CUSM

California University of Science and Medicine School of Medicine Colton, CA · Private · MD

Average MCAT: 510
Class size: 130
Tuition: $76,600 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Dec. 1, 2026
Secondary deadline: Dec. 30, 2026

Essays

Essay 1: Diversity (150 words)

Diversity comes in many forms. How do you think you might contribute to the diversity of the class?

Essay 2: Criticism (150 words)

Describe the last time you were criticized by a peer or supervisor. How did you handle it?

Essay 3: Difficult person (150 words)

Give an example of when you had to work with someone who was difficult to get along with. Why was this person difficult? How did you handle that person?

Essay 4: Integrity (150 words)

What would be the best example that shows you are a person of integrity?

Essay 5: Ten years (150 words)

If given the opportunity to attend medical school, where would you see yourself in ten years?

Essay 6: Part-time enrollment (150 words)

If you were enrolled in fewer than 12 units/credits for more than 1 semester/2 quarters during your undergraduate education, please provide a brief explanation below. (If not applicable, please enter N/A in the box below)

Editor's notes

Your file is frozen the day you submit. CUSM accepts no updates, reviews each application once and won't re-review when a new MCAT arrives. Submit when your file is finished, not when AMCAS opens, but well before the Dec. 1 deadline.
Six 150-word answers is less space than it sounds. Each one is a single story told tightly. Draft long, then cut to the moment of decision. The criticism, difficult-person and integrity prompts all reward honesty over polish.
The screening runs through two recorded tools, CASPer with the secondary and Kira for the interview. Your evaluated interview is recorded, not live. Practice answering on camera against a timer until a clear, short structure comes out without notes.
Forty-three percent of the Class of 2030 comes from the Inland Empire, and 37 of 124 graduates matched there in 2026. If you have real ties to the region, make them visible in your ten-years answer.