + pharma/biotech experience, likely research-heavy). If I have to pick one I can probably only write the aerospace one (I did apply for a NASA space biology position and wrote a proposal about doing some epigenetic research for space biology years ago, I didn't proceed due to visa/nationality issues at that moment).

Now I actually have the same concern, can Chinese citizen (green card holder) possibly pursue aerospace engineering degrees in Colorado? If it is a "red flag" I may not even bother writing. Actually I am just wondering if the majority of applicants (no matter IS/OOS) just leave all 4 optional essays blank.
 
OOS still waiting for AMCAS verification but pre-writing their secondary now; I am just wondering whether it looks bad if I leave all 4 optional essays blank.

It looks like the first 2 tracks are hard to write as an OOS with no tie, the rural track doesn't quite align with my background (nontrad PhD + pharma/biotech experience, likely research-heavy). If I have to pick one I can probably only write the aerospace one (I did apply for a NASA space biology position and wrote a proposal about doing some epigenetic research for space biology years ago, I didn't proceed due to visa/nationality issues at that moment).

Now I actually have the same concern, can Chinese citizen (green card holder) possibly pursue aerospace engineering degrees in Colorado? If it is a "red flag" I may not even bother writing. Actually I am just wondering if the majority of applicants (no matter IS/OOS) just leave all 4 optional essays blank.
I don’t think it is a negative if you don’t write the optional essays for the tracks. There are still a large number of seats for the main campus with no track.
 
IS applicant verified Jun 18th and haven't received secondary. Website says all applicants with MCAT above 500 so I should pass screening. Should I be worried?
 
IS applicant verified Jun 18th and haven't received secondary. Website says all applicants with MCAT above 500 so I should pass screening. Should I be worried?
I have not either, I am getting worried too! Wondering if I should email them?
 
I am OOS, still haven't gotten anything. I'm just assuming it's going out in waves
 
IS applicant verified Jun 18th and haven't received secondary. Website says all applicants with MCAT above 500 so I should pass screening. Should I be worried?
They only send secondaries to 2/3 of applicants, but they probably do send them out in waves and its the weekend so you might get one soon!
 
They only send secondaries to 2/3 of applicants, but they probably do send them out in waves and its the weekend so you might get one soon!
Thanks! I know amcas says 2/3, but their website says that it goes to everyone with a 500+ starting in 2025, so I didn’t know what they were doing now.
 
how do even submit casper? I don't see it on my list of schools on the casper portal and nothing in the secondary portal either.
 
how do even submit casper? I don't see it on my list of schools on the casper portal and nothing in the secondary portal either.
Should be "University of Colorado Denver Medical School" after you click edit distributions on Acuity
 
Are the branch questions limited at 1500 characters or at 300 words? Thanks!
 
As a current student, I would not recommend applying to the Springs branch. To my knowledge, applying for any of the branches/paths does not increase/decrease your odds for admission. Additionally, with the exception of the Fort Collins group and the Rural Track, all students have to apply again for a clinical site placement via a lottery system. I do recognize that there are a lot of upsides to the Springs branch (cheaper COL, more small-town feel, more independence on rotations), but there are a ton of downsides. For instance, except for CUSOM general surgery residents taking trauma call in the springs, there are no residency programs. This means that although you get a lot more independence and freedom (ex: getting to first assist on surgeries), you don't necessarily learn how to function as part of a med student-intern-resident team, which is a very important part of Sub-I rotations. Additionally, the general opinion that I and many others have about the Springs is that it's a giant strip mall with a huge military presence and a very right-leaning/MAGA population. Most of the classmates I had who grew up in the Springs ended up purposefully electing to apply to clinical sites in Denver because of their previous experiences with the area.
 
As a current student, I would not recommend applying to the Springs branch. To my knowledge, applying for any of the branches/paths does not increase/decrease your odds for admission. Additionally, with the exception of the Fort Collins group and the Rural Track, all students have to apply again for a clinical site placement via a lottery system. I do recognize that there are a lot of upsides to the Springs branch (cheaper COL, more small-town feel, more independence on rotations), but there are a ton of downsides. For instance, except for CUSOM general surgery residents taking trauma call in the springs, there are no residency programs. This means that although you get a lot more independence and freedom (ex: getting to first assist on surgeries), you don't necessarily learn how to function as part of a med student-intern-resident team, which is a very important part of Sub-I rotations. Additionally, the general opinion that I and many others have about the Springs is that it's a giant strip mall with a huge military presence and a very right-leaning/MAGA population. Most of the classmates I had who grew up in the Springs ended up purposefully electing to apply to clinical sites in Denver because of their previous experiences with the area.
It stinks that the clinical rotations in the Springs aren't a great experience....definitely seems like a skip in terms of that aspect

I do have to laugh a bit at yours and your classmate's description of the Springs. People love to say that about Colorado Springs, but never go West of the interstate. I can't imagine living in a place like Aurora and thinking Colorado Springs is the place not to live. There's a literal 14,000 ft mountain in the backyard that you can hike in a 15 min drive from home, and thousands of miles of other hiking and mountain bike trails. I guess if you don't enjoy outdoor activities, you could reduce it to strip malls, but it's an outdoor paradise if you enjoy those things. The nice thing is, the majority of the population in COS lives east and doesn't seem to know about the outdoor access, so the trails are always empty! Also I never had a friend who was right-leaning or religious there, but yeah there is a big population of that are that way. Luckily, if you are into outdoor stuff, usually the people you meet will align with you more politically as well, at least in my experience
 
It stinks that the clinical rotations in the Springs aren't a great experience....definitely seems like a skip in terms of that aspect

I do have to laugh a bit at yours and your classmate's description of the Springs. People love to say that about Colorado Springs, but never go West of the interstate. I can't imagine living in a place like Aurora and thinking Colorado Springs is the place not to live. There's a literal 14,000 ft mountain in the backyard that you can hike in a 15 min drive from home, and thousands of miles of other hiking and mountain bike trails. I guess if you don't enjoy outdoor activities, you could reduce it to strip malls, but it's an outdoor paradise if you enjoy those things. The nice thing is, the majority of the population in COS lives east and doesn't seem to know about the outdoor access, so the trails are always empty! Also I never had a friend who was right-leaning or religious there, but yeah there is a big population of that are that way. Luckily, if you are into outdoor stuff, usually the people you meet will align with you more politically as well, at least in my experience
So you're saying . . . that it is mostly strip malls?

Keep in mind, being in clerkships means often working 6 days a week for months at a time, and that one day off is often used to run errands, work on research, etc. As a result, you won't be able to access all those outdoor resources on a consistent basis. Also, keep in mind that Aurora has the most diverse food scenes in Colorado and many outdoor activities are still drivable. I will apologize for overgeneralizing the population of the Springs, but I did get called a racial slur in a Chipotle when I went to take Step 2 down there (and was only there for about 36 hours) so I do still feel that overall the culture is not vey conducive to things like diversity.
 
anyone else having trouble submitting the secondary? i got email confirmation that i paid but it says my fee is unpaid in the portal and it wont let me submit.

edit: never mind it's down for maintenance
 
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anyone else having trouble submitting the secondary? i got email confirmation that i paid but it says my fee is unpaid in the portal and it wont let me submit.

edit: never mind it's down for maintenance
Were you able to submit? The same thing happened to me and it still hasn’t fixed itself
 
Were you able to submit? The same thing happened to me and it still hasn’t fixed itself
nope still can't submit. i emailed them though so hopefully it works out once this maintenance is over?

edit: was finally able to submit but had to pay again...
 
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Did any other OOS re-applicant still not receive their secondary 😭?
 
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