University of California School System Application Requirements:
Click here for the Freshman Version
Click here for the Transfer Version
Important note: The University of California admissions folks would like me (and you!) to refer to these prompts as “personal insight questions” instead of “essays” or "UC personal statement".Why? Sometimes students associate the word “essay” with an academic assignment and that is not (as you’ll see below) what the UCs are looking for.
That said, I sometimes used the phrase “UC essay” below because people search for “UC essay example” or "UC personal statement"ten times more than “UC personal insight questions examples”, and such a search may very well be what brought you here.
The UC essay Prompts
Here are the UC essay prompts 1 through 8 from the UC prompts website.
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have 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 have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
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?
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of 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 admissions to the University of California?
What Makes a Winning UC piq example?
1. Don’t forget to connect your personal insight questions to one or more of the 13 points of comprehensive review.
How do I know you should do this? The UC directors have publicly said that the questions correlate directly to the review points. So as you’re brainstorming your four topics, ask yourself: How will this help me on the 13 points of comprehensive review?
(Tip: Your essay/personal insight question responses could connect to several of the 13 points.)
2. Make use of the many resources the UCs have provided For some good contextual advice, click here. For some basic writing advice, click here.
3. Remember that it’s okay to answer your personal insight questions in a direct, straightforward way.
How do I know? Because at a recent conference, one of the UC directors said publicly, “It’s okay to answer the questions in a direct, straightforward way.” And the other UC directors nodded.
In fact, another director said it’s okay to just write bullet points in your response. (A high school counselor raised her hand and asked, “Really? Bullet points? Like, really really?” and the UC Director was like, “Yup.”)
Will you personally choose to provide bullet points? That’s up to you. It may feel a little weird. But just know that at least a few of the UC directors have said it’s cool.
4. Write in such a way that a UC reader could skim your responses to the personal insight questions and get your main points.
Why? Because the reader will probably be spending about six to eight minutes on your application. Not on each essay. ON YOUR WHOLE APPLICATION.
I just want to emphasize it’s cool--and smart--to get straight to the point. That being said…
5. If you’re applying to private schools via the Common App, it can be useful to write an essay that’s insightful, well-crafted and reveals your core values.
Why take the time to write a stand-out essay?
You may be able to use your UC Personal Insight Question essay for other schools. Since many selective schools require supplemental essays (that is: essays you write in addition to your main, 650-word Common App personal statement), it can be useful to write an essay that works for BOTH the UCs AND one or more private schools.
Quick example:
Michigan Supplement: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (250 word limit).
UC Personal Insight Question #7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words).
I call this writing a Super Essay. By answering both prompts at once, you get deeper with the answer for both. Plus it saves you so. Much. Time.
And guess what: You can do this for multiple prompts (three, four, or seventeen).
For more on how to write a Super-Essay, click here.
To learn more about how to answer the UC essays, go to our longer guide.
UC FInancial Aid Calculator
One last thing before we dive into UC essay examples and analysis: 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.
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.
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.
Prompt: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Prompt: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have 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?
Prompt: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
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?
