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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 University of Colorado Boulder Supplemental Essays

Katie Dixon is a former content writer at Scholarships360. Katie is an undergraduate student at Louisiana State University pursuing a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism. Katie worked as a reporter for the LSU Reveille Newspaper and now works at the State Library of Louisiana.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research institution that focuses on aerospace, biosciences, energy, environmental sciences, and other major areas. If you are interested in becoming a Colorado Buffalo, it’s time to get to work on your University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essay! Writing stellar essays will help you stand out among all the applicants, so keep reading to learn how! 

The University of Colorado Boulder requires the Common App Personal Essay (250–650 words). Students should choose one of the seven essay prompts offered. In addition, students must submit one supplemental essay which we will go over below!

The UC-Boulder supplemental essay prompt

Research and innovation are a huge part of the University of Colorado’s identity. Before you begin writing, read Colorado Boulder’s strategic plan to learn more about them. This will help you tie your future plans with theirs. They want to know how you will fit in and push the University forward. Let’s take a look at the prompt:

“Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you don’t know quite yet, think about your studies so far, extracurricular/after-school activities, jobs, volunteering, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.” (250 words)

Think of this prompt as a two-part question. Why did you choose your major? Why did you choose their college? As the prompt states, if you are unsure of a major, focus on what you do when you are not in school. If those activities  happen to relate to a possible major, by all means share! The goal is to connect back to UC-Boulder in a way that shows you belong there. 

Questions to consider:

• What inspired your interest in the major?
• How will Colorado Boulder tie into your future career plans?
• What will you bring to the table? 

Why your major?

Write about what you’ve done thus far that relates to your major of interest. Include clubs, classes, summer programs, etc. If someone special  inspired you, write about conversations you’ve had with them or speeches you’ve attended. 

Dig deep into how you will contribute to this career field. Write about the area you’d like to concentrate in and how you envision your future work. Lastly, write about how the University will further your specific interests to begin merging the two questions for this essay prompt. 

Why Colorado Boulder University?

Imagine you are already enrolled. Visualize what your experience would look like attending their college. Include ways you will attribute to Colorado Boulder. Write about how you would better their community. 

Spend some time researching Colorado Boulder to learn more about how you would fit in. Include their specific programs, classes, and learning techniques in your essay that tie your future career plan to your journey to get your degree. 

Think of ways you have contributed to your high school or outside programs and write how you will continue to show these attributions on campus. Don’t only tell them, show them through examples.

See also : College essay primer: Show, don’t tell

Writing tips:

• Use specific examples of experiences that show your role in the community. At what point did you look around and feel you belong? How has this role shaped you? Get personal. Write about how your role there made a difference. What conflict did you encounter and how was it resolved? You want to make the essay as visual as possible. 
• Try not to repeat what you wrote on other statements in the application process. You want to share as many qualities as you can with the reader.
• Sit down and just write. Don’t worry about the word limit on your first draft. Write everything that comes to mind involving your portrayed community. Then, choose your favorite details and re-write a shorter draft. 
• Connect the skills and values you are writing of with those of  the university. Do they have a similar community that you’d like to join?
• Be direct. Use powerful sentences that show confidence in yourself throughout the essay. 

Additional resources

• How to write a 250 or 500 word essay
• How to write an essay about yourself
• Guide to writing a great supplemental essay
• What looks good on college applications?

Final thoughts for students

When all is said and done, the University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essays are relatively straightforward. Try not to overthink when you begin writing. Your best bet is to write a rough draft without a  word limit. Show your best qualities and skills through examples and write of how you will continue to use them at college. These tips will help you write essays that stand out to Colorado Boulder University. While on your college admissions journey, make sure you apply for all the scholarships you are eligible for as well!

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Writing the CU Boulder Admissions Essay

Written by Steve Fernandez-Brennan on October 6th, 2020

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Application Process

Application priority dates and admission notification.

Applications for degree candidates may be submitted beginning in August for the following spring, summer and fall terms.

The university reserves the right to deny admission to applicants whose total credentials reflect an inability to assume those obligations of performance and behavior deemed essential by the university and relevant to any of its lawful missions, processes and functions as an educational institution.

First-Year Applicants

Students can apply to CU Boulder using the Common Application.  Complete applications include transcripts, essays, a letter of recommendation, application fee and optional test scores.

Spring First-Year Applicants

Spring applications are processed on a rolling basis. The Office of Admissions begins notifying applicants about admission decisions in October. Decisions are made approximately six to eight weeks after an application is complete. Full consideration is given to applications that are complete (including the application fee and all required credentials) by the Oct. 1 deadline.

Summer and Fall First-Year Applicants

There are two admission notification periods for fall and summer candidates.

Non-Binding Early Action

First-year applicants who complete their file by Nov. 15 are considered early action and will receive an admission decision on or before Feb. 1.

Students meeting the non-binding, early action deadline may be admitted, deferred to Regular Decision, or denied admission. Deferred students will receive an additional review and are strongly encouraged to submit additional academic information to strengthen their applications. Students who are deferred do not typically receive an admission decision until April 1.

Early action students are not required to enroll at CU Boulder, but should, if they choose to attend, confirm their intent to enroll by May 1.

Regular Decision Application Deadline

The first-year regular decision application deadline is Jan. 15. All applicants with completed files by Jan. 15 will be notified of their admission decision no later than April 1.

Students should, if they choose to attend, confirm their intent to enroll by May 1.

Transfer Applicants

If a student submits a complete application on or before the transfer application deadline, they will receive an admission decision within six to eight weeks. A complete application includes transcripts (high school and college), academic interest response and application fee.

Transfer Application Deadlines

• Spring Term: Oct. 1
• Summer Term: March 15
• Fall Term Early Notification: March 15
• Fall Term Regular Decision: June 1

Applications are processed in the order in which they are received and completed. The earlier a complete application is submitted, the earlier a decision will be made.

Where to Send the Application, Fee and Credentials

Materials that cannot be submitted electronically, may be mailed to:

Office of Admissions Regent Administrative Center 125 University of Colorado Boulder 552 UCB Boulder, CO 80309-0552

Email and Mailing Addresses

Applicants must keep both their email and mailing addresses current at all times. We use email to communicate with students before, during and after the admissions process.  The mailing address is used for mailings until the applicant arrives on campus. Notices are also sent to this address regarding admission, registration and New Student Welcome, as well as other information. If an address changes or is no longer valid, notify the Office of Admissions immediately at 303-492-6301.

Application Checklist

• Online application for admission
• $65 nonrefundable ($70 USD for international students) application fee, payable online (if a student cannot pay the fee online, contact the Office of Admission at at 303-492-6301 or at [email protected])
• Unofficial high school transcript
• Unofficial college transcripts (if applicable)
• SAT or ACT test scores (optional)
• Common Application essay and one academic interest response (first-year applicants) or one academic interest response (transfer applicants)
• Letter of recommendation (first-year applicants only)
• Résumé or activities list (optional)

Confirmation Procedures

All admitted students are encouraged to confirm their intent to enroll through their application status page as soon as possible after receiving their admission notification. If a student cannot confirm their intent to enroll through their application status page, they must contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-6301 or at [email protected] .

Confirmation Deadlines

• Summer: May 1
• Fall: May 1
• Spring: Dec. 1
• Transfers: varies; see confirmation instructions on application status page

If students register for classes and then decide not to attend, they may be assessed tuition depending upon the circumstances. For spring and fall semester policies, visit the Office of the Registrar's Withdraw from CU web page; for summer, visit Summer Session's Withdrawal web page. Important policy differences exist for continuing students versus new, readmitted and transfer students.

The confirmation deposits are used as registration deposits each semester as long as registration is completed by the published deadline. Once students have attended CU Boulder, the deposit (minus any fees or other charges owed) will be returned when they graduate. 

International Students

International students need to provide additional materials before they can accept their offer of admission and submit the $200 confirmation deposit. Students must complete the Next Steps Form found on their application status page. Once the Office of Admissions receives these materials they will review them to determine if they are sufficient.

Application Fees

Nonrefundable application fee ($65/$70 for international students), university of colorado boulder application.

Pay online when submitting the application or by check or money order (made payable to the University of Colorado) after submission. If submitting a check or money order, include the student's full legal name and birth date. We recognize that some students may be faced with financial constraints in paying the application fee. Waivers can be granted for documented hardships if the student submits an application fee waiver form. Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at another University of Colorado campus who are applying to an undergraduate degree program on the Boulder campus are not required to pay the application fee.

Common Application

Pay online when submitting the application. We recognize that some students may be faced with financial constraints in paying the application fee. Waivers can be granted for documented hardships if the student answers the fee waiver question indicating that one or more of the listed financial need criteria are met .

Required Credentials

Credentials or information uploaded by an applicant will be accepted as unofficial documentation . Do not submit samples or photographs of design or artwork. A portfolio is not used for admission purposes and cannot be returned.

Submission of Altered College Transcripts 

All students applying for admission to the University of Colorado Boulder are required to provide unofficial or official, unaltered transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended. Official transcripts are sent directly to the Office of Admissions by the former institutions and are in a sealed envelope. Digital transcripts sent directly from the institution to the Office of Admissions are also accepted. 

The submission of altered, falsified or counterfeit transcripts is strictly prohibited. Altered transcripts include:

• forged signatures
• tampered grades
• any other modifications that are not in accordance with the issuing institution's official document. 

The University of Colorado Boulder reserves the right to verify the authenticity of submitted transcripts by contacting the issuing institution. Applicants found to have submitted altered or falsified transcripts may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion or revocation of course credit, grades and degree. 

Applicants who believe their transcripts were mistakenly identified as altered or falsified may have the opportunity to appeal the decision. The appeal process, including the required documentation and timeline, will be communicated to the affected individual.

Unofficial Transcripts

Transcripts can be official or unofficial and submitted directly to CU Boulder from the issuing institution for admission review. Transcripts can be uploaded to your status page in the "upload materials" section, mailed or sent to [email protected]. Official final transcripts are required upon enrollment to verify credentials.

Transcripts that are marked, for example, "student copy," "issued to student" or "unofficial" are not accepted as official.

Unofficial transcripts cannot be used to post transfer credit .

High School Transcript

All undergraduate degree-seeking students are required to have graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency prior to their first term of enrollment at CU Boulder regardless of their age at the time of application. Students should request that their high school send an official transcript of all work completed, equivalent to U.S. grade 9 , directly to the Office of Admissions, regardless of the number of college hours the student has completed (if any) or the date of graduation from high school.

Transfer applicants who have completed 24 or more semester hours of work after high school graduation at the time of application do not need to submit a high school transcript unless they enroll at CU Boulder.

Students who have attended more than one high school and whose most recent transcript does not include the complete high school record must submit official transcripts from each school.

If any part of the high school record is missing from the transcript, the processing of the application will be delayed.

Students who have not graduated and do not plan to graduate from high school must request an official certificate of high school equivalency and official GED scores, plus an official transcript of any high school work (grades 9–12) completed, to be sent to the Office of Admissions.

Official transcripts must be sent to the Office of Admissions from the issuing institution either via email to  [email protected] , via electronic transcript services (i.e Parchment,  or by mail and must have the appropriate seals and signatures. All credentials written in languages other than English must be accompanied by a literal certified English translation.

College Transcripts

Students should request that their official transcripts from each collegiate institution attended (except any campus of the University of Colorado) be sent directly from the issuing institution to the Office of Admissions. Be sure to include all institutions, regardless of the length of attendance, whether or not courses were completed and whether or not the record might affect admission or transfer credit. Also include any institutions attended during summers, interim terms and during high school.

Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended before enrolling at CU Boulder is considered a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of admission or dismissal from the university.

SAT or ACT Test Scores (Optional)

ACT or SAT scores are not required for first-year students, but you may provide self-reported scores if you would like us to take your scores into consideration when reviewing your application.

CU Boulder's SAT code is 4841 and the ACT code is 0532 .

If a student would like their scores considered, they should indicate this on their Common Application. To submit scores, a student can self-report in the application, upload an unofficial score report to their application status page, or submit an official score report to CU Boulder.

The easiest and fastest way for a student’s ACT and/or SAT scores to be received by CU Boulder is to self report them using their application status page. If they did not request their scores to be sent to CU Boulder when they registered for the exam, they will need to request an additional score report from either ACT or SAT.

For further information:

• consult a high school counselor
• visit the SAT website , call 609-771-7600 or write to the College Board (SAT), P.O. Box 6200, Princeton, NJ 08541-6200
• visit the ACT website , call 319-337-1270 or write to ACT Registration, P.O. Box 414, Iowa City, IA 52243-0414

Personal Essays

CU Boulder requires first-year applicants to submit one short personal essay and one academic interest response and transfer applicants to submit one academic interest response. Applications without essays are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Personal essays are the best way for the Office of Admissions to learn about applicants as individuals and to evaluate a student’s academic performance within the appropriate context. There are no "correct" answers to the questions—responses should reflect the unique aspects and experiences of the applicant. The specific essay questions are available on the application.

Letters of Recommendation

One academic letter of recommendation will be required for all first-year applicants. The student's full legal name should be included at the top of recommendation letters.

Optional Documents

Applicants may submit additional letters of recommendation if they wish, however, doing so is optional. Applicants may also choose to submit a resume or list of co-curricular activities, work experience, leadership positions and awards.

College of Music applicants must also complete a College of Music application after their admission application has been submitted, submit a music essay, provide a letter of reference and schedule an audition.

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University of Colorado Boulder 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

You Have: 

University of Colorado Boulder 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essays of 250 words  

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Why

What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you don’t know quite yet, think about your studies so far, extracurricular/after-school activities, jobs, volunteering, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.

This prompt is asking you to: describe what you want to study, explain why you like it so much, and address how you cultivated this interest. The admissions officer reviewing your application will expect you to connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion. In other words, tell a story. Lucky for you, we would have advised you to start with an anecdote anyway. The essays that stick with us are the ones that jump off the page with concrete descriptions from real life. What interests you and why? How have you gone about learning more about your major? When did your interest begin? What will this degree allow you to do? How have you already explored your inclination? While you don’t need to narrow in on the exact moment you became interested in geology or music education, try to focus on one significant experience. And if you’re going in undecided, take some time to explore CU Boulder’s academic offerings and choose a few to highlight in your response. Admissions doesn’t expect you to have your whole life figured out just yet–but they do expect you to put time and energy into your response.  

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Guide to Applying to University of Colorado Boulder

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Maddie Harvey and Kate Stricklan in a CollegeVine Livestream. You can watch the full Livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Undergraduate admissions process, how cu boulder evaluates your application, final steps.

Are you interested in attending the University of Colorado Boulder ? As part of the illustrious University of Colorado system, CU Boulder is the state’s flagship university, home to a host of academic programs and a vibrant community.

If you’re applying to CU Boulder as a first-year undergraduate student, your first step is to complete the Common Application , available online via commonapp.org. Transfer students should use the transfer application at colorado.edu. Both applications open on August 1st.

After completing the application, you will submit it, along with your required documents and your application fee. This includes the application itself, one essay, two short answer questions, and a $65 application fee ($70 for international students).

Your high school should also send any official high school transcripts, along with college transcripts, if applicable. SAT and ACT scores are optional — it’s completely up to you whether you choose to submit them. You will also need to submit one academic letter of recommendation and a resume or activities list.

The first deadline is November 15, which is the Summer and Fall early action deadline. Then, January 15 is the Summer and Fall regular decision deadline for first-year students.

You can view the transfer deadlines, which differ slightly from first-year deadlines, on the school’s official website.

CU Boulder performs a holistic review of your application. The factors it assesses include the difficulty of your classes, your course load, your cumulative GPA — a positive, upward grade trend is helpful — any test scores that you choose to submit, and the strength of your current schedule. 

In terms of extracurriculars, they will look for any volunteer and work experiences that you’ve had, any leadership positions you’ve held, and unique talents in your background. 

They will also pay attention to any extenuating circumstances that you choose to share on your application. 

To see the status of your application, check your email for instructions on how to access the application status page. It’s important for you to put down an email that you have access to because of all of the important updates you’ll receive. Even your admission decision is going to be sent to the email that you have registered with your Common Application.

Remember there are many rewards to attending CU Boulder. The opportunities aren’t just limited to your years on campus — they extend far beyond graduation. 

Being a part of the community means joining a group of bold people doing bold things. Eighty-nine percent of CU Boulder graduates were employed or in grad school within six months of graduation, and 80% of graduates are accepted into their first-choice grad school. It’s an exciting place to be and grow!

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Recent posts, subscribe here, more expert advice, how to write the “academic interests” supplemental essay.

If you’re a senior starting to work on supplemental essays for college applications this fall, it’s likely you’ve encountered some version of this question: what do you want to study, and why?

Before you dive in, it’s important to understand what the question is asking (I know this seems like a duh, but stay with me). Like we discussed here , the way this question is asked reveals a lot about both the school itself and the way you should approach it. For some schools – many liberal arts colleges and universities where it’s relatively easy and encouraged to switch majors – this question is usually phrased as what you want to learn more about. Responses to questions like these should zing with curiosity. For others – more siloed universities where you apply into a particular college and into a specific major – this question is often asked to reveal how much thought you’ve put into your major of choice, both in how you’ve prepared for it and what you hope to do with it in the future.

For some students, if the way the question is asked makes it tough to answer, it may be a sign that the college itself isn’t the right fit. But for most students, it’s more about not knowing where to start. If you’re stuck with how to approach this style of question, this blog post is for you.

First, much like with the “why us?” supplemental essay, it’s important to know what style of question you’re answering. Once you figure that piece out, the essay is much easier to write. This question usually is asked in one of three ways:

1) Why major?

This is the most straightforward version. It’s typical of schools where you’re applying more directly into a specific major, and they want to hear how you’ve decided on that pathway. Classic examples of this one are Purdue, UT Austin, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Southern California.

Sample : Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests and why you want to explore them at USC specifically. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections.

2) What do you hope to study?

This is a more open-ended version of the question above. It invites you to share multiple academic pathways, perhaps if you’re undecided or see many roads ahead for yourself. CU Boulder, U Penn, and Pomona all ask a version of this question.

Sample : Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study at CU Boulder? What has inspired your interests in this area? Or if you are undecided, what area(s) of study are you considering? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.

3) Intellectual curiosity

This is a popular question for liberal arts colleges or any college that celebrates intellectual discovery and exploration (ie, where changing your academic pathway, or exploring many interests, is easy or encouraged). Some schools that ask this type of question are Yale, Stanford, Tufts, Barnard, and Haverford.

Sample : The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.

As you approach this topic, it’s important to remember that while you can be undecided (except for schools that ask that first question), you can’t be uninterested . Colleges want to hear your curiosity in these responses. It’s very likely you’ll change majors or pathways in college (frankly, it’s what most American colleges are built to encourage). But what leads to academic success is a spark of an interest, so make sure you’re demonstrating those sparks. Here’s how.

4 Tips on How to Write This Well  

1)   Share honest stories about yourself and how you became interested in these subjects.

Origins of interest sound like this:

"I've never seen my father angrier than the day I took our family television apart just to see how it worked. I was 12 years old, and Monday Night Football was just about to start.  It wasn't the first time I'd done something like that, but it was the first time I wasn't able to put something back together quickly. It took me three hours, but I did it, just in time for my dad to see his beloved Giants lose. I never made that mistake again, but I've also never stopped trying to learn how things work." 

The development of interests sounds like this:

"My junior year of high school, I volunteered to lead a fundraiser to send our soccer team to Europe to compete in a tournament. And while I enjoyed organizing the car wash and the donation drive and the now much maligned "shrimp-a-thon" (Sizzler doesn't mean it when they say, "All you can eat shrimp,” by the way), what I really enjoyed was crafting personal emails to ask for donations, and writing the regular update newsletters I sent to people who were supporting us, and updating the travel blog I wrote during our stay in Europe. Every day, I thought about new ways to share our story with people who might be interested. Yes, we raised money. But we also raised interest. People who had never cared about our team started caring. We developed a following of loyal supporters, and 18 guys who had never been to Europe finally got to go because of it. That experience was the first time I started to understand the power of the well-written word."

2) Pick stories that show you enjoying what you’re learning.

"I truly enjoy working on complex math problems. There is no better feeling than persisting through difficult formulas and eventually working out the right answer." 

"My friends and I are the only people I know who have fights about math. Not physical fights (none of us are tough enough for that), but arguments. We spend a lot of our lunch hours sitting at what we call the ‘coolest table’ working through problem sets for the “Math Club,” and you’d be surprised how worked up we get about it. But I love it. I love that I can sit at a table with some of the smartest people at my school and argue about the best way to solve a complex math problem. And the best part is, nobody is ever angry when they’re proven wrong. We love math too much to be mad when someone shows us a faster, better way to solve the problem.”

3) If the question is asked as “why major” (sample question #1) or “what are your academic interests?” (sample question #2), then tie these interests to your future college plans.

Imagine yourself studying and learning in a particular college. Do you see a clear picture in your mind? Have you really investigated your chosen major? Have you looked at what classes are required, what will be expected of you, and what types of students seem to flourish there? And when you're answering those questions, how much of what interests you is specific to this school? If the question is more open-ended (version #2), you can paint a picture of multiple pathways – perhaps dabbling in music and biology or using their core curriculum to help you decide on psychology or political science.

4) If the question is like sample question #3 (intellectual curiosity), stay open-minded and get nerdy!

Remember that your answer to this style of prompt doesn’t necessarily have to align with your potential major choice. We’ve seen great responses to this question that nerd out about Spanish literature from future physics majors, or the paradoxes of time from future English majors. Don’t box yourself into writing about your intended major pathway necessarily. Think instead of what has made you truly excited about learning in the past – whether it’s when you connected the dots in a murder mystery and explored the interplay of psychology and creative writing, or that time you went down a rabbit hole about parallel universes and never got out. These responses should sparkle with inquisitive excitement.  

For more on supplemental essays, make sure to check out our thorough overview here of how to crush supplemental essays, the Collegewise way. 

About Us:  With more than twenty years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the student. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for you to be your best self - whether it’s in the classroom, in your applications or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of tools include  counseling ,  test prep ,  academic tutoring , and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform , leading to a 4x higher than average admissions rates. 

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CU Boulder | Nailing the College Essay

LIVE with Colledge | CU Boulder

There are so many college questions on parents’ minds these days.  What is changing in college admissions due to the coronavirus?  Should my child apply to more or fewer colleges?  What are advantages/disadvantages of going the test-optional route?   And how should my student use summer months to get ahead of the curve with their college essays?

If you are a parent of a rising senior with questions like these, don’t miss our  free LIVE Session  “Nailing the College Essay”  with Laurie Callaway, Assistant Director of Admissions for University of Colorado, Boulder on July 1 st , at 6:00 pm.

Laurie will discuss the Common Application essay and key elements admissions officers want to see in this critical piece of writing, as well as themes she looks for in the Boulder supplemental essay, which reads:

“At the University of Colorado Boulder, no two Buffs are alike.  We value difference and support equity and inclusion of all students and their many intersecting identities. Pick one of your unique identities and describe its significance.”

Whether your child has started their college essays or doesn’t seem to have a clue as to where to begin, our experienced consultants will design a tailor-made essay writing plan that works for any student.

To RSVP for our LIVE Session with CU Boulder, click  HERE .

To learn more about how we might help your child make the most of their essay writing this summer, click  HERE  to schedule a free phone consultation.

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Boulder County elementary students perform 'Macbeth' at CU Boulder's Will Power Festival

M ay 13—Aspiring actress and Crest View fifth grader Kaya Cotter got the chance to perform the coveted role of Macbeth's title character, delivering his famous "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" soliloquy on the University of Colorado Boulder stage.

"Macbeth is a really strong character," she said. "He has a lot of different emotions. When I find out Lady Macbeth is dead, I get really, really sad. I'm just so upset."

She learned her lines with a help of a friend at recess, who went "over and over" it with her. The work to prepare for the role was well worth it, she said.

"Acting is amazing," she said. "I really, really like to read. If it's told well enough, you feel like you're in the story. In acting, you're trying to make the person watching feel like they're in the story."

On Monday, students from five local elementary schools performed scenes from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" at CU Boulder's annual Will Power Festival. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival has organized the event for more than 25 years, with students performing the same play that's opening the festival on June 8.

Along with performing on stage, the students and their families are invited to watch a dress rehearsal of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival's "Macbeth." The play starts with three witches delivering a prophecy to General Macbeth, who then conspires with his wife to kill the king and take his place on the throne.

Amanda Giguere, Colorado Shakespeare Festival outreach director, called the student festival the best day of the season.

"This is when kids take over the Colorado Shakespeare Festival," she said.

While Macbeth doesn't seem like an obvious choice for elementary students, Giguere said the witches and supernatural elements plus the strong emotions make it "a really good entry point for Shakespeare."

"You see the consequences of hurting someone and what happens when people get too much power and use it in the wrong way," she said.

Monday's event started with warmup exercises, then each school's students performed a different section of the play on the Roe Green Theatre stage. This year's participating schools were Crest View Elementary, Douglass Elementary, Friends' School, Lafayette Elementary and Whittier Elementary.

Lafayette Elementary fifth grader Corrine Mark, who played a "murderer" during a battle scene in a forest, said she discovered that acting is "really fun," even though the language in Shakespeare's plays can be "kind of confusing."

"He gives you big mouthfuls of lines," she said.

While the plays in past years typically were comedies, this was the first time students tackled one of the Bard's tragedies. Schools are encouraged to modify the scenes as needed and bring their own style to the performances.

Douglass students incorporated two musical numbers, with band students performing one and orchestra students the other while accompanied by a ballet dancer. Friends School had characters "ride in" on student horses, drawing laughs. And Whittier changed up the story, with Macbeth stealing the king's crown and spreading rumors instead of killing him.

Whittier teacher Alysia Hayas said the change preserved the messages of the play while making it more relatable to the students. At Whittier, fourth grade second-language students are invited to participate, giving them an opportunity to be the school's stars.

"It's so transformative for them in a way that our reading and writing and math curriculum isn't," Hayas said. "They have big voices to share, but sometimes they're quieter because they're scared to talk with people who have been speaking English their whole lives. Doing this shifts something in who they are."

Whittier fourth grader Kayla Fernandez said she's new to acting and spent a lot of time first listening to her lines and then practicing them.

"I was kind of nervous at first, but when I got on stage my nerves just went away," said Kayla, who played Macbeth. "It was fun acting in front of a lot of people. The people encourage you. I love it."

The festival has become a tradition for the participating schools. Some host an afterschool club, while others have a teacher who leads the program each year. At Crest View, that teacher is Erin Shea-Bower, whose class has been part of the festival for 16 years.

"It's so cool for them to to experience Shakespeare," said Shea-Bower, who is retiring at the end of the school year. "I love being able to give them this experience. These are the things they remember long after elementary school."

(c)2024 the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, admission requirements for university of colorado boulder.

Hey guys! I'm a junior working on my college list, and I'm considering applying to the University of Colorado Boulder. Could anyone give me some information on the specific admission requirements they have? It would help me figure out how to strengthen my application. Thanks!

Hello! It's great that you're considering the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) for your college applications. To help you understand the specific admission requirements, let's go through the general components of the application:

1. Application: CU Boulder accepts the Common Application, so you'll need to fill out all required sections of the Common App. You need to pay a $65 application fee ($70 for international applicants), or request a fee waiver if you're eligible.

2. High school transcript: Your high school transcript is a crucial part of your application at CU Boulder, as they will be looking at your overall performance and course rigor throughout high school.

3. Standardized tests: CU Boulder is currently test-optional, so you can decide whether or not to submit your SAT or ACT scores. If you're wondering whether you should include your scores in your application, you can get detailed guidance on how to navigate test-optional policies on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional

4. Letters of recommendation: CU Boulder requires one letter of recommendation from an academic source like a teacher or counselor. Make sure to ask someone who knows you well and can speak about your academic abilities and personal qualities.

5. Personal statement: As part of the Common Application, you'll need to write a personal statement using one of the provided prompts. This essay is an opportunity for you to showcase your personality, experiences, and motivations. CollegeVine's blog contains detailed advice on how to write a strong personal statement: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-common-application-essays

6. CU Boulder supplement: In addition to the personal statement, CU Boulder requires a supplemental essay, which is usually relatively short and focuses on your fit for CU Boulder specifically. You can read up on how to tackle their current prompt on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-colorado-boulder-essays

To strengthen your application, focus on showcasing your academic achievements and personal growth—take challenging classes, maintain a strong GPA, participate in extracurricular activities that demonstrate your passions and leadership, write a compelling personal statement, and request a thoughtful letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well. If you decide to submit test scores, aim for scores around the average for admitted students at CU Boulder: 1270 on the SAT, or 30 on the ACT.

Good luck with your application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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• (Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree : If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

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Local News | Professor Patty Limerick files lawsuit against CU

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Limerick seeks a determination that the university has wrongfully claimed ownership of, and wrongfully withheld, access to materials created by Limerick in her more than 50 years at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“I went for years thinking that universities recognized the property of a person who writes things,” Limerick said, adding, “I thought that was something I could count on.”

CU Boulder spokesperson Nicole Mueksch said the university must take time to review the lawsuit.

“The University of Colorado Boulder disagrees that Dr. Limerick does not have permission to access works, but just recently became aware of the lawsuit Dr. Limerick has filed against the university,” Mueksch said in an email. “As this lawsuit has just been served, the campus must review it and determine the appropriate course of action. As such, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

University Counsel, the legal team representing the four campuses of the University of Colorado, said in a letter dated April 11, 2024, that it is CU Boulder’s position that the university “is the owner of any educational materials, scholarly and artistic works, and works of creative nonfiction that Dr. Limerick created during the time that Dr. Limerick served as Faculty Director of the Center of the American West.” The letter was provided by Limerick’s legal team.

Limerick was abruptly fired from her position as director of the Center of the American West, which she co-founded in 1986, on Sept. 23, 2022. The decision also sparked criticism of CU Boulder among professors and historians from around the globe. More than 300 people signed a letter expressing their dismay about Limerick’s firing addressed to CU leadership in September of 2023.

Nothing was done with clarity and directness, Limerick said, and she still does not understand the reason she was fired. She had inflexible dates in which to be out of her office and didn’t have time to consider what would happen to her writings and records. Limerick maintains her tenured teaching position in the history department.

“It was all such a chaotic transition, it was weeks before I thought about all that stuff,” she said.

Now, Limerick seeks access to her materials so she can begin writing a book about why the humanities matter, using her life experiences.

According to the lawsuit, the university has “interfered with Professor Limerick’s rights of Academic Freedom and Free Expression under the Colorado and United States Constitutions. Nothing is more essential to academic freedom than the right and ability to manage and control the dissemination of one’s scholarly work.”

Limerick’s attorney, Stan Garnett, said Limerick worked with the University Counsel for more than a year to try and reach a solution.

“I was shocked to have the university take the position they’re taking about ownership and access to her life’s work and I’m honored to represent her in this lawsuit,” he said.

Limerick said the lawsuit comes after she tried to find alternative solutions, but the university maintained its position that the university owns her work.

“When it was clear they were going to hold their ground I couldn’t think of any other option,” she said.

The work Limerick seeks access to includes reports, articles, pictures, speeches, books, blog posts and creative non-fiction she produced dating back to 1968.

Limerick said the lawsuit could help enhance the careers and improve the lives of other professors and researchers when seeking ownership over their work. She said the university’s practices do not align with its values of academic scholarship.

“You have ideals, you try to practice the ideals, things get in the way and the ideals slip,” she said.

After her removal from the Center of the American West, Limerick created the Applied History Initiative that supports the scholarship and research of young historians. Limerick is a well-known historian, professor, mentor, author and speaker who’s received numerous awards and honors for her scholarship and teaching.

Garnett said Limerick could’ve filed a lawsuit when she was dismissed as the director of the Center for the American West. Instead, he said, she made a professional and reasonable decision that she would move forward, stay positive and continue accomplishing great things.

“I’ve represented Patty now for almost two years and I’ve been very impressed by how she dealt with her removal from the Center for American West — which was handled in a very sloppy way for someone of her stature — but she put it behind her and moved forward,” Garnett said.

“The one thing she’s not going to budge on is her life’s work.”

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Your Best College Essay

Maybe you love to write, or maybe you don’t. Either way, there’s a chance that the thought of writing your college essay is making you sweat. No need for nerves! We’re here to give you the important details on how to make the process as anxiety-free as possible.

What's the College Essay?

When we say “The College Essay” (capitalization for emphasis – say it out loud with the capitals and you’ll know what we mean) we’re talking about the 550-650 word essay required by most colleges and universities. Prompts for this essay can be found on the college’s website, the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. We’re not talking about the many smaller supplemental essays you might need to write in order to apply to college. Not all institutions require the essay, but most colleges and universities that are at least semi-selective do.

How do I get started?

Look for the prompts on whatever application you’re using to apply to schools (almost all of the time – with a few notable exceptions – this is the Common Application). If one of them calls out to you, awesome! You can jump right in and start to brainstorm. If none of them are giving you the right vibes, don’t worry. They’re so broad that almost anything you write can fit into one of the prompts after you’re done. Working backwards like this is totally fine and can be really useful!

What if I have writer's block?

You aren’t alone. Staring at a blank Google Doc and thinking about how this is the one chance to tell an admissions officer your story can make you freeze. Thinking about some of these questions might help you find the right topic:

• What is something about you that people have pointed out as distinctive?
• If you had to pick three words to describe yourself, what would they be? What are things you’ve done that demonstrate these qualities?
• What’s something about you that has changed over your years in high school? How or why did it change?
• What’s something you like most about yourself?
• What’s something you love so much that you lose track of the rest of the world while you do it?

If you’re still stuck on a topic, ask your family members, friends, or other trusted adults: what’s something they always think about when they think about you? What’s something they think you should be proud of? They might help you find something about yourself that you wouldn’t have surfaced on your own.  

How do I grab my reader's attention?

It’s no secret that admissions officers are reading dozens – and sometimes hundreds – of essays every day. That can feel like a lot of pressure to stand out. But if you try to write the most unique essay in the world, it might end up seeming forced if it’s not genuinely you. So, what’s there to do? Our advice: start your essay with a story. Tell the reader about something you’ve done, complete with sensory details, and maybe even dialogue. Then, in the second paragraph, back up and tell us why this story is important and what it tells them about you and the theme of the essay.

THE WORD LIMIT IS SO LIMITING. HOW DO I TELL A COLLEGE MY WHOLE LIFE STORY IN 650 WORDS?

Don’t! Don’t try to tell an admissions officer about everything you’ve loved and done since you were a child. Instead, pick one or two things about yourself that you’re hoping to get across and stick to those. They’ll see the rest on the activities section of your application.

I'M STUCK ON THE CONCLUSION. HELP?

If you can’t think of another way to end the essay, talk about how the qualities you’ve discussed in your essays have prepared you for college. Try to wrap up with a sentence that refers back to the story you told in your first paragraph, if you took that route.

SHOULD I PROOFREAD MY ESSAY?

YES, proofread the essay, and have a trusted adult proofread it as well. Know that any suggestions they give you are coming from a good place, but make sure they aren’t writing your essay for you or putting it into their own voice. Admissions officers want to hear the voice of you, the applicant. Before you submit your essay anywhere, our number one advice is to read it out loud to yourself. When you read out loud you’ll catch small errors you may not have noticed before, and hear sentences that aren’t quite right.

ANY OTHER ADVICE?

Be yourself. If you’re not a naturally serious person, don’t force formality. If you’re the comedian in your friend group, go ahead and be funny. But ultimately, write as your authentic (and grammatically correct) self and trust the process.

And remember, thousands of other students your age are faced with this same essay writing task, right now. You can do it!

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How to nail your scholarship application essay.

When it comes to applying for scholarships, the task can be immediately overwhelming. Where do you find scholarships? How do you apply? What do they each require? This is going to take forever!

But at Colorado State, we do things a little differently. We’re so proud of our one-and-done scholarship application process. Almost all CSU scholarships live in the same place, and can be applied for with one application, one time, and that’s it. The Colorado State University Scholarship Application (CSUSA) takes a big hurdle out of your path right off the bat. Completing the CSUSA enters you for nearly every scholarship at CSU that you’re eligible for. Now all you have to do is nail that application essay … and we’re here to make that part easy, too. Here are some insider info, tips, and even a few essay excerpts to help you as you tackle your essay.

#1. It’s less formal than you think

Did you know that your scholarship application essay is meant to help us see the most-authentic version of you, your journey, and your goals? We’re not looking for a formal essay here. You won’t need to analyze anything, look for metaphors, or even write a structured outline when you start (but you can if it helps you).

The essay prompt might ask you to tell your story, highlight your ambitions, and explain how you see yourself succeeding in this big ol’ world. Essay prompts range from what kind of career you see yourself in, and how college might help you get there. They might ask you to describe a challenging event, explain how you navigated it, and how it inspires you to go forward in life. The essay is so much more your story than anything else. The more YOU you are, the better. Don’t worry too much about intros, transitions, structure, or formal conclusion paragraphs when you first sit down to write. Let it flow and be you.

• Tip : Write your first draft like you’re talking to your best friend, your favorite teacher, your mentor, your coach. Your voice/tone should be genuine, passionate, and infused with the vibe you’d give if you were telling your biggest dreams to your biggest cheerleaders. We’re rooting for you here.

#2. Vulnerability is your superpower here

Perhaps the biggest tool in your toolbox when it comes to writing a genuine, powerful essay is your willingness to be vulnerable. While vulnerability may seem like a weakness in some arenas, it’s your superpower in the scholarship application essay. So what exactly is it, and how can you use it to your advantage?

Vulnerability, by definition, is the willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known. There can be some risk involved in being vulnerable, and that’s often why it has such a big impact. You’re essentially giving away your armor, and that allows you to create connection at a deep, emotional level. To put vulnerability to work in a story or experience, try to remember how you felt in that moment, and what was running through your head. Instead of just recounting events as they happened, retell them as YOU experienced them. Let emotion guide your story instead of rehashing a timeline of events. The story, told as it moved through you, is what makes the connection.

• Tip : As you recount an event or moment in your essay, try to incorporate the senses. What did you see, hear, smell, feel? Let emotion be your guide, but paint the picture fully.

#3. Word choice matters (and not in the way you might think)

One question you should ask yourself as you draft your essay is if the words you’re using actually suit you. Would you use these actual words if you were talking to someone? One thing that can derail your authenticity in writing is trying to use big or “impressive” words that wouldn’t naturally flow from you in your daily life. We’re not saying you shouldn’t use a thesaurus, but be choosy. If the word doesn’t “fit” you when you’re casually speaking, we’re going to feel that in your essay, too.

• Tip : Read your essay aloud while recording yourself. Does it flow? Are there words that you stumble over as you read them? If so, put those words into the thesaurus and see if anything comes up that doesn’t trip you up as you read. It should feel as natural to read it as it would if you were talking to a friend.

#4. Always, always, always get a proofreader (or two)

While it’s not the most-glamorous advice, we cannot stress enough the importance of having someone — and, preferably, multiple someones — review your essay. Even the most-seasoned professional writer will make errors, even after multiple drafts. Typos, missing words, tense errors, and even disorganized thoughts can distract readers from your beautiful, unique story. Our advice is to find a proofreader who can dial in your punctuation and grammar, and another who can help you with the more-subtle aspects of good writing, like flow, tone, and structure. You want to start and end strong, plus have a robust, visually and emotionally stimulating middle.

• Tip : Draft your first version raw without any expectations of yourself. Answer the essay prompt as if you’re writing in your journal. Then find a reliable proofreader (preferably outside the house, like a teacher) to help you level it up and polish it up. After you’ve done a little spiff, show it to a second proofreader. Fresh eyes mean everything.

Some essay excerpts to inspire you

Ready to learn more about the csu scholarship process.

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Prairie Smallwood

Prairie Smallwood is a writer and content creator for the Office of Admissions at Colorado State University. She is passionate about education and exploration, and knows that going to college can be both an adventure and an overwhelming experience. She aims to create content that helps students through that journey — the wonderful, the scary, and everything in between.

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Fall Fellowships Writing & Peer Editing Program: ACLS, NHC, SHC, and More

Fall fellowships: 30-min. virtual launch.

Are you planning to submit a proposal to one of the many Fellowship opportunities with a deadline this Fall? Would you like to reuse, repurpose and recycle that proposal at a later date or for another opportunity? Join RIO Proposal Writer Donna Axel at this brief 30-minute introduction to RIO’s Fall Fellowship Writing & Peer Editing Program to see if this virtual program is right for you. From July through September, participants will draft proposals and participate in one peer editing workshop (August-September, TBD) to hone the narrative portion of Fellowship applications. These opportunities include:  AAUW  [American Association of University Women] due Nov. 1;  ACLS  [American Council of Learned Societies] due TBA, typically late Sept.;  NHC  [National Humanities Center] due Oct. 3;  SHC  [Stanford Humanities Center] due Oct. 1;  Guggenheim  due mid-Sept ; or others—just let us know !

• Who : T/TT Arts and Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences Faculty interested in applying for a Fellowship with deadlines this Fall.
• When : Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Attend either: 10am-10:30am OR 4pm-4:30pm

Register Here (10am)  

Register Here (4pm)  

(Please register using your CU Boulder IdentiKey Login email.)

We ask faculty to commit to the following:

• Thursday, July 25: 10am-11am OR 4pm-5pm   (Please register using your CU Boulder IdentiKey Login email.)
• Meet 1-on-1 with Donna and/or send her your draft  one-two weeks prior to submitting your draft for the peer-review workshop.  If you have already met with Donna regarding your specific proposal, you may skip this step.
• Prepare a draft narrative for review by committed colleagues  one week in advance of your peer review workshop. Sessions TBD by your/your colleagues’ availability.
• Peer review 1-4 of your colleagues’ proposals in advance of the Peer Editing Workshop.
• Participate in at least one peer review workshop  (Aug.-Sept., TBD by faculty). If you seek peer review for more than one fellowship opportunity, you may participate in two groups.
• Optional:  As part of participating in this program, and on a first-come-first-served basis, Donna Axel offers to review your draft  after  you have incorporated any suggestions from the peer-review process.

Categories and Requirements is a 1-hour webinar for faculty interested in applying for one or more of the Fellowships due this Fall. RIO Proposal Writer Donna Axel will demystify the solicitation by going over select opportunity’s instructions with a focus on the required categories and review criteria specific to the opportunity. In addition, Donna will highlight key ways to develop a strong proposal, including sharing sample categories used in winning narratives, as well as sample winning narratives. This is an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you might have before beginning your draft!

• Who : T/TT Arts and Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences Faculty interested in applying for a Fellowship this Fall.
• When : Thursday, July 25, 2024
• Where : These events will be hosted via Zoom

Register for whichever session is of interest:

​(Please register using your CU Boulder IdentiKey Login email.)

Facilitated by Donna Axel, faculty participate in one small peer editing working group of 3-5. This workshop will provide space to discuss any feedback/suggestions from colleagues, and each session will last approximately 1.5-2 hours. One week in advance of this workshop, faculty will exchange drafts and provide comments using the NEH categories and requirements/review criteria. Then, during this peer review session, faculty will discuss their comments and use the time to ask questions regarding drafts. Day/time TBD by faculty group.

• Who : T/TT Arts and Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences Faculty who are interested in applying for a Fellowship this Fall.
• When : TBD, Faculty determine one convenient day/time per group
• Where : These workshops will be hosted via Zoom
• Availability : Registration capped at 20 T/TT Faculty who have attended the Kickoff AND/OR the Categories and Requirements workshops. Small groups for peer editing will be 2-5 faculty.

Register here:

​ (Please register using your CU Boulder IdentiKey Login email.)

Three CU Boulder faculty members will share their success stories—and their processes—for applying for fellowships:

• Elspeth Dusinberre from the Department of Classics , awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship (2023)
• Emmanuel David from Women & Gender Studies , awarded the National Humanities Center (NHC) Fellowship (2022)
• Ashleigh Lawrence-Sanders from History , awarded the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship (2023)

This virtual program is designed to inspire faculty who are interested in applying for a fellowship. We celebrate these successful faculty and learn from their experiences applying for fellowships. What strategies did they use? Did they apply to more than one? Is it important to reuse, repurpose, and recycle proposals? Join us and learn their paths to successful winning proposals.

• Who : Details coming soon!
• When : Tuesday, September 10, 2024 ( Time TBD )
• Availability : Details coming soon!

Register Here  

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