(click to skip ahead)
- What are the UC Personal Insight Question (PIQ) prompts?
- What are the UCs looking for?
- What’s your goal on your UC application?
- Where to find ideas for your PIQ topics
- A list of past topics other students have chosen
- Common topics + a few topics to probably avoid (because they’re so common)
- Quick tips for each of the UC PIQ prompts
- 6 tips for assessing if these are the “right” topics for you
- A mini-step-by-step guide to writing each response
- How to write each PIQ (with examples)
So you’re applying to the University of California (UC) schools and writing the UC Personal Insight Questions?
Rad. You’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through:
What are the UC Personal Insight Question (PIQ) prompts?
What are the UCs looking for?
Which UC PIQ prompts should I choose?
How to pick your UC PIQ topics
A list of past topics other students have chosen
Common topics + a few topics to probably avoid (because they’re so common)
Quick tips for all the UC PIQ prompts
6 tips for assessing if these are the “right” topics for you
A mini-step-by-step guide to writing each response
Examples essays for each Personal Insight Question
Heads-up: This is basically a crash course on the UC application. For the longer version, check out my actual course, linked below. Like all my courses, it’s pay-what-you-can, which means you can literally pay anything you want.
Or get it for free. Really.
Speaking of paying what you can, one last thing before we dive into the UC PIQs: I want to make sure that you know this UC Financial Aid Calculator exists, since paying for college is (obviously) a really important part of the process to consider.
Alright, let’s jump in.
What are the UC PIQ prompts?
First, you’ll notice the UC calls these “Personal Insight Questions” as opposed to “essays.” That’s a heads-up that these should be treated differently from your personal statement (i.e., college essay).
In fact, the UC admission office has asked us counselors to please refer to the writing parts of the UC application as “Personal Insight Questions” (which I’ll do throughout this guide), so that students don’t think of these as essays you’d write for a class—they’re pretty different, as you’ll see in a minute.
But for the purposes of this guide, you’ll see me alternating between “Personal Insight Questions” and “essays” because, to be honest, people Google both.
The UC Personal Insight Question (PIQ) prompts
- Describe an example of a leadership experience in which you’ve positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
- Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
- What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
- Describe how you’ve taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you’ve faced.
- Describe the most significant challenge you’ve faced and the steps you’ve taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you’ve furthered this interest inside and/or outside the classroom.
- What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?
You’ll choose four prompts, and your answers can be up to 350 words each.
What are the UCs looking for?
The UC system details what it’s looking for on its website in the 13 points of comprehensive review. These are the elements that UC readers are looking for when they evaluate your application. In case you don’t feel like clicking on the link above, here they are:
The UC points of comprehensive review
Grade-point average
Performance in and number of courses beyond minimum A-G requirements
UC-approved honors courses and advanced courses
Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) (CA residents only)
Quality of senior-year program of study
Academic opportunities in California high schools
Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas
Achievements in special projects
Improvement in academic performance
Special talents, achievements, and awards
Participation in educational preparation programs
Academic accomplishment in light of life experiences
Geographic location
More detail on these here.
What’s your goal on your UC application?
The golden question. Your goal with these prompts is to do three things:
Stand out (in a good way) from other students applying from your school
Demonstrate how you’ve made the most of the opportunities you’ve received
(Most importantly) connect back to the points of comprehensive review
Where to find ideas for your PIQ topics
Your UC Activities List is a great place to start. If you haven’t created your list yet, do that now.
Really. Your UC Activities List, in my opinion, the best place to find your topics.
You can do that by clicking here.
It’s so important—and useful—that, yes, I really just linked it three times.
Once you’ve created your UC Activities List, your goal is to pick 4 or 5 prompts that might help you show different sides of yourself. For example ...
A list of past topics other students have chosen
I’ve also included the prompt numbers (UC1, 2, etc.):
1: Significant family responsibilities, 2: Acapella singing, 4: Working as a teacher’s assistant, 7: Advocating for worker’s rights
1: Robotics Club, 2: Drumming, 4: Developing an app, 8: Gardening
2: Drawing, 4: Research project, 6: Physics, 7: Filming school sports events
1: Leadership class, 5: Family challenges related to father’s unemployment, 7: Spreading awareness about disaster preparedness, 8: Experiencing three very different educational systems
1: Dance, 4: Volunteering at a physical therapist’s office, 6: Neuroscience, 7: Teaching kids more about STEM topics
2: Sculpting, 3: Cooking, 4: Inability to take AP courses and self-studying instead, 7: Starting a recycling program
2: How art has shaped me, 5: Challenges related to taking care of brother, 6: Biology, 8: Fashion
1: Econ Club, 2: Emceeing, 6: Physics, 7: Creating an app
Examples of common UC PIQ topics:
Anime/Manga Club
Baseball
Basketball
Boy Scouts
Coding
Cross Country
Dance
Debate
Filmmaking
Football
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Girl Scouts
Golf
Gymnastics
Hospital Volunteering
Lacrosse
Marching Band
Mission Trip
Junior Statesmen of America
Martial Arts
Mentoring
Mock Trial Club
Model United Nations
Music (piano, violin, flute)
Photography
Religious Groups
Robotics
Running
Science Olympiad
Singing
Skiing
Soccer
Speech
Student Government
Swimming
Theater
Tennis
Track & Field
Tutoring
Video Games
Volleyball
Water Polo
Yearbook
Should you avoid these topics? Not necessarily, especially if you’ve devoted a lot of time to them. Having said that, here are ...
A few topics to probably avoid (because they're so common)
The Big Performance PIQ, in which, despite the nerves, the author is actually able to remember the lines/give the speech/execute the choreography after all
The Big Game PIQ, in which the author either wins the game! Or (more likely) loses the game, but learns An Important Life Lesson and proceeds to #winatlife
Related: The Sports Injury PIQ, in which the author is playing the sport they were born to play when, crack/pop/crunch, they break/twist/dislocate their ankle/shoulder/you-name-it and lose not only the season, but also their connection to the team. But then—good news—they make the best of things by becoming an assistant coach/finding another passion, etc.
The Mission Trip PIQ, in which the author takes a trip to a foreign country and ultimately learns one of three things: a) how much they have to be grateful for, b) how crazy it is that people living in extremely difficult circumstances can still be happy, or c) while they initially went there expecting to teach, what instead happened was just the opposite ... (you get where I'm headed here)
If you can’t think of any activities, here’s a list of 80+ activities.
Still not sure which topics to pick? Here are some ...
Quick tips for each of the UC PIQ prompts
UC 1: Leadership
Prompt: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
Tip: Writing for this topic is a strong way to start your application. If you’ve shown leadership in high school, write about it. And leadership doesn’t necessarily have to mean you’re the founder or president of something. There are so many ways to show leadership—maybe you took on huge responsibilities in your family, for example, or maybe you identified a need in your school or community and worked to do something about it. If you’ve ever been called a leader, consider writing for this prompt.
UC 2: Creative side
Prompt: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
Tip: You can either describe one way you’re creative (like dance) or multiple ways (perhaps you play multiple instruments). The UCs are interested in more than just your academics, and this can be a great chance to bring variety to your application.
UC 3: Greatest talent or skill
Prompt: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Tip: Don’t choose an abstract quality that’s already clear from your application. If you say something like “I’m hard-working,” it’s likely to be redundant. Why? Because chances are your GPA and course rigor already show that.
Another tip: Make sure you connect your quality (whatever it is) to specific things you’ve done. Otherwise, your PIQ may sound super general. How will you know if you’re being specific enough? Read your PIQ and ask, “Can I visualize this as I read it?” If not, brainstorm more specific examples of how this quality manifests itself in your life.
One more tip: If you pick a sport for this prompt, it can lead to a PIQ that’s bland/basic. Saying, for example, that volleyball is their greatest talent can lead students to write about how it’s taught them things like “discipline, hard work, and perseverance.” Instead, I recommend that you consider describing a talent or skill you’ve learned through volleyball—looking out for others’ needs, for example, or the ability to think critically. Show how volleyball has taught you that. Then, if you do end up mentioning how volleyball has helped you learn this, you can maybe even segue into how you’ve been able to use this skill elsewhere in your life (at home, for example, or in class).
UC 4: Significant educational opportunity or educational barrier
Prompt: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced?
Tip: If you’re considering writing about an “educational barrier,” ask yourself: Is this something I could briefly describe in my Additional Comments section? If you’re unsure what that section is or what kind of information can go there, check out this link. If you can describe it briefly there, don’t waste one of your PIQs on this prompt.
UC 5: Most significant challenge you’ve faced
Prompt: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
Tip: Some topics are stronger than others when it comes to this prompt.
In the past, I’ve seen students write successfully about challenges such as:
Racism, sexism, crime, violence, unemployment, physical disability
How a difficult family situation led you to take on more responsibilities
I’ve found that these tend to be less successful topics:
Breaking up a romantic relationship
Not making a team or club
Taking a difficult class
Being shy but then finding your voice (it’s just a really common topic)
Getting a bad grade (you can put this in the 550-character “Academic History” section of the application)
Another tip: If you’re considering writing about something from this second list, ask yourself: Is there a different UC prompt that might help me more effectively address one of the points of comprehensive review? I say this because I’ve found that even a “just-okay” PIQ on a community service project, for example, can improve a student’s chances of acceptance more than a PIQ about a break-up.
One more tip: If you’ve faced challenges, but aren’t sure if a topic will work or not, consider this three-part structure:
Challenges + Effects (⅓ of PIQ)
What I did about it (⅓ of PIQ)
What I learned (⅓ of PIQ)
Then spend 15 minutes working through the Feelings and Needs Exercise (explained in more detail in the next section) and ask yourself, could I expand on the “what I did” and “what I learned” sections enough to fill ⅔ of the PIQ? More on this in the next lesson.
One final tip: Make sure to address how the challenge impacted your academics, since the prompt asks about this. If you experienced big challenges but were still able to maintain good grades, you can say simply, “Despite these challenges, I was able to maintain my grades” or something similar.
UC 6: Academic subject
Prompt: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
Tip: This is a great prompt to consider. Why? It’s a solid way to demonstrate your intellectual side, plus you can pack in a lot of information. More on this in the next lesson.
Another tip: If you’re planning to major in engineering or computer science, you should definitely consider it, as those are often impacted majors (which means that a lot of students choose them) and you really want to show the UCs you have what it takes to excel in those fields.
If you’re applying as a transfer student, you must write it as one of your four choices.
UC 7: School or community service
Prompt: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Tip: This is another prompt to strongly consider. Why? The UCs love to know whether and how you’ve made an impact on your community. Can you think of any ways you have? Or several ways?
Another tip: If you don’t choose the UC7 prompt, it’s a good idea to demonstrate impact on your school or community in two of the other prompts.
UC 8: What else makes you stand out?
Prompt: Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
Tip: This is kind of like the “topic of your choice” prompt on the Common App. Use this one if you have something you definitely want to include but aren’t sure which other prompt it works for.
6 tips for assessing if these are the “right” topics for you
Once you’ve generated 4-5 possible ideas for topics, zoom back for a second to think about how your topics are (or aren’t) working together.
Try the “buckets” approach. Imagine each of your PIQs is a different “bucket.” In bucket 2, for example, maybe you pour a lot of art-related stuff. Bucket 5 gets all your challenges/family-related stuff, etc. Once you’ve done this, ask yourself: What side(s) of me is/are missing from these buckets? Is your community service/volunteer side represented? What about your intellectual side?
Ask yourself: Am I repeating myself? Is a quality like “hard work,” for example, already coming through clearly in your application? Maybe your GPA and course load already show that; if so, find something else to emphasize. Or maybe you choose to write about debate in your PIQ 1 on “leadership.” If so, you probably don’t need to write about debate in another PIQ. Consider combining similar topics so you can free up space to write about something else using another prompt. A just-okay volunteer PIQ, for example, will add more to your application than a second PIQ on your love of (for example) coding. Speaking of which ...
Ask yourself: Am I showing variety? If computer science is your thing, make sure that not all four of your PIQs are on tech-related topics. Consider using the “creative side” prompt to show your interest in other things. This goes for anything else you’re really into.
Treat your topics like a playlist. Your UC reader will likely read these in order by number, so start with a topic that makes a strong impression, then move forward accordingly. If one topic (e.g., one track on your playlist) isn’t very strong, toss it out and find a better one. I’ll show you how to test the strength of your topics in the next lesson.
Ask yourself: Is each topic connected to at least one of my activities? If so, great! If not, it may be that your topic is too vague. And finally:
Is each topic somehow connecting back to at least one of the points of comprehensive review?
How to write each UC essay prompt
(+ examples)
UC Essay Prompt 1: The “leadership” essay
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 1:
Generate content for your essay by filling out the Best Extracurricular Activity Brainstorm I’ve Ever Seen (aka BEABIES), below.
The BEABIES Exercise
2. Decide on a structure
Does your BEABIES content focus on a particular challenge you faced, what you did about it, and what you learned?
Use Narrative Structure.
Does your content focus on a few different experiences and problems that taught you different values and insights about leadership?
Try Montage Structure.
3. Build an outline
To outline a narrative, organize your BEABIES content into three sections:
Challenge (the Problem You Solved column)
What I Did About It (What I Did and Impact I Had columns)
What I Learned (Lessons Learned/Skills I Gained, and How I Applied What I Learned columns)
To outline a montage, you can take a couple approaches:
Think about (and write down) how different actions connect to and taught you about different values and insights regarding leadership. These can become your body paragraphs.
For example:
Evolving robotics club and encouraging debate → pushed back against stereotypes, learned to listen without moralizing or judgement
Learning to listen first → invite dialogue; better at controlling momentum with debate team or basketball, help team maintain composure and resolve
Another option is to just flip the BEABIES Exercise vertically, and that’s basically your outline (check out the essay below that essentially did just that).
4. Write a draft!
If you’re writing a narrative (i.e., challenges-based) story, try devoting about ⅓ of your PIQ to each of the following:
Challenge (the Problem You Solved column)
What I Did About It (What I Did and Impact I Had columns)
What I Learned (Lessons Learned/Skills I Gained, and How I Applied What I Learned columns)
If you’re writing a montage (i.e., not challenges-based), write a very brief intro that gets right to the point, then divide your word budget among the different examples you have. So if, for example, you write a 50-word intro, you have 300 words left. If you have 3 paragraphs or examples, that’s 100 words each. If you have five examples, that’s 60 words each. Obviously, the fewer examples, the deeper you can go. The more you have, the wider you can go (in other words, you can show more variety).
UC Prompt 1 example essay: Ming Ji Restaurant
Since 5th grade, I have been my parents’ right hand at Ming Ji Restaurant in our hometown of Zacatecas, Mexico. Sometimes, they needed me to be the cashier, other times, a dishwasher or chef’s assistant in the kitchen, and eventually I was expected to interact with customers as the youngest waiter on staff.
As I developed more in this role, I became a keystone piece for the waiters. I taught them how to properly attend groups of unsatisfied customers and the fundamentals of customer service. Consequently, I acquired organizational habits and dialogued more fluently to resolve problems. I developed better strategies to speed up home-delivery and in restaurant service. Through this, I achieved not only a better rapport with my colleagues but also a more honest and enjoyable relation with my dad’s employees. It implanted a strong work ethic in me that reminds me of the hardworking farmers of my past generations.
I believe that to achieve efficiency and productivity in the working environment between employees and the manager, it requires not only the firmness and attention of a boss, but also the empathy and vision of a leader. These were the very qualities I developed as my dad’s assistant.
Working through the many facets of a small business has taught me the key role of small groups in a system, and I applied this beyond the walls of the restaurant. In school, you will see me managing and organizing one-on-one mediations with peer counselors, and at the same time, earning myself a leading position in my school’s British English Olympics team.
As a result of my years laboring for my family restaurant, you might think that I would like to become an entrepreneur. But in actuality, I picture myself as an engineer, as I believe both require the adaptability, perseverance, dedication, and strategy to succeed in this field.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
In paragraph 1, the author defines leadership in an unconventional way. You don’t have to be a club president or non-profit founder to show leadership. You can lead in your family, or through work. (This student was accepted to and ultimately attended UC Berkeley, by the way.)
In paragraph 2, the author’s use of active verbs helps us understand the variety in what he did. I’ve highlighted those verbs in bold so you can see them easily: developed, taught, acquired, etc.
In paragraph 3, he shares what he learned.
In paragraph 4, he describes how he applied these lessons elsewhere. So this PIQ isn’t only about the restaurant; it’s about his development.
In paragraph 5, he clarifies what values, skills, and qualities he’ll bring to the UC. He even highlights a few in the final sentence: adaptability, perseverance, dedication, and strategy. He also connects these to his future career. You don’t have to do this, but here, it helps us imagine his trajectory.
Finally, the clear structure makes this PIQ super easy to read. In fact, notice how you can read the first sentence of each paragraph aloud, and it creates a short version of the whole story. Re-read those first sentences now to see what I mean.
UC Essay Prompt 2: The “creative side” essay
Prompt: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 2:
For Prompt #2 I recommend the Uncommon Connections Exercise:
Choose a topic. (Obviously.)
Imagine what someone else writing an essay on this same topic might write about—in particular, what values might that person emphasize? (Example: For violin, someone else might emphasize “discipline, hard work, and perseverance.” But that’s what a lot of others would focus on.) In short, I’m asking you to brainstorm the cliche version of an essay on this topic so that you can avoid writing it. To give you some ideas of what values others might write about, use the Values Exercise.
Once you’ve brainstormed some usual (read: common or obvious) values, vow to NOT discuss only these values in your essay. Why? You’re more likely to blend in.
Dare to stand out! How? Like this:Choose several uncommon values. (Example: For violin, you might select “privacy,” “practicality,” or even “healthy boundaries” in one of the blanks and then discuss how violin has helped you develop all three of these instead.)
Here’s a good general rule: A boring essay discusses a common topic and makes common connections using common language, while a stand-out essay discusses an uncommon topic, makes uncommon connections, and uses uncommon language.
IMPORTANT: I know what you’re probably thinking. “I don’t have an uncommon topic!” Or, “I’m not a writer!” Either is okay. Really. You can write a great essay still. How? Use your brilliant, infinite brain to make several uncommon connections. In fact, the more common your topic, the more uncommon your connections will need to be.
Here’s an essay that demonstrates lots of variety:
UC Prompt 2 example essay: Drumming
Some time during middle school, I began my journey to establish a rock band, become its drummer and, most importantly, grow magnificent long hair. I enrolled at a local music institute for drum classes twice a week. I didn’t have a drum-kit at home, so I’d eagerly wait for those two one-hour sessions of smashing cymbals and double-kicking bases every week. I was having a great time, but some part of me always felt that I was not exploring my musical creativity as much as I could.
Over the next few months, as I continued to develop my mastery of the drum-kit, percussion became a part of my everyday life and soon I could sense rhythmic patterns in ordinary sounds. When no drums were available, I’d start finger-tapping in synchronous rhythms on any rigid surface and, before long, finger-tapping became an integral part of my rhythmic intelligence.
Unlike drumming, finger-tapping allowed me to incorporate melody into standard grooves by tapping on surfaces that had varying degrees of hollowness. Since it was a percussion style that I instinctively developed by myself, finger-tapping gave me the artistic freedom to create something new.
But I didn’t want to shape my spontaneous finger-tapping artistry to master another percussion instrument like the Tabla or Maschine.
Therefore, I decided to invent my own instrument. Equipped with my expertise in robotics and coding, I used electronic items like piezoelectric sensors, pcbs, and transistors to build an instrument that reflected my own finger-tapping habits and patterns. It had ten small pads for my fingers and two large pads for my palms. I chose a raspberry-pi as its CPU and programmed it to play all kinds of melodies and beats. In this way, I learned how to coordinate my different talents and skills to amplify my total creative output.
My friends and family suggested that I name and advertise my invention and maybe sell it to a company. But if I did that, I would lose the essence of why I built it. I built it not to master its musical capacity but to develop my own musical creativity.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
The author begins the PIQ with a brief hook that shows his sense of humor. But—these two things are important—the hook is very short and the topic (drumming) is made very clear.
At the end of paragraph 1, he notes, “but some part of me always felt that I was not exploring my musical creativity as much as I could.” Here, he raises a question for the reader: What will he do to more fully express his musical creativity? This is the challenge he’ll work to resolve over the rest of the PIQ.
In paragraph 2, the author describes the first thing he did to resolve this challenge: play drums in everyday life. Note that this paragraph was directly inspired by brainstorming from the first column of his BEABIES Exercise.
In paragraph 3, the author helps us understand what he learned by connecting to a value: artistic freedom.
In paragraph 5, the author describes the second thing he did to resolve his challenge: He decided to invent his own instrument. He also uses some “geeky language” (i.e., “piezoelectric sensors, pcbs, and transistors”) to show us that he knows his stuff when it comes to electronics. If you’re comfortable with jargon related to your topic, feel free to include a little in your PIQ. (Not too much, though, as you might distance your reader. A little, like this author uses, is great.)
He ends paragraph 5 by clarifying what he learned and why this was important to him: “In this way, I learned how to coordinate my different talents and skills to amplify my total creative output.”
He concludes the PIQ by describing why he chose not to sell what he created; instead, he emphasizes one of his core values: “I built it not to master its musical capacity but to develop my own musical creativity.” This is fitting, given the prompt.
UC Essay Prompt 3: The “greatest talent or skill” essay
Prompt: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 3:
As with Prompt 2, I recommend completing the Uncommon Connections Exercise. How? Like this:
Choose a topic.
Imagine what someone else writing an essay on the same topic might write about using the Values Exercise—in other words, brainstorm the cliché version.
Once you’ve done this, vow to NOT discuss only these values in your essay. Why? You’re more likely to blend in. Stand out by instead electing to:
Choose several uncommon values.
Then, before you start writing:Create a simple outline by picking a theme for each paragraph. Here were the themes for this author’s paragraphs:
Simple outline example:
Par. 1: Set up topic (connections among the dissimilar)
Ex: Interest in games and puzzles as a kid
Par. 2: Math and academic side develops in high school
Par. 3: Developing other sides of myself + finding Computer Science
Par. 4: How it all comes together
UC Prompt 3 example essay: Finding connections among the dissimilar
I’ve always strived to find connections among the dissimilar.
It started when I was a kid and my dad taught me Sudoku. As he explained the rules, those mysterious scaffoldings of numbers I often saw on his computer screen transformed into complex structures of logic built by strategy. Gradually, puzzles became a constant in my life. In elementary school, I began searching for patterns in the world around me: thin, dark clouds signaled rain, the moon changed shape every week, and the best snacks were the first to go. I wanted to know what unseen rules affected these things and how they worked. My parents, both pipeline engineers, encouraged this inquisitiveness and tried explaining how they solved puzzles in their own work. Their analytical mindsets helped me muddle through homework and optimize matches in Candy Crush.
In high school, I threw myself into all my classes and studied by linking concepts across subjects. Mathematical syntax transitioned easily to English grammar, and the catalysts for revolutions resembled isomers of the same element, nominally different with the same properties.
As I grew older, my interests expanded to include the delicate systems of biology, the complexity of animation, and the nuances of language. Despite these subjects’ apparent dissimilarity, each provides fascinating perspectives on the world with approaches like color theory and evolution. Unsurprisingly, my career aspirations changed every week: one day I wanted to be an illustrator, the next a biochemist, then a stand up comedian. But when I discovered computer science, something seemed to settle; I had finally found a field where I could be creative, explore a different type of language, and, yes, solve puzzles.
Best of all, I believe my superpower has helped me knit together my identity. Although my relatives’ rapid Mandarin escapes me, in them I recognize the same work ethic that fueled me through marching band practices and late nights. My multicultural friend group is linked by our diverse passions: k-pop, hockey, Hamilton. While to others my life may seem like a jumble of incompatible fragments, like a jigsaw puzzle, each piece connects to become something more. (350 words)
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
Overall note: Even though this author has chosen an abstract quality (finding connections among the dissimilar), she lists many specific examples, and these examples provide the structure for her PIQ. Note the variety and specificity of her examples:
Sudoku + puzzles in the world around her (Ex: weather, moon, snacks)
Math + English grammar
Biology, animation, language
Computer science (which brings it all together)
Work ethic + multicultural friend group
The author mentions why she’s interested in her potential major (computer science). While not a requirement of the UC PIQs, it’s nice to know why you want to study what you want to study (if you know). If you don’t know, no need to weave it in.
This author didn’t have a clear fourth activity she wanted to focus on, which is why she chose this montage approach to describe a variety of experiences. Having said that, it’s important to note the following:
These experiences weren’t described in her other PIQs; she was providing context for other activities mentioned in her UC Activities List.
This is a reworking of the author’s personal statement. While your personal statement won’t always be able to be shortened for your PIQs, sometimes it can!
UC Essay Prompt 4: The “educational opportunity or barrier” essay
Prompt: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 4:
There are a couple possibilities for this essay, and note that you don’t have to write about both a significant educational opportunity and an educational barrier—just write about one. For the “significant educational opportunity,” you could write about anything from an internship experience, a challenge you faced that taught you something, or something else entirely. For the “educational barrier,” you could write about the fact that your school dropped 50% of its after-school offerings due to budget cuts or didn’t offer AP Computer Science, and describe what you did to overcome that challenge.
If you’re writing about a significant educational opportunity,” you might choose to use the Montage Structure and use the BEABIES Exercise to brainstorm your content (scroll up to find that).
If you’re writing about an educational barrier, the Narrative (challenges essay) Structure works well for this. Try devoting about ⅓ of your PIQ to each of the following:
Challenge (the Problem You Solved column)
What I Did About It (What I Did and Impact I Had columns)
What I Learned (Lessons Learned/Skills I Gained, and How I Applied What I Learned columns)
Let’s look at an example that uses the Montage Structure to discuss a significant educational opportunity. But notice that the student interpreted the prompt in an unusual way.
UC Prompt 4 example essay: Construction
Five years ago I took up a job in construction from a couple of neighbors who needed help doing a demolition job on an old house. I saw this as an opportunity to help pay bills around the house as well as cover my own personal expenses. I did a good enough job that my neighbors told me that, if I wanted, I could continue working with them.
It has been a demanding job and I made numerous mistakes at first, like using the wrong tools for different tasks or the wrong size screw. On occasion, I was scolded for my mistakes and I felt incompetent, as I wasn’t able to complete tasks as fast as my co-workers. There were even days that I considered quitting, but I stuck with it.
Since then, I've built, repaired, and remodeled numerous homes for family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers. I’ve removed and replaced carpets; broken down walls as well as driveways; installed cabinets, lights, both wood and tile flooring; and painted room after room.
Working in construction has made me feel like a bigger part of society, because I’m shaping the buildings and offices my community uses. Although I don’t make the choices in design, my workmanship is reflected in every job I’ve done. Because of this, my most memorable projects are those that I’ve taken on by myself.
It has been a personally fulfilling experience—there’s just something about peeling away the last strip of tape off a new floor that’s indescribable—and getting to see hours of planning, preparation, and work come together is such a rewarding experience. The best part? Knowing that some family will get to enjoy my work.
But this is not what I will do the rest of my life.
There are other ways I can help cover my family’s expenses, and getting a degree is the next step. In fact, I have a feeling that would be an even more fulfilling journey.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
For this prompt, many students will choose to write about a course taken outside of school, or an internship—which are totally valid topics—but, again, I really appreciate that this author defines “educational opportunity” in an unconventional way. Working in construction has, in fact, taught him a lot. If you’ve worked a job, perhaps to take care of your family, you could write about it here as well.
This PIQ could have worked for a variety of prompts: He certainly demonstrates leadership by supporting his family, so he could’ve used it for the UC 1. Alternately, he could have also emphasized the creativity he developed while on the job (see: UC 2). Or maybe he could have described a “greatest talent or skill” (UC 3) related to his work—his talent for stepping up, for example, and working hard to support his family. Writing about how you’ve supported your family is a great thing to do (this student, btw, was accepted to all the UCs he applied to). Remember that it’s okay to think creatively with these prompts, as long as you clearly tie your topic back to the prompt, as this student does, so you make sure you’re hitting one of the points of comprehensive review.
The author uses active verbs to describe what he actually did. I’ve highlighted them in bold in the PIQ.
He also shares the personal significance of his work: “Working in construction has made me feel like a bigger part of society, because I’m shaping the buildings and offices my community uses.”
I also appreciate that this author reveals a wide range of values in this PIQ, including: family, perseverance, hard work, community, pride, independence, ambition.
The author provides great insight into his main takeaway from his work experiences: “But this is not what I will do the rest of my life.” This demonstrates his ambition and helps us understand why he wants to attend college: Although he’s found value in his construction work, he hopes to one day do work that might lead to “an even more fulfilling journey.”
UC Essay Prompt 5: The “significant challenges” essay
Prompt: Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 5:
Complete the Feelings and Needs Exercise.
Decide what the 3-6 “chunks” of your essay are. One simple way to do this is to use the Challenges/What I did/What I Learned structure. Use the questions in the outline above to expand from the 3“chunks” (i.e., paragraphs or “scenes” in your story) to 5 or 6. Note that you might also choose to take your Feelings and Needs Exercise and simply write a paragraph on each column. (Cool, huh?)
Write a draft!
Here’s a shortened version of an essay that was written as part of a four-day workshop. The student wrote this after completing the Feelings and Needs Exercise, and then shortened it from 650 words (for the Common App) to 350 words (so that I could share it with you here):
UC Prompt 5 example essay: Example 1: What had to be done (Narrative Approach, based on a challenge)
At six years old, I stood locked away in the restroom. My dad was being put under arrest for domestic abuse. He’d hurt my mom physically and mentally, and my brother Jose and I had shared the mental strain. It’s what had to be done.
For a few years the quality of our lives started to improve as our soon-to-be step-dad became part of our family. He paid attention to the needs of my mom, my brother, and me, but our prosperity was short-lived as my step dad’s chronic alcoholism became more recurrent. When I was eight, my younger brother Fernando’s birth complicated things even further. As my step-dad slipped away, Fernando’s care was left to Jose and me. I cooked, Jose cleaned, I dressed Fernando, Jose put him to bed. We did what we had to do.
I grew determined to improve the quality of life for my family and myself.
Without a father figure to teach me the things a father could, I became my own teacher. I learned how to fix bikes, how to swim, and even how to talk to girls. I found a job to help pay bills. I became as independent as I could to lessen the time and money mom had to spend raising me.
I worked hard to earn straight A’s, I shattered my school’s 1ooM breaststroke record, and I learned to play the oboe. I tutored kids, teens, and adults on a variety of subjects ranging from basic English to home improvement and even Calculus. As the captain of the water polo and swim team I’ve led practices, and I became the first student in my school to pass the AP Physics 1 exam.
I’ve done tons, and I'm proud of it.
But I’m excited to say there’s so much I have yet to do. I haven’t danced the tango, solved a Rubix Cube, or seen the World Trade Center. And I have yet to see how Fernando will grow.
I’ll do as much as I can from now on. Not because I have to.
Because I choose to.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
In paragraph 1, the author makes the challenge very clear.
In paragraph 2, the author makes the effects/impacts very clear.
The author quickly transitions from the challenges/effects to describing what he did about them. I’ve highlighted some of those things above in bold.
The details help us understand the author’s values: family, responsibility, hard work, resourcefulness, humor, ambition, independence, helping others, leadership, and so much more.
UC Essay Prompt 6: The “favorite subject” essay
Prompt: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 6:
Summon the BEABIES. To learn more about how to fill out the BEABIES Exercise, head here.
You don’t have to go all crazy with this chart to write a solid essay—although if you want to, knock yourself out (not literally, please). Once you’ve filled in this chart:
Decide on the 3-6 “chunks” (read: paragraphs) of your essay based on the content you’ve generated, and decide what the main point of each paragraph will be.
Write a draft!
UC Prompt 6 example essay: History
Through books like Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl about his incarceration at Auschwitz and documentaries like Enemies of the People about the Khmer Rouge, history has taught me that human empathy knows no borders.
My favorite “history nerd” moments occur when I can explain a modern socio-political phenomenon by drawing connections to a historical event, like tying the gender pay gap to the Neolithic Revolution and linking recent voting patterns to centuries of de jure/de facto racism. For my IB Extended Essay, I am writing about the Second Amendment, and I hope to elucidate the current gun control debate with research surrounding the legacy of the Glorious Revolution.
My passion for history led me to an internship at the Sejong Institute, a think-tank specializing in Korean diplomacy. While I translated Korean research publications on topics like denuclearizing North Korea and resolving the South China Sea disputes, I drew heavily from what I learned of the region’s past, coming to understand that international conflicts cannot be resolved in the absence of historical insight.
This notion also applies to my participation in Model UN. Exploring the ramifications of historical events has helped me create more comprehensive solutions; learning about the often-controversial past actions of nations has prompted me to raise ethical questions. For instance, I was appalled to learn that the Kurdish crisis, Syrian Civil War, and ISIL could be traced to the Sykes-Picot agreement, which carved up the region into ‘spheres of influence’ in 1916. In resolving these conflicts, how do we balance national sovereignty with the responsibility of former colonial powers to stabilize the region?
This summer, I enrolled in “Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology” at UC Irvine. From tracing the African exodus of Homo erectus two million years ago to examining La Bestia (Mexican freight trains used by US-bound migrants), I now understand that migration is as old as history itself.
In college, I hope to continue drawing connections between history and contemporary geopolitics as a Political Science major. Eventually, I hope to become a civil rights attorney, and the first Asian woman on the Supreme Court.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
In paragraph 1, the author clarifies the subject right away: History. So the reader doesn’t have to guess/wonder what it is.
The author then includes a wide variety of ways she’s explored this subject, both in and out of school.
She includes one way per paragraph, which provides a clear structure. I’ve bolded each way to make it easy to see. Note: The author did not bold these in her PIQ, and you don’t have to in yours.
The end of almost every paragraph includes an insight, which is an answer to the question “so what?” or “why is this important?”
UC Essay Prompt 7: The “community service” essay
Prompt: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 7:
I’ve saved the best for (almost) last. There’s an exercise I created based on an article I read about a pitch that Elon Musk made for the Tesla Powerwall. Here is that article (read it sometime if you have a few minutes to spare or if you end up writing a “community service” essay.)
You can totally steal this for your extracurricular essay. Shall I show you? I shall.
The Elon Musk Exercise
Get a blank sheet of paper, turn it horizontally, and create these columns:
Column 1: Identify the problem. Describe the challenge you were (or are currently) facing. The problem could be something global, like an environmental issue, or something more local, like a lack of creative opportunities in your high school.
Column 2: Raise the stakes. Help us understand: Why was (or is) overcoming this challenge important? What might happen if this problem went (or goes) unchecked?
Column 3: Articulate the vision. What might the world look like if this problem were solved? As Raskin says in his article, “Show the promised land before explaining how you’ll get there.” Inspire us to dream with you.
Column 4: Describe what you did. Tell us the specific things you (or you and your team) did to solve the problem.
Column 5: Clarify your role. Describe your particular involvement. Why were (or are) you crucial to the project’s or club’s success?
Column 6: Share the impact you had, lessons you learned, or values you gained. Provide specific evidence that gives us a sense that your work mattered.
2. Then fill in the chart with all of these details.
3. Turn the paper vertical and notice (voila!) those six columns = your essay.
4. Write a draft using one column per paragraph (or so).
Once you’ve finished with your draft, read the first sentence of each paragraph aloud to see whether they flow together. If not, rewrite them so they do. Then rewrite the paragraphs so they connect to those first sentences.
If they do flow together, walk away from your computer, and go get a glass of cold water. Because you’re done. And because hydrating is important.
Don’t think it’s possible to fit all that content into just 350 words? Here’s an essay that does.
UC Prompt 7 example essay: Earthquakes
Last year, nearly 600 earthquakes hit my hometown of Reno in a ‘swarm’. Although the magnitudes of these quakes ranged from 2.5 to 3.7, the constant fear and anxiety of impending doom rose in the community. A disaster is unprecedented and unpredictable and, in our community, we always acknowledged their occurrence elsewhere but never fully admitted that a large-scale catastrophe may happen at our doorsteps.
Recognizing this unspoken apathy, I decided to take a step beyond my school club and get involved in the community chapter of the Reno Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services team. As I was learning the basics of preparedness i.e., general earthquake and fire safety drills, I realized that if disaster were to strike, the majority of people in my community could not confidently say that they are prepared. As part of the DCS committee, it is my goal to increase the confidence of as many youth and families as possible.
During my training, I accompanied volunteers during the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign, where we installed and updated smoke alarms and detectors in over thirty low income households in the Reno area, free of charge. I began teaching the “Pillowcase Project” in local elementary schools, leading workshops in and instilling the importance of disaster preparedness for the youngest of children.
Representing DCS on the Youth Executive Board for our local chapter, I also led a Youth in Disaster Services Seminar, where we trained young adults in CPR Certification as well as basic Shelter Fundamentals.
Through my work with the Red Cross, and in my interactions with survivors and rescuers who assisted during Hurricane Katrina, I’ve come to discover how teaching even just small preparedness procedures to individuals can help save entire communities.
The impact of disaster services reverberates throughout our communities, both at home and internationally. It is a selfless, necessary job in which youth, as the future generation of an ever-changing disaster prone world, must take urgent action.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
The author clearly establishes the challenge right away: earthquakes.
She goes one step further to raise the stakes and let us know why this is a big deal: “a large-scale catastrophe may happen at our doorsteps.”
In paragraph 3, she uses active verbs to describe what she did about it. I’ve highlighted them in the PIQ above; you don’t have to highlight them in yours.
She concludes by telling us what she’s learned and why this work is important.
UC Essay Prompt 8: The “one thing that sets you apart” essay
Prompt: Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
How to write an essay for UC Prompt 8:
To me, this is a kind of catch-all, or “topic of your choice” prompt that essentially asks, “What else you got?” Several of the samples above, you’ll notice, work for this prompt too.
So far, we’ve discussed three ways/exercises to use when brainstorming and writing your essay.
Good news: Any of these could work for Prompt 8.
How? Once you’ve decided on a topic (ideally, something that shares a part of you that isn’t demonstrated elsewhere in your other three essays), read over these methods again:
The Uncommon Connection (UC) Game
Find several uncommon qualities or values that connect to your topic, and focus on one quality/value per paragraph. Example: The santur has helped me connect with my culture and Persian heritage (one paragraph), serves as a tool for social change (another paragraph), and connects me to my father and grandfather (another paragraph).
Or if you’re writing about an extracurricular activity, you might consider using …
The Best Extracurricular Activity Brainstorm I’ve Ever Seen (BEABIES)
Choose your topic. Then, create a chart with four columns labeled:
What I did
Problems I solved
Lessons learned/values gained
Impact I had
Choose the two most impressive, and emphasize those in your essay.
Or, if you’re writing about a service project, you might opt for …
The Elon Musk Exercise
Create a chart with six columns labeled:
The problem/challenge
Raise the stakes/why now?
Promised land/vision
What I/we did
My specific role
Impact/lessons/values
UC Prompt 8 example essay: Three IDs (Narrative Approach, based on a challenge)
Ten minutes had passed and I was stuck on the same question. Which of the three bubbles am I supposed to fill? It was one of the most complicated questions I faced in my life: the question of race. “Which choice best describes you?“
Chinese? True, I have the physical traits of my parents who are both Chinese.
However, I was born in Washington. So technically I should fill in Chinese-American. It was there when my feelings arose. “Felipe, there is barely anything you know about your legal hometown, Taxco. You have never been back there after your birth,” I told myself. I reassessed my choice.
I began recalling the community where I grew up, Zacatecas. Most of my friends speak Spanish; I eat enchiladas and I listen to banda; the fiery lyrics of the Mexican Anthem echoes my pride. It turns out that my heart does indeed belong to Mexico. However, when I would first encounter other Mexican-Americans, they would jolt in curiosity or gaze with suspicion.
It was impossible to extinguish the burning enigma that is my identity.
Fortunately, everything became clearer in high school when I moved to the US. I was classified as the “Asian Felipe” amongst my peers; I still embraced and honored my Mexican culture, since my mind works in Spanish. At home, I attempt to recount my day to my grandparents in Taishan, my family’s native language, and I practice Buddhism while living in my birthland, America.
Sometimes, I do not resonate with any of these worlds. Differentiated by my physical appearance in Mexico, and ostracized by my lack of fluency in Chinese here, I define myself as a Third Culture Kid, yet here I stand converging across the various cultures that makes me more than a “math genius” or a “lazy machista”.
While I could blend three entities of mine and become part of the melting pot, I instead choose to keep each unique trait of my multiethnicity to become a salad bowl, with all of its ingredients mixed together, yet separated enough to taste the individual flavor of each one.
— — —
Some things I love about this PIQ:
The author establishes the challenge right at the start with a simple question: “Which choice best describes [him]?” This provides an arc for the rest of the PIQ, as he’ll work to answer this question.
He uses specific details to describe the different cultures he connects with (i.e., “I listen to banda, speak Taishan, my family’s native language, and I practice Buddhism.”).
The final paragraphs provide insight into how he regards his identity—he answers “so what.”
That’s it! If you’ve stayed with me this far, it’s time to get started.
Pick your four topics, pick a structure, and get writing!
