cu boulder scholarship essay

How to Write the University of Colorado Boulder Supplemental Essays: Guide + Examples 2024/2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are the University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essay prompts?
• How to write each supplemental essay prompt for CU Boulder
• Prompt #1: "Why major + Why us" essay

Want to get a better sense of what CU Boulder is looking for? You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For deep insights into how this university envisions student success (and how it wants to grow and evolve), read its strategic priorities . Reading through this will give you a strong idea of CU Boulder’s values.

What is the University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essay prompt?

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)

How to Write the Supplemental Essay for University of Colorado Boulder

How to write cu boulder supplemental essay prompt #1.

Think of this as two essays in one: a “Why Major” + a “Why us?” And while you can lean (pretty heavily if you want) into the “Why Major” part of it, since that’s the primary question in the prompt, it can be nice to show how you and Boulder will pair together well. So maybe consider devoting about half to two thirds of your word count to why you’ve chosen your major, then the rest on how you want to explore that field at CU Boulder. Note, though, that at 250 words max, you’ll have to be judicious in deciding which examples and details to explore.

To get you started, here’s a complete guide to the “Why Major'' essay . And here’s the full guide on how to write the “Why us?” essay . When you read through that one, pay close attention to the “Why Cornell” and “Why Penn” examples (our favorites).

And if the second part of the prompt (“if you don’t know quite yet”) really applies to you, then pay careful attention to the section of the Why Major guide above that talks through how to write a “Why Major” essay when you don’t know what you want to major in (yes, it is definitely still possible).

Action Items:

Read the “Why Major” guide. What mini-movie moments do you envision exploring? Note the prompt’s interest in exploring “what inspired your interests in this area,” specifically probing for “prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else”—a long list that should give you lots of ideas on where to mine for content. Pro tip: Start with your Common App Activities List!

Reflect on what you want out of your college experience. Collect those insights using this chart . Identifying specific or niche interests and needs will help you find equally specific resources at CU Boulder and make your “we’re a perfect match” case (see more on this in the “complete guide” link above) more compelling. 

Spend at least an hour researching 10+ reasons why CU Boulder might be a great fit for you, mapping them out in the third column of the chart. 

Remember: The best “Why us?” pieces don’t celebrate how “x” school is the GREATEST SCHOOL OF ALL TIME. They’re more an explanation of why you and the school are the perfect match. Make sure to connect each of your Tech examples to your goals and interests. 

Create an outline that combines your mini-movie moments for the “Why Major” top, then outline the “Why us?” portion based on either Approach One, Approach Two (recommended), or Approach 3 (as explained in our “Why us?” guide).

This is a new prompt for CU Boulder, so we don’t have any examples specific to this school. But this essay, written for UT, offers a nice template for how to mash the “Why Major” with rich “Why us?” details.

Here’s a nice example essay, to illustrate how you can approach this prompt.

When I first learned about abstract algebra from brilliant.org, I was fascinated. I have been interested in math for as long as I can remember, but this experience shaped my interest in math as a career path. When I encountered Lagrange’s theorem, I was amazed by its generality and applications to number theory, and I really wanted to learn about the proof of this result. This inspired me to read more advanced texts, leading me to books such as Rotman’s Advanced Modern Algebra and Neukrich’s Algebraic Number Theory. I continued exploring these concepts at the Awesome Math Summer Program and The Ross Program. I developed an interest in cryptography because it provided me a way to use my abstract knowledge for something concrete and valuable. Cryptography inspired me to continue learning math because of the use of algebraic geometry and finite fields. At Boulder, I hope to take courses such as Algebraic Geometry and Theory of Rings to strengthen and expand my interests. I am also interested in finding a community of like-minded scholars at Boulder’s Math club QED. I hope to continue my interests in cryptography with MATH 4440 and use my knowledge in algebraic geometry to learn more about elliptic cryptography. These courses will allow me to gain the necessary knowledge to help me plan my career goals and possibly work in the field of cryptography, where I can help advance encryption methods.  — — —

Tips + Analysis:

Dive in. With 250 words, you don’t have a lot of space to meander. So while you can use a hook, we’d recommend keeping it pretty brief—probably a sentence, rather than a paragraph. And it’s fine to essentially not have one, or to use specific details about your journey as a hook: The essay above dives straight into his origin story, opening with a moment that set him on the course to becoming a mathematics superhero.

Show how you leveled up. In whatever way possible, it can be really nice in a “Why Major” essay to show how you have continued to grow and develop in your pursuit of a subject or field. One way we’ve referred to this is “showing curiosity with legs”—as in, showing curiosity is great, but it’s stronger to show how you then pursued that curiosity through really specific actions and details. Above, pointing out that he read “books such as Rotman’s Advanced Modern Algebra and Neukrich’s Algebraic Number Theory” then continued with various math programs nicely illustrates the depths of his exploration. And note that there can be other ways you show this kind of leveling up and pursuit of your interests—what actions can you share with a reader that can show how you have expanded your thinking and understanding?

Show how Boulder offers your next steps + how you’ll partner. The student above chose to make this a combo Why Major and Why Us (with the word count balance tilted almost two-thirds to the Why Major side). Notice that the second paragraph points to really specific aspects of what CU Boulder offers that will allow the student to continue leveling up—specific courses and communities that connect back to his primary interests, and how he and the school can partner together on his path forward. He has clearly taken some time to think about why he and the school belong together.

And here’s an essay, written for a very similar prompt for UT, that offers a nice template for how to mash the “Why Major” with rich “Why us?” details.

Leading E-Learning at Clear Careers, a startup helping students explore, experience, and expand their engagement in the professional world, and supplementing my schedule during quarantine with IBM's "AI For Everyone" and Harvard's CS50 led me to wonder what exactly is beneath the surface of a computer science degree and is it for me?  While it was intriguing to learn each emoji we tap and send so effortlessly is made up of patterns like this: 11111011000000010, I am fascinated and humbled by the human applications offered by AI. After further investigating AI, Cloud Computing, and the emerging field of Computational Sustainability, I feel driven to participate in the conversation around the responsible use of technology. With the knowledge gained from pursuing a CS concentration in Artificial Intelligence, Data Mining, and Machine Learning (ML), I hope to contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal #4 “to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all” because education is empowering.  In CS50, Professor David Malan teaches that there is a right way, a wrong way, and a more efficient way to code. I believe a cloud-based school employing AI would enable students to discover unknown fields of study and classes they enjoy, increasing retention rates and making education equitable. What if students worldwide could choose Urban Economic Development instead of simply History?  Home to the world's largest academic supercomputer and the National Science Foundation's AI Institute focused on ML, at UT's Machine Learning Laboratory, I would be proud to work alongside other Longhorns to innovate a high quality, globally accessible educational platform.  — — —

Click deep when doing your school-specific research: This writer clearly explored the UT website, finding specific examples of classes, programs, and learning approaches that could help her realize her vision to “participate in the conversation around the responsible use of technology.” She not only envisions herself in UT’s programs and classes, she shares how they’d help her learn and grow—for example, by allowing her to contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #4 (bonus points for specificity) and imagine a “cloud-based school” with AI technologies helping students “discover unknown fields of study and classes they enjoy.” Notice too how she dedicates more than half (144) of her 258 words on these UT specifics and still is able to clearly communicate her inspiration behind her interest in CS, and more specifically, AI. Try to incorporate 5-7 Why CU Boulder specifics in your essay, ideally 3-5 of which connect back to experiences you’ve had or skills you’ve built over time.

Showcase your values: Think about your college application as a whole, and your essays in particular, as an opportunity to convey not just your interests and goals but the core values that shape them. Why? Because it helps admission officials understand what motivates you, or in short, why you care. Don’t know what your values are? Take 5 minutes to do this Values Exercise , and weave your top 5-7 into your essay in a tangible but not overt way. In other words,notice how this student conveys a number of values—intellectual curiosity (wondering what’s under the surface of a CS degree), meaningful work (leading E-Learning at Clear Careers/wanting to contribute to that UN Sustainable Development Goal), hunger (supplementing her schedule during the pandemic with the IBM and Harvard courses), to name a few of the many sprinkled into this essay—without actually mentioning those values by name. This is where you’ll show rather than tell. Speaking of which ...

Use details to breathe life into your examples: You may have heard the advice, “Show, don’t tell.” We’re more in the “Show, don’t just tell” camp. For example, it’s perfectly fine to say you’re interested in a specific field—or as this student did in sharing that she’s “fascinated and humbled by the human applications offered by AI.” But she doesn’t stop there. She goes on to share why she’s captivated by AI, and what she hopes to do with knowledge in the field, like this: “After further investigating AI, Cloud Computing, and the emerging field of Computational Sustainability, I feel driven to participate in the conversation around the responsible use of technology. With the knowledge gained from pursuing a CS concentration in Artificial Intelligence, Data Mining, and Machine Learning (ML), I hope to contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal #4 “to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all” because education is empowering.”

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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.

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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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University of Colorado Boulder 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

University of Colorado Boulder 2024-25 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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How to Write the University of Colorado Boulder Essay 2018-2019

University of Colorado Boulder, also known as CU Boulder, is the flagship university of the University of Colorado system and one of the oldest public universities in the Southwest. UC Boulder is a large university, with more than 30,000 undergraduate students enrolled every year. Founded in 1876, the university has been home to 12 Nobel laureates and 20 astronauts. In addition to its academic prestige, their athletic teams have won numerous national championships, most notably in skiing.

Accepted students had an average SAT of between 1140 and 1370 and an ACT of 25-30. While CU Boulder is a less selective university, with an acceptance rate of 77%, the essay still plays a role in admissions. With the following guide, CollegeVine is here to help provide some tips on how to tackle this essay.

CU Boulder Application Essay Prompt

CU Boulder’s supplementary essay requires a response of between 250-650 words. This is a pretty wide berth, but overall it is best to stick to the longer end, in order to include as much detail in your response as possible.

As a vibrant community of learners dedicated to inclusive excellence, the students, faculty and staff at the University of Colorado Boulder seek to be open and respectful of contrasting beliefs and opinions. Every student has a unique life experience and a set of circumstances by which they are shaped and influenced. Your background may have been shaped by family history, cultural traditions, race, ethnicity, religion, politics, income, ideology, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Reflect on your unique background and tell us about a time when you had to relate to someone whose life experience was very different from your own. how did you approach the difference if put in a similar situation again today, would you respond differently if so, how.

There are three main points you want to get across in your response for this prompt: 1) how your background is unique, 2) how you related to someone else who is different from you and how you handled the situation, and 3) how you would react to the same situation today. Since the most important part of your response is the interaction between you and the other person, the bulk of your essay should be spent on points two and three.

However, it is still necessary to inform the admissions council of your unique background by devoting around a paragraph to discussing it. It is even more essential to convey the story you choose to tell effectively, and to end it with a brief, but comprehensive, overview of your current thoughts on your previous interaction.

Here, it is a good idea to comment on your growth as a person. Maybe you were inspired to interact with more people of different backgrounds through a service trip or time spent abroad. Talk about what you would have done differently in the situation you choose to describe, but also show how you’ve changed and matured since that encounter. Lastly, make sure to tie this into how you interact with others today, and how this will benefit you at UC Boulder.

How to structure your essay response:

• Point 1: Your Unique Background — this shouldn’t be just one characteristic, but a plethora of things that have culminated in your upbringing and development.
• Examples: You were adopted, your parents are significantly older than those of your friends, you have a disability, you’ve lived in the same house for all your life, you’ve moved often, or you had a full-time job all throughout high school.
• Point 2: The Story — discuss your interaction with someone different from you.
• Examples: “ I volunteered at my town’s local living center, and befriended an 88-year-old woman,” “During my sophomore year of high school, I participated in a student-exchange program, and spent a semester at a school in Warsaw,” “When I started babysitting my neighbor’s 11-year-old daughter, I had no idea that I would learn as much from her as she would from me.”
• Point 3: Personal Growth — reflect on the story from point two, focusing on what you would have done differently, and how the experience changed you.
• Examples: “I would have asked her more questions. What did she think the future would be like? What was her take on the war?,” “After that day, I decided I wanted to learn more about the immigration process. I signed up to help out at a refugee assistance center, helping recent immigrants improve their English skills.”
• Conclusion — tie your narrative to something specific at CU Boulder.
• Examples: “My time spent abroad, speaking a different language and really becoming integrated into the community, furthered my desire to study intercultural relations and inspired me to publish my own scholarship. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program at CU will help make this possible,” “INVST Community Studies will give me concrete skills that can help me further help out the community around me.”

Final Comments

CU Boulder takes great pride in really making an effort to get to know its students. It provides holistic and comprehensive academic advising in order to personalize undergraduate students’ schedules. This commitment toward individual support means that CU Boulder faculty and staff really care about getting to know each student.

Your essay should show the admissions committee some of what distinguishes you from everyone else. It should also convey your passion, drive, and strength of character. In commenting on your growth, discuss what your plans are for the future. In writing of the interaction between you and another person, show your strengths and how you make up for your weaknesses. Infuse your essay response with details that will make the admissions committee want to get to know you better.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Why this major short response.

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.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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University Of Colorado Boulder Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples, why cu boulder essay.

All college applications require you to submit a motivation letter that is more or else you promoting yourself, expressing your aspirations for future study plans, and how the program you choose will help you achieve your goals.

As part of your application to Colorado Boulder, you are required to respond to two essay prompts. Through the CU Boulder writing supplement essay, you have to bring out the best version of yourself, this being an opportunity for you to market yourself to the admission officers so that they will be able to see your worth and value.

For students writing an application letter for the first time, do not overthink it, or else you will end up trying too hard to impress the officials, thus coming off as a fake which is not what we are going for.

An outstanding CU Boulder application essay will guarantee you admission for graduate school and even for scholarships and for internship offered at the institution.

If you want to get a better sense of what the university is looking for, you can access the school’s site for deeper insights into how the university envisions student success and how they want to grow and evolve this.

University Of Colorado Boulder Writing Prompts

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.

This is a 250 words statement essay requiring you as the applicant to open up and express a part of you that is not as evident in other parts of your application. In other words, CU Boulder wants to know what makes you, you in regards to your beliefs, perspectives, and values — this doesn’t have to be all business; feel free to bring out your charisma and charm if that’s your style.

Since you can only choose one of your identities, make sure you go with the unique one, and make it as human as possible, allowing yourself to find strength in vulnerability. Demonstrate how this identity has shaped you and your worldview, how you have become comfortable with it, what lessons you have learned along the way, and how you hope to impact others.

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? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.

This is also a 250 words essay requiring you to share more about your academic interests. The goal here is to merge your past academic background with future career goals and what you are passionate about. Here, it would help if you thought about the major you will choose and why you chose it.

This section is where you showcase your knowledge and passion about your interests, how they developed and how knew this was what you wanted to be part of. Do not shy away from communicating your interests and fascinations and how you have worked towards gaining the required skills over time.

It is, however, a good practice — for bachelor and for masters degree — to do extensive research to find out as much as possible about the school and the program you are applying for. If there is limited information on the application portal, visit the University of Colorado Boulder website and other public pages for their applicants’ standard expectations, CU Boulder essay examples, and qualifications.

How to Structure Your Motivation Letter

For university applications, writing entrance letters might be overwhelming, and one may tend to deviate from the main points hence losing the relevance of the essay itself.

An introduction letter helps the admissions board understand you, what motivates you and why you this means a lot to you, you are allowing yourself to fully immerse yourself in the process of writing the CU Boulder supplemental essays ensuring you include all the information needed. This structure applies to all applications for college.

The following steps are essential in writing an admission letter:

Write an outline.

Before writing your letter, outline the contents clearly, and think critically about whether you need to include everything you’ve written down. Ensure you do not miss topics on why you want to join CU, choose a specific major, and how your skills and values will benefit the university.

Introduction

This is a brief introduction of yourself to the admissions officials. If possible, address them by name to personalize your letter.

The officials will be going through many applications, so make sure from the first few sentences of your letter you have captured their attention, thus encouraging them to read more; with that being said, ensure to include details of yourself and your achievements in this section.

In this section, you can now expound more about your passion, values, skill sets, and achievements. Remember, this motivation letter aims at convincing the admissions board why you are fit for the opportunity to be part of CU Boulder; use compelling facts to be persuasive, but at the same time, do not be tempted to a little white lie to spice things up, we are aiming for authenticity.

You want to leave the officials reviewing your application with a good taste in their mouths, so summarize your goals and request the board invite you for an interview or contact you for more information. Do not forget to thank them.

After all, is said and done, proofread your letter to make it more concise. Correct any grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and wrong formatting. You can request your teacher, parent, or a trusted friend to proofread your letter. This puts you in confidence knowing you have submitted a quality motivation letter.

Please take advantage of our online site, which has many CU Boulder supplemental essay examples that will help you have a great idea of how it should be written. If you are having any doubts about your writing skills, you can check out one of the many online writing services where you can buy a sample at a cheap price, or you could pay for one to be written from scratch.

Pointers for Writing CU Boulder Application Essay

The following tips will help your cover letter stand out:

1. Follow all Guidelines

Ensure the formatting, word count, font and size, and length that have been provided in the instructions are followed. If the institution has not provided the instructions, use the standardized guidelines such as Times New Roman or Arial size 12 font.

2. Use Simple Terms

Avoid using unnecessary jargon and use accessible language. Ensure the sentences are short and active that cannot be misinterpreted.

3. Write with Personality

Use your own voice as naturally as possible as you would speak to a friend. Uniquely express yourself because your interests, feelings, and perspectives are yours, and only you can write them as they should be. This essay is meant to make you stand out among thousands of applications, making it as enjoyable as possible.

4. Focus on your strengths

Focus more on your strengths rather than your weaknesses; this helps the admissions board to understand your value to the institution:

• Faculties at The University
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Leeds School of Business
• School of Education
• College of Media, Communication, and Information

The student-faculty ratio at the University of Colorado Boulder is 18:1, and the school has 50.3% of its classes with fewer than 20 students.

The most popular majors at the universities are:

• Business Management
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Marketing and Related Support Services
• Engineering

University Of Colorado Boulder History

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in downtown Denver. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado was even a state, CU Boulder consists of nine colleges and schools and offers over 150 academic programs. CU Boulder ranks 99th in National Universities, 58th in Best Colleges for Veterans, 169th in Best Value Schools, 343rd in Top Performers on Social Mobility, 42nd in Top Public Schools, 31st in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, and 10th in Aerospace/Aeronautical program.

For students seeking admission at CU Boulder, they should know the admissions are more selective, with an acceptance rate of 84%. The University of Colorado Boulder considers a students’ GPA a significant academic factor. The average freshman retention rate is 87%, which indicates student satisfaction.

Apart from the academic requirements, the university also requires you to submit a CU Boulder application essay in your application. We have provided several CU supplemental essay examples on our website to help you get started on yours.

The education you receive at CU Boulder is an excellent foundation that is going to stay with you even after graduation. The university cultivates a culture of comradery, support, spirit, and togetherness.

The university has a considerable number of alumni as Nobel laureates, film industry pacesetters, astronauts, athletes, journalists, lawyers, authors, Pulitzer Prize awards winners, and politicians as alumni. This goes to show how well-rounded and diverse students are.

Seeing how diverse and strongly rooted the values of CU Boulder are, it is very important to ensure the CU Boulder writing supplemental is perfect and will get the attention of admission officials in a way that will guarantee you admission into the college. Conducting your research on the institution, programs offered, extracurricular activities, and faculty will show how interested you really are. For professor information, you can visit the CU website and get all the information you need from their accreditations, projects they have been involved in, articles written, and research done as well.

Wishing you all the best as you write your CU Boulder application essay. Remember to check our site for all your need CU Boulder supplemental essay examples.

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University of Colorado-Boulder First-Generation Scholarship

Scholarship description.

The First Generation Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate residents and nonresidents who have financial need and whose parent(s) or legal guardians do not have a bachelor's degree. During the first year, recipients are required to participate in the First Generation Scholars Program, offered through the Center for Inclusion & Social Change.

Applicants must be incoming first-year resident or nonresident, or resident transfer student and neither of their parent has received a bachelor's degree. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (or apply for aid as an undocumented student) and demonstrate significant financial need and complete the CU Boulder Scholarship Application, and when prompted, complete the CU Boulder First Generation Scholarship application by March 15th. Scholarship application and essay will be considered as part of holistic review; not all students who are eligible will be awarded the First Generation Scholarship. Nonresidents must be offered the Presidential Scholarship or CU Boulder Chancellor's Achievement Scholarship

Community Outreach and Engagement Programs

2024 election engagement.

Back to news

By Gretchen Minekime August 26, 2024

The Higher Education and Democracy Initiative catalyzes university-community partnerships and elevates public and community-engaged scholarship that addresses pressing civic challenges.  

This election season the initiative is helping CU Boulder faculty, staff and graduate students to:  

• Secure fundin g through a special call for proposals to support projects that engage and educate communities external to the university on topics relevant to the 2024 election.    
• Learn about activities and events that faculty, staff and graduate students are undertaking with Colorado communities leading up to the 2024 election.  
• Connect with colleagues already working with Colorado communities on issues related to American politics, election law, voting rights and mis-and disinformation.
• Civic Engagement (Elections, Voting, Democracy)
• Politics and Public Policy

Related News

Empowering native voices: the natives vote initiative.

In 2018, a change in North Dakota’s voter ID requirements posed a potential threat to the voting rights of tribal members. In response, the Natives Vote team, a collaborative effort including the American Indian Law Clinic at Colorado Law, First Peoples Worldwide,… Read More 

Announcing the 2023-24 Fellows for Higher Education and Democracy

The Office for Outreach and Engagement is pleased to announce the 2023-24 Higher Education and Democracy Fellows. Matt Burgess, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental StudiesJanet Donavan, Associate Chair, Political ScienceDoug Spencer, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research, Colorado LawLeah Sprain, Associate Professor, Department of CommunicationChristina Stanton, Director of… Read More 

Faces of Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship: Associate Professor Leah Sprain

Associate Professor Leah Sprain, Communication, College of Media, Communication and Information Associate Professor Leah Sprain’s work embraces the idea that the communication discipline is a practical discipline and that community partnerships are key components to doing scholarship well. She also believes partnerships with communities outside the university can be… Read More 

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High School ACCESS | Financial Support

Explore the financial support and scholarship opportunities available to Continuing Education High School ACCESS students.

Need-Based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship

The need-based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship is for students in the High School ACCESS program with demonstrated financial need.

Scholarship Details

• The maximum award will cover the tuition cost of one course, up to $2,500, with award amounts depending on a student’s credits.
• High School ACCESS students with financial need will be eligible to receive the scholarship more than once, contingent on available funding.
• Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund and are therefore compatible with VA benefits.

Students receiving this scholarship are also eligible to apply for the one-time Nondegree Scholarship during Summer Session.

Eligibility

• Non-degree High School ACCESS students at CU Boulder who are not formally admitted to a degree program.
• Must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, and/or CE Online Credit.
• Must attest and provide documentation of financial need.

Students receiving CU’s Tuition Assistance Benefit are not eligible.

How to Apply

To apply, complete the application:

Fall & Spring Need-Based High School ACCESS Scholarship Application

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a first come basis until funding is exhausted. We encourage you to apply early!

Applications submitted by the second Monday of each month will receive a response by the end of that month. If the application is received after the second Monday of the month, it will be reviewed the following month. 

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2024 priority deadline:  August 1, 2024
• Fall 2024 final deadline: September 6, 2024

If you have questions or additional information, please email us at [email protected] . We are happy to help.

• Financial Need
• Scholarship Essay

This scholarship is intended to benefit high school students who require financial assistance in order to take courses at CU Boulder. Students may demonstrate financial need in a variety of ways.

For help understanding and obtaining the types of documentation listed below, speak with a parent/guardian or contact a school counselor and/or trusted teacher.

Accepted documentation types:

• A letter from a school counselor, teacher or other school personnel;
• A letter from another organization your family is working with to secure resources;
• A free/reduced lunch plan
• Boulder Valley School District’s Adelante program
• McKinney-Vento support
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Supplemental Security Income Federal Pell Grants or Subsidized Student Loans (either an older sibling or yourself, if you are a high school senior)

Any documentation that is submitted will be used to determine your scholarship eligibility only and will be stored in a secure database. Only the Continuing Education Scholarship Committee Chair will access the protected information.

In addition to submitting proof of financial need, students must also answer the personal essay question listed below and submit it in the online portal along with their complete application.

Please tell us more about your interest in the subject(s) you wish to study at CU Boulder. We would like to know:

• What makes you passionate about this subject?
• Do you have any special goals that you hope to achieve through your class(es) this semester?
• What is the #1 reason that you want to attend CU Boulder?

Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

• Content (4 points): The essay fully addresses all portions of the prompt and has a central point that is interesting, original, substantial, and maybe even striking. The author uses concrete details to “show” rather than merely “tell” their story.
• Readability/Organization (3 points): The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen and appropriate language. The essay is organized and well-structured. There is a beginning, a body, and a conclusion and transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory statements are interesting and appropriate. Concluding statements are satisfying.
• Tone (2 points): The essay is written in the authentic voice of the writer. It is compelling and interesting. The tone is consistent and shows effort/thought was put in.
• Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): Author has given thought to form, grammar, and structure and is writing at a college level of English.
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Non-Degree Student Scholarship

Continuing Education offers scholarships for non-degree students for the fall, spring and summer terms.

• The maximum award for the scholarship is $1,000, not to exceed 80% of the resident tuition rate of a three-credit course.
• Students may be awarded a Non-Degree Student Scholarship only once during their time as a non-degree student.
• Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund (i.e. compatible with VA benefits).
• You must be a non-degree student at CU Boulder (not formally admitted to a degree program), which includes High School ACCESS students
• You must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, Applied Music or Summer Session. (Courses offered through the Extraordinary program, like CSPB or SLPP courses, are not eligible.)

To apply, complete the application along with a 250-500 word essay addressing your past educational history, your future educational and career goals, and the specific way in which the scholarship will assist you in meeting those goals.

Non-Degree Student Scholarship Application

• Fall 2024 priority deadline:  September 8, 2024

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the priority deadline and awarded based on available funds.

Scholarship Award Process

The award amount is based on available funding and a competitive essay review. Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

• Content (4 points): The essay fully addresses all portions of the prompt and has a central point that is interesting, original, substantial and maybe even striking. The author uses concrete details to “show” rather than merely “tell” their story.
• Readability/Organization (3 points): The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen and appropriate language. The essay is organized and well-structured. There is a beginning, a body and a conclusion and transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory statements are interesting and appropriate. Concluding statements are satisfying.
• Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): Author has given thought to form, grammar and structure and is writing at a college level of English.

Awardees will be notified via the email given on the application.

If you have any questions or are unable to log into the appropriate application form, please contact us at [email protected] .  

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August 30, 2024 Edition

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CU-Data Upgrade … and the Value of Clearing Cache

As you know, the CU-Data reporting system upgraded to Cognos 12.0.3 during the evening of August 15, 2024. The upgrade introduced improvements to the user interface and navigation in the CU-Data home environment.

Skillsoft Upgrade

The Skillsoft learning management system will be upgraded to Percipio next week.

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• PRIME'S ISLAND

Deion Sanders' first year at Colorado and the list of "Prime Effect" achievements

Jason jones | aug 29, 2024.

• Colorado Buffaloes

Deion Sanders has stated multiple times “we can’t just win at football, we have to win at everything”. On the eve of the Colorado Buffaloes 2024 season kickoff, it seems like "Perfect Timing" to give Coach Prime and the Football program their flowers and reflect on the achievements that came under Coach Prime’s watch in year one.

Exposure and media coverage at an all-time high

While it has been said by Sanders multiple times, he is judged by more than football. In a little more than 24 hours, the football part will be on full display before a nationally televised audience. We'll start with the non-football ‘wins’ Prime and his staff provided to the masses. Deion “Bucky” Sanders Jr, has been at the forefront of utilizing his channels to a level most could not conceive of 20+ years ago.

Bucky did not create Well Off Media when they arrived in Boulder. To give them credit, that train had a full head of steam by the time the Sanders family arrived in Boulder. However, anyone with an eye for details or even broadcast experience can see Bucky’s "Product” has grown and evolved. Sanders is not the only person contributing to the Coach Prime in-house media team, but he is without question, the best and biggest contributor to that machine. What Bucky has provided in the last calendar year plus for the fans cannot be understated. In time, Sanders will be able to look back and see himself as not only an innovator like his father, but quite possibly the grandfather for the media concept that should become a “new standard” everywhere.

Sanders and the other arms of the Coach Prime media team have delivered content and dare we say, inside access remotely that has not been matched by anyone anywhere. Coach Prime has always been innovative. From Ft. Myers, Florida when he created the “Prime Time” persona, to Florida State, and eventually the NFL and beyond. He has maintained one of the most recognizable brands on the planet from Jackson State to Colorado.

Deion Sanders' media team is a structure, product and process that every noteworthy sports team or franchise should study and implement. Well Off Media and the rest of that team provide something to the fans no other entity in American sports has been able to even come close to anything Bucky has done. When we say “daily basis” please understand, that is ‘literal’. There is not a practice, not a press conference, not a single goings-on that occurs in or around the football team where Bucky and the rest of the media team aren’t diligently at work to provide the fans access they otherwise simply would not have. Regardless of those fans’ geographic proximity to the program. The online presence Bucky and the team provide is unparalleled. Being on the ground in Boulder allows even more perspective into the brand, team and operation. Whether it’s the athletic director Rick George, who always has time for fans, the sports information director, Curtis Snyder, or his staff, the interactions have always been very solid. The athletic department in year one was nothing but accommodating.

The broadcast viewership aspect for Colorado Football

The hype and exposure of Prime’s Buffaloes began as early as December of 2022. The nine months that followed would be the most exciting time to be a Buffs fan since Rashaan Salaam’s 2,000-yard season or Bill McCartney's successful seasons before that. The exposure and build up to the 2023 season would pale in comparison to what happened on game day. The euphoria most fans felt in that moment would serve as just an appetizer. Despite the season not ending the way the team would have wanted, those first three weeks will be an experience Buffs fans will tell their grandchildren about. Being able to handle Nebraska at home kept the over 5,000 day winning streak alive over CU's heated rival. ESPN Gameday and Fox Big Noon Kickoff festivities that happened concurrently will never happen again. The two biggest broadcast networks that cover college football felt that matchup was so important to the landscape of college football on that day.

Deion Sanders gives ESPN and Paul Finebaum reality check on media coverage

Every outlet wanted a piece of the action . Stephen A Smith and the First Take crew did a live broadcast outside of Folsom Field. Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff was there three times in a 14-week schedule. CBS's editorial show '60 Minutes' rolled into town to do a special interview with Coach Prime. Coach Prime himself graced the covers of Time Magazine, and was our very own SI Sportsperson of the Year . It was a whirlwind, to say the least. The totality of revenue generated just based on media exposure alone was north of $340 Million dollars generated by or for Coach Prime and his Buffaloes. In conjunction with creating an unprecedented level of hype around the program, TV viewership would follow. In a season when the Buffaloes did not compete for a national championship, and was not in the College Football Playoff, they still managed to have five of the top 25 watched college football games in all of College Football. This included the highest-rated and most-viewed game of the season, not including the National Championship game.  After Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia, it was Colorado at the top.

Colorado games ‘averaged’ 7.2 Million viewers . Nebraska, Colorado State and Oregon were all over 9M per game. To put this into a clearer context, of all the top 25 most viewed games in college football last season, every game on that list involves a program viewed as a football power. Those previously mentioned plus, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Auburn, Florida State, Notre Dame, etc. 10-15 traditional ‘football powers’, and Colorado. That’s the power of the Prime Effect.

Hot ticket items at Folsom Field and beyond

Another fantastic factor that plays into exposure and television viewership is ticket sales. Last year, CU sold out every single home game. That was a first in CU history. The Colorado Buffaloes have never sold out every home game in one season. Until Coach Prime did it in his inaugural season. That stat is even more impressive when you consider Colorado Buffaloes games on the road sold out. Let's be clear about this. There were road games that sold out simply because that team was playing Colorado. Comparatively, those programs didn’t sell out the other games where non-CU teams traveled to play there. For the second season in a row and only the tenth time in program history,

Coach Prime’s Buffs have sold out season tickets. The Baylor and Cincinnati games are completely sold out and North Dakota State and others are remarkably close. Still candidly surprised, NDSU isn’t completely sold out yet. This next achievement is one every Buffs fan or even casual college football fan looking into CU should have predicted. Colorado Buffaloes merchandise sales are staggeringly impressive.

The Buffs online shop has confirmed that September 2023 was the biggest single merchandise sales month the program has ever seen. When Deion Sanders was hired in December of 2022, it was the second highest. The rise in merchandise sales is something most fans of sports in general should feel. At one point in time, the Colorado Buffaloes logos and gear rivaled that of the LA Raiders and LA Kings that were made so popular in the 80s and early 90s by rap group NWA.

Shedeur Sanders signs NIL with Nike after Coach Prime's retro Diamond Turf line

The merchandising push was so significant, it went beyond sports. Celebrities and regular people of all levels and tax brackets were wearing CU black and gold. The popularity grew to such levels that it transcended sports and moved into something even larger. These previously mentioned achievements and accolades are fantastic, unprecedented even. By and large though, these are football specific achievements and benefits. Any coach in the country would be ecstatic to see these numbers and this impact from the football program, but the real measure of your impact must go beyond football.

Come for the hype, stay for the education

For Coach Prime, that was always the level he expected to operate at. How do you measure the impact beyond football? Start with University Applications. Not football scholarships, not football players. Admissions applications. Applications to attend CU Boulder as an academic student (with no ties to football) increased 20% in one year. This includes a raw number of over 67,000 prospective students applying to be a part of the CU student experience since Coach Prime’s arrival. That increase also includes an 18% increase in out of state applications. Consider, an out of state applicant does so understanding it will likely cost more from out of state. That number carries with it weight and consideration behind that decision. Saving the best admissions number for last, wrap your head around this and everything it implies.

Boulder specifically is objectively a gorgeous location, while it is a fantastic academic institution. Census demographics wise, Boulder is not a town known for population diversity. In 2023 the University of Colorado saw a demographic shift of celebratory proportions. Prospective student applications from students who identify as Black or African American rose by almost 51%. Applications from students who identify as “non-white” rose almost 30% (29.3%). The impact of Coach Prime and the football program’s popularity and staying power was so significant it affected the diversity of students applying who will likely never step foot on the turf at Folsom Field.

The local economy is booming

Throughout the season, watching the hype and want for success grow, there was one aspect everyone knew was going to be noteworthy, we finally have confirmed numbers on. If Coach Prime is delivering attention, revenue, attention, and a product people want to see, what will the financial benefit be to the city of Boulder? According to the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, the six home games Colorado played in 2023 generated a total of $113.2 Million dollars for the local Boulder economy. Looking at just the Nebraska and USC games alone, the local economic impact was over $20M. As we dig a little deeper, direct ‘visitor’ spending went up $10M. Dig even deeper and the average increase of and individual spender jumped from an average of $102 to $183 or a 79 percent increase over six years ago. Demographics wise, 20 percent of fans that attend CU Football games are not from this greater Denver/Boulder/Colorado region. Of that 20% that largest number of fans from one state that is not Colorado is Florida and not so predictably Virginia.

When people discuss college football, any number of aspects and factors are discussed. The last factor that comes up in conversation about student athletes is typically the academics. There has always been a stereotype that athletes aren’t great students. In Coach Prime’s world that is not acceptable. Whether it’s recruiting, playing in games, or life after football, Sanders wants and requires smart and disciplined players. It is literally hanging on most walls in the football facility. “Smart, tough, fast, disciplined with character.” It’s the first word in Prime’s famous “what we look for” statement. Once again, Prime and his staff delivered.

Academics at the highest level

The CU Football program achieved a team record 2.932 GPA for the 2024 Spring semester . That was the first time the entire cumulative team GPA reached a number higher than 2.8 in school history. For context, speaking in total average, that means the entire team is “honor roll” level or within striking distance of honor roll. Or if we step out of the realm of averages, it is safe to assume the ‘vast majority’ of players are actually at honor roll level or higher.

In 2023 Travis Hunter was a first team Academic All American. This marks only the second time in program history a player made first team All-American and first team Academic All-American. The last time that happened it was Joe Romig. In 1961. We live in a different world today than it was when we celebrated names like Rashaan Salaam, Kordell Stewart, Bill McCartney and Gary Barnett. It’s a completely different media landscape and Coach Prime is the last person who needs that explained to him. We live in a world the feels significantly smaller due to the advances of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.

Social impact on the outside world

Prime is many things. A once upon a time greatest athlete we’ve ever seen. An incredible football mind. A two sport playmaker at the highest levels we have. A father of five. He is also very much one of today’s greatest promoters and marketers. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that since Prime’s arrival in Boulder, the official social media accounts connected to CU have skyrocketed. At the time Coach Prime was introduced as the new head football coach at the University of Colorado, the “CU Football” had 62K followers on Instagram and almost 99K on Twitter/X. As of today, CUFootball on Instagram has over 1M followers and Twitter/X is approaching 300,000.

Lastly, we need to take a moment and give Coach Prime his flowers in the one area most skeptics assumed he would not participate in. For any of the naysayers, I can personally attest to a fair amount of these first hand. Coach Prime has been extremely active on and outside of campus and his reach to promote other sports for CU as well as other interests within the Boulder community are real. Last semester, Coach Prime guest lectured three times in an official capacity academically.

Professor Prime weighs in with leadership courses

Those students affectionately refer to Coach Prime as Professor Prime as he presided over a class called “Prime Time: Public Performance and Leadership” which is a class offered by the University of Colorado’s College of Media Communications and Information. In addition, Deion Sanders was also the keynote speaker at last spring’s Conference on World Affairs. He was also a guest speaker for the Leeds School of Business and the Law School. Prime was also a special attendee for the grand opening of the Center for African-American Studies on the CU campus. Coach Prime's support is endless. He is at the men’s and women’s basketball games (Prime and Peggy at the CU Events Center was a regular occurrence), the Women’s soccer team very recently, as well as a number of other non-football related events

In no uncertain terms, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders has changed the popularity, the relevance, the culture, and the diversity, not to mention success in Boulder Colorado in away maybe no other coaching candidate imaginable could do. Once he was announced there was an immediate promise of bringing viewers, money, and attention to a program that struggled at times to be noteworthy or relevant. That promise has been realized 10 times over versus the expectation. One thing can be certain. Coach Prime has delivered on everything he said he was bringing. From the Louis Luggage to the numbers. In his introductory press conference, there was one thing that stood out above everything else.

“All you want is the opportunity to compete, to win. And gosh darn it… Ima give you that," Sanders said.

Coach Prime has delivered it all. From the viewers, fans, revenue, attention, and yes, even the hype. On Thursday night, Colorado will face North Dakota State with Coach Prime and his Buffaloes embarking on the 2024 college football season. They'll be aiming to provide new achievements in Boulder. 

JASON JONES

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Colorado holds on, begins Deion Sanders' second season with win over North Dakota State

BOULDER, Colo. – The Colorado Buffaloes showed something Thursday that had gone completely missing during the final half of Deion Sanders ’ first year as head coach – the killer instinct to finish a game and win it.

This time they survived, beating North Dakota State in their season opener, 31-26 .

Otherwise the Buffs showed many of the same problems as last year , at least in the first half – a porous defense, sometimes poor blocking up front and almost no running game. But they prevailed after losing five games last year by seven points or fewer.

Credit quarterback Shedeur Sanders , who completed 26 of 34 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns.

Also credit two-way star Travis Hunter , who caught three of those touchdowns.

North Dakota State led 20-17 at halftime after scoring on each of its first four possessions. But the Colorado defense mostly held after halftime in front an announced crowd of 49,438 at Folsom Field, the first time under Sanders that Colorado did not sell out a home game.

The Buffs next play at Nebraska on Sept. 7.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State highlights

Travis Hunter stats

Travis Hunter, playing both sides of the ball, shined on offense, with seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Incredibly he was not actually Colorado's leading receiver — Jimmy Horn Jr. also caught seven passes for 198 yards, with one touchdown.

Shedeur Sanders stats

Shedeur Sanders completed 26 of 34 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns. He had one interception (on a bizarre play). He had 17 rushing yards on six carries.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State final score

Colorado holds on to win 31-26.

Shedeur Sanders’ ability to extend the play was on display on third-and-8 with 1:52 to go. Sanders scrambled away from pressure and fired downfield toward LaJohntay Wester. North Dakota State’s Sam Jung was flagged for pass interference – it was well deserved – and Colorado got a fresh set of downs. Despite some questionable clock management on Colorado’s part (the Buffs threw incomplete on first down) by the time NDSU got the ball back just 31 seconds remained. The Bison ’s last-gasp heave was not enough.

North Dakota State cuts into lead

The Bison went 75 yards in 11 plays, QB Cam Miller scoring a 20-yard rushing touchdown, to cut their deficit against the Buffaloes to 31-26. But NDSU was unable to get the two-point conversion so it's a five-point game with 2:19 to go.

Can Colorado hold on?

Travis Hunter's incredible touchdown catch gives Colorado some breathing room

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter did it again. He caught his third touchdown pass of the game – a 3-yarder this time that helped put the Buffs up 31-20 with 7:57 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The catch came in the front right corner of the end zone with a defender right on top of him, capping a 17-play, 80-yard drive led by quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

TRAVIS HUNTER WHAT A CATCH! pic.twitter.com/taMfx6lXT1 — TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 30, 2024

Hunter has played offense and defense in this game against North Dakota State but has made a particular difference on offense, where he has seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. If the Buffs’ defense can hold, this game might soon be over. 

Colorado vs. North Dakota State score: End of third quarter

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado entered the fourth quarter with a 24-20 lead and possession of the ball against North Dakota State. If the Buffs can score on this drive, their defense finally might be up to the task to hold the lead. Colorado has forced the Bison to punt on their last three possessions, including two in the second half. 

Colorado back in front

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado marched right back downfield after the interception in the end zone on a freak play on its previous possession. This time, Shedeur Sanders drove the Buffs 72 yards in five plays, including a 41-yard pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. on first down. Travis Hunter capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone to help the Buffs retake the lead 24-20 in the third quarter.

ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN FOR TRAVIS HUNTER 🤯 (via @Big12Conference ) pic.twitter.com/T8J2NHd9Ta — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 30, 2024

Hunter has five catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns. 

North Dakota State gets interception in end zone on wild play

Colorado was marching down the field after halftime and looked to be on the verge of tying the game at minimum ... until North Dakota State came away with one of the wildest interceptions you'll ever see.

CRAZY BOUNCE IN THE END ZONE LEADS TO A NORTH DAKOTA STATE INTERCEPTION! pic.twitter.com/yED9J1KJJG — TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 30, 2024

Colorado still rallied in response after the freak play, forcing NDSU to go three-and-out after a sack on third down from defensive lineman Chidozie Nwankwo, a transfer from Houston. The Bison then punted, with Colorado set to try again from its own 28-yard line.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State score: Halftime

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders led the Buffaloes on an 89-yard scoring drive to end the first half, the team forced to settle for a 27-yard field goal as time expired. Colorado trails North Dakota State 20-17 at the break.

Shedeur Sanders magic 🪄 pic.twitter.com/d9pGuVhODM — PFF (@PFF) August 30, 2024

Sanders completed 12 of his 15 passes in the first half for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Yet it still wasn’t enough against the Bison, who scored on their first four possessions with two field goals and two touchdowns. The Bison also ran 40 plays — compared to 23 for Colorado —  and used its power running attack to possess the ball for 21:48 of the game’s first 30 minutes.

“We’ve just got to score each and every drive,” Sanders told ESPN at halftime. 

North Dakota State takes lead again, then finally gets stop

BOULDER, Colo. – The North Dakota State Bison did something wholly unique in this game so far against Colorado: They made a stop on defense.

It happened for the first time in the second quarter when Colorado tried to convert a fourth down at its own 34-yard line. Colorado running back Dallan Hayden, a transfer from Ohio State, rushed up the middle for no gain, stuffed by Bison defensive lineman Eli Mostaert.

Before the stop, each team had scored on every possession to open the game.

The turnover on downs gave the Bison — up 17-14 after they answered the Buffs' quick score with a 10-play, 77-yard TD drive — the ball on Colorado’s 34. The Bison took advantage of the field position by kicking a 31-yard field goal for a 20-14 lead with 4:33 left in the first half.

Colorado vs. North Dakota State score: End of first quarter

BOULDER, Colo. – The first quarter has ended with Colorado on top 14-10 and there's no defense in sight after both teams combined for 308 yards of offense — 158 for North Dakota State and 150 for Colorado. The Buffs only have run eight plays, compared to 20 for the Bison, who still had the ball when time expired in the opening quarter.

The team that wins might be the one that can get at least one stop.

Shedeur Sanders, Jimmy Horn Jr. connect on long TD to give Colorado lead

BOULDER, Colo. – And here we go with another Colorado touchdown to put the Buffs up 14-10 with 3:15 left in the first quarter. This time Shedeur Sanders launched a pass amid crumbling protection to find wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., who raced in for a 69-yard touchdown.

That makes two possessions and two touchdowns for Colorado, along with two scores in two possessions for NDSU.

Sanders is 5-for-5 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

SHEDEUR SANDERS UNDER PRESSURE pic.twitter.com/j6VNTt4bZd — PFF (@PFF) August 30, 2024

North Dakota State scores to take lead

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado’s defense has allowed North Dakota State to score on its first two drives, this time with a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cam Miller to tight end Joe Stoffel in the right corner of the end zone.

The Bison went 75 yards in 10 plays this time, retaking the lead at 10-7 with 3:59 left in the first quarter. All three possessions in this game so far have ended in scores.

Miller has completed six of his seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Cam Miller has 117 passing yards after this TD to Joe Stoffel. pic.twitter.com/vd6u7pNKt0 — NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) August 30, 2024

Travis Hunter TD catches LeBron James' attention

King James is tuned in to the Colorado-North Dakota State game and was impressed by the Buffaloes' opening score.

"Shedeur to Hunter for 6! Going to be seeing and hearing that a lot this season I bet!" James wrote on X.

Shedeur to Hunter for 6! Going to be seeing and hearing that a lot this season i bet! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 — LeBron James (@KingJames) August 30, 2024

Travis Hunter scores for Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado answered North Dakota State’s opening field goal with a big splash of Travis Hunter, the Buffaloes’ two-way star at receiver and cornerback. He helped give the Buffs a 7-3 lead with a 41-yard touchdown reception after lining up wide on the ride side of the field and catching a pass from quarterback Shedeur Sanders in a one-on-one situation with his defender. Hunter then raced into the end zone for the score.

Colorado’s opening drive went 75 yards in six plays. 

SHEDEUR SANDERS TO TRAVIS HUNTER FOR SIX 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Kbl5F95luX — ESPN (@espn) August 30, 2024

North Dakota State strikes first

BOULDER, Colo. – North Dakota State scored on the opening possession, taking a 3-0 lead on a 36-yard field goal with 12:12 left in the first quarter. The Bison marched into Colorado territory on their second play from scrimmage, gaining 48 yards on a wide-open pass play from quarterback Cam Miller to running back TK Marshall. Colorado then stopped the Bison on third down before the field goal.

TK Marshall vs Trevor Woods is a mismatch pic.twitter.com/fBI79pXxEn — Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) August 30, 2024

When is Colorado-North Dakota State game? 

• Kickoff is Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch Colorado-North Dakota State game 

• The game will be on ESPN and can be steamed on  ESPN+  and  Fubo .

Colorado Buffaloes unveil new uniforms

Long known for his keen sense of fashion, Deion Sanders once again has overseen a reimagination of the Colorado uniforms, much like he did last year in his first season as coach. This time the Buffs are wearing all-black uniforms at home for the season-opener, with a few new touches – gold numbers, with trim on the shoulders and pants that portray Boulder’s iconic flatirons.

Colorado’s traditional home uniforms before Sanders featured black jerseys with white numbers, gold pants and gold helmets.

New threads 👀 #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/HlM50gijyO — Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) August 29, 2024

Goldberg makes first game as a Colorado dad

BOULDER, Colo. — Famed wrestler Goldberg roamed the sidelines before the game Thursday wearing a black Colorado football hat as fans in the stands started chanting his name. The WWE Hall of Famer is not new to the celebrity scene here because he’s known coach Deion Sanders for decades as a friend. But he is new to the scene as the father of a son on the Colorado team. Gage Goldberg is listed as a non-scholarship freshman linebacker out of Boerne, Texas.

The Buffaloes run in the family. Although Gage’s father played at Georgia, Gage's cousin David Goldberg lettered at Colorado from 2009-11.

Colorado's opener not quite sold out

BOULDER, Colo. — Thursday’s season opener for coach Deion Sanders and Colorado wasn’t sold out, as of Thursday afternoon, even though the Buffs sold out every home game in Sanders’ first season last year, when the Buffs finished 4-8. But Folsom Field still is expected to be nearly full after classes started this week on campus.

As of Thursday afternoon, Colorado said it still had about 2,300 tickets available for the game against North Dakota State . The capacity at Folsom Field is listed at 50,183.

Colorado announced in May that it had sold out of season tickets for the second straight year, but single-game tickets still were available for some games. 

Will Deion Sanders' second roster flip at Colorado work this time?

BOULDER, Colo. —  Deion Sanders  has doubled down on his big bet with the Buffaloes.

Last year in his first season as Colorado’s football coach, he cleaned house to shake up the program, overhauling the roster by bringing in 68 new scholarship players, including  47 who transferred in from other four-year colleges . This year, he flipped the roster again – with 50 new scholarship players, including 39 new transfers.

But will his second team overhaul strategy work better this time after  finishing with a 4-8 record last season ?  

Deion Sanders reacts to Paul Finebaum remarks

As the  Colorado Buffaloes  gear up for their season opener, coach  Deion Sanders  once again finds himself at the center of a media storm. 

This time, Sanders clashed with ESPN pundit Paul Finebaum when he was asked by Grete Griffin,  Robert Griffin III ’s wife and co-host of their podcast "Outta Pocket with RGIII," to respond to Finebaum’s previous comments that Colorado football "is nothing" and "irrelevant in the big picture of college football." — Carrie McDonald

What are Thursday night's college football games?

(All times Eastern)

• Howard at Rutgers , 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
• Western Carolina at NC State , 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
• North Carolina A&T at Wake Forest , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• New Hampshire at UCF , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Jackson State at UL Monroe , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Lafayette at Buffalo , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Fordham at Bowling Green , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Central Connecticut at Central Michigan , 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Arkansas Pine Bluff at Arkansas , 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
• Duquesne at Toledo , 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Murray State at Missouri , 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
• Lindenwood at Kansas , 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
• North Carolina at Minnesot a, 8 p.m. (FOX)
• North Dakota State at Colorado , 8 p.m. (ESPN)
• Coastal Carolina at Jacksonville State , 8 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
• Alcorn State at UAB , 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
• SE Louisiana at Tulane , 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Northwestern State at Tulsa , 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Southern Utah at Utah , 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Eastern Illinois at Illinois , 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
• Sacramento State at San Jose State , 10 p.m. (truTV/Max)

Which teams win Week 1's biggest showdowns?

Week 1 in college football is at hand, and that means your humble correspondents here at USA TODAY Sports will once again attempt to pick the weekly winners among the teams in  the US LBM Coaches Poll . And what could be better than starting  Week 1 of the college football season  with games with early playoff implications?

Here’s how our staffers see the games involving Top 25 teams unfolding .

College football season predictions

As we enter an era of change with an expanded College Football Playoff and conference realignment, there's a palpable feeling of uncertainty as nobody can be sure about how it all will play out.

So how does it all shake out? That's where the experts at USA TODAY Sports come in. We're here to offer our predictions for the season ahead , including which 12 teams will make the College Football Playoff. Who wins the national championship? 

• Scooby Axson : Ohio State 
• Jordan Mendoza : Oregon 
• Paul Myerberg : Georgia 
• Erick Smith : Georgia 
• Eddie Timanus : Ohio State 
• Dan Wolken : Ohio State 

15 games that will decide the College Football Playoff field

This year's journey to reaching  the College Football Playoff  will have many ups and downs. Given the expanded postseason field, there are going to be several opportunities for teams to win their way into — or potentially fall out of — the field.

So which games are going to be the ones that matter the most when all is said and done? — Paul Myerberg

Podcast: College football picks for Week 1 and what to make of Florida State

The official start of the college football season is here with Week 1 kicking off on Thursday and running through Labor Day weekend.

But before we talk about those games, we have to talk about  Florida State's disastrous trip to Ireland  that saw the 10th-ranked Seminoles falls to ACC rival Georgia Tech. What does that loss mean for the Seminoles as they try to reach  the College Football Playoff  after missing out last season?

Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports make their picks for these games and discuss other issues in college football entering the season in this week's version of the College Football Fix .

Complete college football television schedule for 2024 season

The times are changing in college football with expansion of the playoff system allowing 12 teams to play for a national title and conference realignment seeing the loss of Pac-12 football as the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten all absorbed teams and holdovers Oregon State and Washington State playing mostly a schedule against the Mountain West.

The regular season kicks off with Week 0 games on Aug. 24 and will run through the conference championship weekend on Dec. 7. The College Football Playoff starts in mid-December with games on campus and running through the national championship game on Jan. 20, 2025, in Atlanta.

Most Saturday games on ABC, CBS, FOX, FS1, NBC and ESPN's networks post-Week 3 are announced between two weeks and six days in advance, so game times and TV information will be added throughout the season.

➤ Complete 2024 college football TV schedule

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