university of san diego supplemental essays

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How to Write the University of San Diego Essays 2021-2022

The University of San Diego has two supplemental essay prompts. The first prompt asks you to discuss one of the five themes that reflects the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. The second prompt allows you to choose from three options that focus on community, challenges that face humanity, and faith or spirituality.

The University of San Diego receives thousands of applications from students with similar profiles, so you want to make sure your essays will get noticed by an admissions officer. In this post, we’ll discuss how to write a thoughtful response to each of these prompts.

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University of San Diego Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

Prompt 2: Now choose one of the three prompts below to write about. Essays should be approximately 200 words in length. 

Option 1: Here at USD, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. Our newly launched Horizon Project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. We value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. With that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community?

Option 2: USD is a proud Changemaker Campus, as designated by Ashoka U. As such, the USD experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. Why does it matter to you? What experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue?

Option 3: Because USD is a contemporary Catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. We devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant USD community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with God while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know.

The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

This prompt gives you an opportunity to show the admissions officer something unique about yourself. Because the prompt is so broad, it’s important to remember some of the main hallmarks of a good essay: Meets the basic requirements

The essay stays within the prompt word count, responds to the prompt, and doesn’t repeat information that’s already in your application. It’s also important to be mindful of your audience—in this case, the University of San Diego is a Catholic University, so they may be more conservative. 

Highly personal

A highly personal essay will share your thoughts and feelings and make it clear to the admissions officer what matters to you. By making it highly personal, your authenticity will come through.

With a broad prompt like this one, it’s easy to get caught in a surface level exploration of the theme, rather than going deep. Make sure you stick to the theme you choose and only focus on that. 

Well-Written

This may seem obvious, but a well-written essay is a good essay.  You’ll want to be sure there’s a strong opening and ending , it flows well, avoids cliches, and shows and doesn’t tell (more on this later).

Overall, a strong essay will highlight what makes you stand out from the other students who resonate with the theme you choose. This includes your interests and hobbies, values, experiences, family, language, etc. It will also discuss how the theme you choose shapes your outlook and actions.

One hallmark of a well-written essay is to show, not tell. This means using illustrative language and immersing the reader in your experience, rather than just writing what happened. For example, you don’t want to say, “I resonate with the “collaborate” theme because I enjoy working with people in my science club.” Instead, show and vividly describe a time when you and your science club peers collaborated on something together for a positive outcome. Show us your faces deep in thought, the late nights you spent working together to solve a problem—bring the admissions officer into the story as much as you can.

Prompt 2 Option 1

Here at usd, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. our newly launched horizon project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. we value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. with that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community (200 words).

This prompt is a blend of both the community focused essay and diversity focused essay and is a great option for someone who’s actively involved in their community and wants to see changes made.

When discussing the contribution you made to your community, make sure to avoid short-term projects, such as a one-week Habitat for Humanity trip. Instead, discuss more genuine commitments that are more long-standing. You’ll then want to consider how the values mentioned in the prompt above came through during this experience and what impact it had , not just on your community, but you as well. Keep in mind that the word count is short (200 words) so you’ll want to be clear and precise in your response while getting the message across.

A student who was passionate about women’s rights might discuss how she learned that in some parts of the world, girls aren’t able to go to school when they are menstruating, and she believed it was unjust that girls were denied education for something beyond their control. She would talk about how she organized a drive for menstrual products at her school and donated them to girls in other countries. She would describe how she was not only able to make a positive impact on the lives of those girls, but she helped bring an issue she was deeply passionate about to the attention of her peers. She could also talk about how she had to be organized and spread the word so others would donate, which was a learning experience for her as well.

You don’t need to explicitly state that your involvement in your community demonstrates your commitment to diversity and inclusion. In fact, a good essay should be able to convey that to your readers with just descriptions. The more descriptive and anecdotal your essay is, the better you will be to show the admissions officers you are committed to diversity, rather than telling them.

For this diversity/community focused style of prompt, be sure to avoid using a privileged or pretentious tone and avoid a cliche conclusion such as “I learned that people can be happy with so little.” 

Prompt 2 Option 2

Usd is a proud changemaker campus, as designated by ashoka u. as such, the usd experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. why does it matter to you what experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue (200 words).

If you’re someone who’s passionate about global issues or social justice, this is a great option for you and fits into the political/global issues style of essay . 

This prompt gives you the opportunity to show that you’re an engaged citizen who cares about others and wants to make a difference. It’s also a chance to show admissions officers how you align with The University of San Diego’s values that they emphasize above.

As you write, keep in mind that you want to choose a challenge that is relevant and pressing to you. However, you should focus more on why it matters to you rather than the challenge itself. The admissions officers know about climate change, refugee crises, and Black Lives Matter protests. What they don’t know yet is why you care about these issues.

The structure of your essay should introduce the challenge you are passionate about (ideally through an anecdote), explain what drew you to this issue, describe how your emotions or state of mind are affected by this issue, and share what you see as a solution. 

Describing your emotions and state of mind when you hear or think about this issue is how you will be able to convey to admissions officers what this challenge means to you. You don’t want to say, “I am sad when I think about all the people who have died from cancer because we still don’t have a cure.” To really show admissions officers your passion and interest in this topic, you would write something like this: “An overwhelming feeling of desperation and confusion floods over me upon hearing my friend’s grandpa died of pancreatic cancer. It doesn’t make sense. We’ve cured Smallpox and Polio, we’ve developed vaccines for countless sicknesses. How can we fight off these petulant cells?”

Maybe the most important part of your essay is the ending. How are you going to fix this problem? Although the prompt doesn’t explicitly ask for you to propose a solution to the challenge you discuss, including this will take your essay from good to great. Admissions officers want to admit students who will change the world. Your essay should show that you are innovative and think towards the future. Just a sentence or two about how you want to improve the world will show that you are the type of student the University of San Diego wants on their campus. 

Prompt 2 Option 3

Because usd is a contemporary catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. we devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant usd community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with god while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. (200 words).

If you are not someone who’s passionate about faith or spirituality, this may not be the best prompt for you. However, if you are someone who’s been strongly affected by faith and spirituality, this is your chance to express how those values connect with USD’s.

​​One essay structure approach you can take with this essay is: 

• Start with your first interactions with religion/faith/spirituality
• Tell the story of how you arrived at your conclusions about faith/spirituality and include any moments where you were challenged. 
• Connect these conclusions with the values of USD 

This is an especially fitting essay for related anecdotes if they’re short enough. For instance, you might start your essay with a story of when you first wondered about spirituality. If your relationship with spirituality or faith changed over time, that would also lend itself well to a series of anecdotes. 

Where to Get Your University of San Diego School Essay Edited for Free : 

Do you want feedback on your University of San Diego essay? It’s always good to get a second pair of eyes on your writing. That’s why we created our Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. Since they don’t know you personally, they can be a more objective judge of whether your personality shines through, and whether you’ve fully answered the prompt. 

You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

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How to Respond to 2023/2024 University of San Diego Supplemental Essay Prompts

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The University of San Diego is a private, Roman-Catholic university located in beautiful San Diego, California. Through the USD supplemental essay, students have a chance to show the admissions professionals who they are as a person. Let’s dive into what the USD supplemental essays are all about!

Mandatory USD first-year supplemental essay

“The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Learning Communities (LC ), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why.” 

All first-year applicants are required to write this essay prompt. It gives the reader an opportunity to see what kind of student you are and who you are as a person. This prompt can be easily answered in about 200 words, but the maximum length it can be is 350 words. 

This is a personal opinion essay, but a good one to show the admissions professionals at San Diego what kind of person you are. Are you an advocate, and if so, why? How is collaboration important to you in your college career? Think about things like this while you are looking at each of these five themes. 

Questions to consider:

• How have you used one of these themes in your life to shape who you are?
• Are any of these themes values that your current school community holds?
• How will you incorporate these themes into your education at San Diego?

Also see: 10 tips for successful college applications

Mandatory USD supplemental essay for transfer students

“How will USD help enhance your educational and professional goals beyond what your current institution offers?”

If you are choosing to transfer, it is likely that you already know the answer to this question. Think about the reason that you are deciding to leave your previous institution, and without putting that school down, talk about the things that you are looking forward to that San Diego offers. Beyond that, what are you hoping to do after you graduate college that San Diego can help you with? Whatever your future goal is, think about the alumni network, classes, and professors that USD can offer you as an undergraduate and incorporate them into your response here. 

• What are your educational and professional goals?
• What does USD have that your previous institution did not?
• Why is USD the ideal school for you?

Also see: How to write a transfer essay

First year and transfer student optional prompts

First year students are also required to choose one of the three prompts below to write along with their mandatory essay. Each of these prompts can also be written in 350 words, and giving students the opportunity to choose which prompt they would like to write shows that USD wants to get to know you!

“What contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community? Here at USD, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. Our newly launched  Horizon Project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. We value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education.”

This prompt offers a great opportunity to talk about the times where you have served your community through community service. If you do not have any community service experience to talk about, that is completely fine. You can think about clubs and organizations that you were in while in high school, and how they affected the individuals in the organization and your school community. Read about the Horizon Project and how you can get involved. If you have any experience working on a team to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within your community, school, or organization, this is a great opportunity to touch on this.

• What community service opportunities did you participate in while in high school?
• What steps did you take to make the organization you were a part of more diverse? 
• Have you worked on a diversity project or on a diversity team in an organization?

“Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. Why does it matter to you? What experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue. As a proud Changemaker Campus , as designated by Ashoka U, the USD experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective.”

This is a very deep question that will take some time to answer fully. As you can imagine, there are so many different topics that you could choose to write about here. The best thing that you can do here is free write about something that you are passionate about or something that you want to change in the world.  After you are done with that, go back and edit your work into more cohesive thoughts. Be sure to link back to the Changemaker website to show that you did your research! 

• What are you passionate about?
• What experiences have you had that made you passionate about this topic?
• What do you feel are the world’s most pressing issues–what needs to change?

“Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. As a contemporary Catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. We devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant USD community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with God while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become.”

Since the University of San Diego is a Catholic university, faith is something that is very important to them. Remember, this is an optional prompt, so you do not necessarily need to write this essay. But, if you are a spiritual person and this is something you are passionate about, this essay can tell a lot about the kind of person you– especially if you choose to write about your admiration for someone else’s faith. This shows that you are observant and that you have respect for other people, two things that many colleges look for in a student. 

• Who in your life has influenced your faith?
• Regardless of what religion they practice, who in your life has a faith that you admire?
• How has your faith influenced your education?

Final thoughts for students

There are a nice variety of essays to choose from for your USD supplemental essay. Each of these are pretty straightforward essay options, but just make sure that you are focusing on what makes San Diego the best place for you, and why you would make a great addition to their community. Overall, if you are open and honest in each of your responses, they will love you!

Also see: What is the difference between a college and university?

Additional resources

Once you’ve finished your USD supplemental essays, give yourself a pat on the back! You’re one step closer to finishing your college admissions. But once you’re ready to get back into the process, remember we are here to help every step of the way. With guides on when to apply to college , how many schools to apply to , and how to choose a safety school , we can help you with all your decision-making.

We can also help you decipher your financial aid award letter , write a financial aid appeal , and choose your college . Good luck, and remember, apply to all the scholarships you are eligible for! 

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University of San Diego Undergraduate College Application Essays

These University of San Diego college application essays were written by students accepted at University of San Diego. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by University of San Diego

Forget-me-not anonymous, university of san diego.

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The Surfer and the Seal Anonymous

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I lead a double life. You don’t often find someone who both dances and plays football. I suppose that makes me a statistical anomaly, because I go to tackle practice at six a.m. and barre class at six p.m. I love dance because it’s art with...

My Closet of Characters Elle Ventana Knowlton

To most people, a costume is a few layers of carefully constructed material that conveys a character or historical period. To me it is a vessel of teleportation that permits me to explore the personalities of flirts, cowards, evil geniuses, and...

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One More Fight Anonymous

I'm standing in the arena, facing my opponent. Hands on guard and ready to fight, fists clenched and sweat dripping down my fingers. In the distance, I hear the command, "fight!" The match has begun.

Sparring, kata, sweeps, hooks, and grabs had...

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The Artist Dylan Alexandra Folsom

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Recent Questions about University of San Diego

The Question and Answer section for University of San Diego is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

First-Year Student Application Requirements

Interested in becoming a Triton? As a first-year applicant, you must earn a high school diploma (or equivalent) and satisfy UC minimum admission requirements . UC San Diego reviews both academic and non-academic factors in consideration for admission. Competitive applicants present an academic profile stronger than the minimum requirements detailed below.

College Preparatory 'A-G' Subject Requirement

Grade point average (gpa) requirement, selective majors, personal insight questions.

• Portfolio Review (optional for majors to the Arts)

College Ranking

To be eligible for admission to UC San Diego, you must complete UC College preparatory courses (A-G courses) in the subjects below and earn a "C" grade or better. Complete at least 11 of the 15 courses before your senior year of high school.

• California residents: take the courses in these areas that appear on your high school's UC-approved course list .
• International applicants: learn more on the International Students page.
• All applicants: UC will accept a grade of CR (credit) or P (pass) in A-G courses completed Winter 2020 through Summer 2021 only .

To be eligible for admission to UC San Diego, you must earn the following minimum GPA in all A-G courses.

• California residents must earn a GPA of 3.0 (or better) with no grade lower than "C."
• Non-California residents, including International applicants, must earn a GPA of 3.4 (or better) with no grade lower than a "C."

Your GPA is based on grades earned in college preparatory (A-G) courses taken during 10th and 11th grades (including summer sessions).

UC San Diego does not consider SAT or ACT test scores as a factor in admissions or scholarship decisions. If you choose to submit test scores, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements or for course placement should you be admitted, and enroll at the university.

International Students

Demonstration of English proficiency is required if your native language is not English and your secondary/high school education was in a country where English is not the language of instruction. Learn more on the International Students page .

To demonstrate English proficiency take one of the following:

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Tests

If you complete Advanced Placement (AP) courses, we recommend that you complete the related AP examination to demonstrate subject mastery. Similarly, International Baccalaureate (IB) scores can be used to showcase academic mastery. To receive unit credit toward the baccalaureate degree, you must submit an official copy of your AP or IB scores directly from the testing agency. This can be done in the summer following your high school graduation. Other entrance exams taken after high school graduation are not considered.

A selective major is one with limited enrollment, due to capacity. UC San Diego’s most selective majors include Business Economics as well as all majors in the schools listed below:

• Biological Sciences
• Data Science
• Engineering
• Public Health
• Business Economics in the School of Social Sciences

If you are applying to a selective major, we strongly recommend that you indicate an alternate non-selective major on your UC application. If you are not admitted to your first-choice selective major, you may be admitted to your alternate major if space is available.

The personal insight questions are about getting to know you better – your life experience, interests, ambitions and inspirations. This is your opportunity to tell us who you are, what’s important to you and the contributions you would make to the UC San Diego Triton community.

• You must answer 4 out of 8 questions. Each answer is limited to 350 words.
• All questions are given equal consideration in the application review process.
• We recommend selecting questions that reveal the most about you and best reflect your experiences.

UC students and admissions staff share their best tips for writing application essays

Tips and tricks for acing this important part of the UC Application

Portfolio Review

Applicants to majors in the Arts (Music, Theatre & Dance, Visual Arts) have the option to submit a portfolio or audition. Visit The School of Arts and Humanities and click on Portfolio for more information.

UC San Diego’s unique college system creates an opportunity to make the university experience more personal and approachable by providing support and a smaller community within the larger university. Students are free to pursue their chosen major no matter which college they are affiliated with. You will be asked to rank UC San Diego's Colleges on the UC Application. Visit our Colleges page and review the general education requirements to learn more. When you're ready, use this ranking tool before you apply.

First-Year applicants completing California Community College coursework, please note: Neither IGETC certification nor partial-IGETC completion may apply toward the fulfillment of UC San Diego college general education requirements for incoming first-year students.

Your guide to UC San Diego’s academics, research and resources

Admissions Information

We're looking for fearless innovators. Bold risk-takers. Those with a compulsive urge to take things apart, discover what makes them tick and put them back together in surprising new ways. People who are eager to swap ideas, share experiences and explore the world with a fresh perspective. If that sounds like you, start building your future at UC San Diego.

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Education is an investment to be considered wisely., university of san diego supplement essay defined.

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Applicants to the University of California San Diego and all other UC schools submit four shorter essays in response to prompts freely selected from a list of eight Personal Insight Questions . The questions are wide ranging, designed to help you introduce yourself to the school and tell them about your aptitudes, leadership qualities, community service, or other extracurricular activities, interests, or skills.

Short Answer Questions

You must respond to four of the eight prompts offered, and each response can have a maximum of 350 words. See the Personal Insight Questions page provided by UC Admissions for additional guidance.

350 words maximum

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?

Helpful Resources

How To Answer The “Why This College” Essay Prompt

We’ll go over the best ways to approach the 'Why This College" essay and provide helpful tips to help you write an effective essay that impresses admission officers.

How To Format & Structure Your College Application Essay

Your essays are a chance for admissions officers to get to know you beyond your grades, test scores, and ECLs. But how do you craft essays that reflect who you are AND impress the admissions officers?

Everything You Need To Know About The Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays are required by many highly selective institutions in addition to the personal essay included in your Common Application. You can learn all about what they are and why they’re important here.

Get Your Essay Reviewed

Feel confident when submitting your college application essay by getting it reviewed by a professional admissions expert..

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College Admissions Essay Individualized Tutorial Support

Write effective essays for college and university writing prompts and research specific colleges, universities and programs for supplemental essays..

Students will be exposed to the skills necessary for personal essay writing, and they will use those skills to draft, edit and complete essays for the UC Personal Insight questions, and based on student interest and need, the Common Application essay prompts. In addition, students will learn the research and writing skills necessary to complete supplementary essay questions for specific colleges, universities, and programs. Students can use these skills to write admissions essays for colleges and universities that do not use the Personal Insight Questions or Common Application prompts. Instruction will focus on college admissions essay writing as a process that includes reading the essay questions carefully, drafting and editing drafts of essays tailored to the essay questions, learning to self-edit final drafts for common grammar and usage issues, and acquiring skills necessary to perform research on college and university websites for supplementary questions.

What You Will Learn

• Learn the skills necessary to analyze and break down essay prompts before writing.
• Implement pre-writing strategies such as brainstorming and outlining.
• Apply the skills of personal essay writing to draft and assess their own essays for effectiveness and relevance to essay prompts.
• Use research skills necessary to write supplementary essays for specific programs, colleges, and universities.
• Edit final drafts for basic grammar and usage issues, including syntax (verb tense and comma splices) and diction (varying word choice).

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Dr. Gudas's recent college essay students have been accepted to these colleges and universities: Yale University, USC, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Purdue University School of Engineering, Santa Clara University, DePaul University, University of Washington, Indiana University, Ohio State University, Loyola Marymount University, Hofstra University, Savannah College Of Art and Design, University of Colorado Bounder, Penn State, University of Alabama  

• Eric Gudas really helped me to refine my college application essays. He got me to better understand the prompts and how I could better adhere to them while guiding me in finding and developing the weaker parts of my essay to bring it together as a strong cohesive piece of writing. I deeply enjoyed working with him and look forward to working with him in the future.                           —Faith, UC Berkeley student, class of 2026​
• Dr. Gudas helped me review and strengthen my Common Application and UC essays, along with essays for my AP English class. Ultimately, I was accepted into UCLA, USC, UCI, UCSB, and other colleges. Without the assistance of Dr. Gudas, my college application essays would definitely not have been as refined. During sessions, he really helps you understand the prompts and find your own ways to answer them. He is also skilled at grammar-fixing and sentence-structuring. Furthermore, Dr. Gudas has a great personality and is enjoyable to work with. I would recommend Dr. Gudas to anybody looking for any sort of help with writing, especially college application essays.                                                                                                                                     —Jason Ni, UCLA student, class of 2027

How to Write an Essay: Podcast

Note:   Course and schedule details: This course offers students four hours to work with the instructor via one-on-one virtual meetings. These meetings are scheduled at the discretion of the instructor and student based on student availability and preference. The course cost is $400. How to enroll: Please contact [email protected] and they will directly help you enroll in the course and schedule your sessions with the instructor.  Cancellation policy: Students must provide 24 hours’ notice if they intend to cancel a session via email ( [email protected] ). Failure to do so will result in the session counting towards the total number of sessions that have been prepaid for.   

Course Number:  WCWP-90002 Credit:  0.00 unit(s)

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Online Asynchronous. This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required. You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Gudas, Eric

Eric Gudas has been helping students succeed at their college admissions essays for more than ten years. He received a Ph.D. in English from UCLA, and he has taught first-year writing, American literature, and creative writing at UCLA, UC Davis, Occidental College, and Cal State Los Angeles. He is author of a book of poetry, and his own essays have appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Raritan, Senses of Cinema, Reading in Translation , and other publications.

No information available at this time.

Early enrollment advised. No UCSD parking permit required. No visitors permitted. Pre-enrollment required. No refunds after: 6/17/2024.

Sessions are conducted live online through Zoom. Upon scheduling, the instructor will send Zoom details to students via email. It is essential for students to participate in the sessions within the specified section dates. Any unused hours remaining after the section's end date will be forfeited.

DATE & LOCATION:

6/24/2024 - 9/14/2024 extensioncanvas.ucsd.edu You will have access to your course materials on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

There are no sections of this course currently scheduled. Please contact the Pre-College Programs department at 858-534-0804 or [email protected] for information about when this course will be offered again.

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UCSD Secondary Essay Prompts & Examples

The University of California San Diego (UCSD) secondary essays can help you stand out among thousands of applicants to this highly competitive medical school. In our blog, we will go over UCSD secondary prompts and sample essays and give you tips for how to craft outstanding supplemental essays for your application!

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Article Contents 9 min read

Medical school secondary essays  are designed to provide admissions committees with additional information on an applicant's suitability for a career in medicine. They use this information to whittle down the pile of applicants into a select number that will be invited to continue through the admission process. As students are likely to receive secondary application requests from a handful of schools in a similar timeframe, students should begin working on their applications ahead of time. 

 The University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine is extremely competitive, receiving approximately 8000 applicants each year that compete for only 110 spots in the MD program. With a success rate of only 1.37%, students must ensure their UCSD secondary essays stand out. The difficult autobiographical sketch requires students to dig deep and construct an essay describing their motivations, accomplishments, and hardships in their journey to medicine. With up to 6000 characters to play with, this essay is even longer than the medical school personal statement. In this blog, you'll learn everything you need to know about the UCSD secondary application and you'll have the chance to review secondary essay prompts and examples.

The UCSD MD program's mission is to “provide cutting edge resources and education to our students so they may grow into innovative and compassionate physicians, focused on providing superior medical care to the global community.” With a new curriculum, the school aims to provide its graduates with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes necessary to become capable and compassionate doctors.

MD PhD vs MD

The joint MD/PhD program is offered through the Medical Scientist Training Program for students who wish to pursue both research and medicine at the same time. The program's mission is to “provide students with the breadth and depth of training necessary to excel as academic physicians. The curriculum combines classroom and clinical training in the UCSD School of Medicine with research in a Graduate Department.”

Program in Medical Education – Health Equity (PRIME-HEQ)

The PRIME – HEQ program is designed to train physicians to meet the needs of underserved populations within California. The program's mission is to “develop leaders to eliminate health disparities in their communities, our nation, and the world.” Students admitted into this program will have the opportunity to identify and work with populations or communities at risk.

The GHAC's mission is to “provide medical students with the knowledge, experiences, and resources needed to prepare them for careers in Global Health by learning about complexities and challenges of global healthcare delivery, ethics of doing Global Health research, and socio-structural bases of health inequities.” Students involved in this stream have the opportunity to complete an international research experience and clinical rotation abroad. Students can apply to this track if they've been invited to complete a secondary application, however, only five students from the applicant pool will be selected.

UCSD School of Medicine (SOM) does not send out secondary applications to all applicants, instead, they use primary applications as a way to screen applicants and choose who will progress to the next stage of the admissions process. Once a secondary application invitation has been sent, students will have one month to complete and submit their application. Students enrolled in the MD-PhD programs , however, will only be given two weeks to return their completed application. Those that did not receive secondary application invitations will still be considered during a potential second round of review and invitation that occurs in January. Once students return their secondary applications, they may be invited to participate in a MMI, be put on hold for an interview, or they may not be asked to continue further. UCSD's secondary application fee is $120.

UCSD Application Timeline:

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UCSD Essay Prompts

While there are many medical school secondary essay examples , UCSD secondary applications contain both required and optional essays depending on an applicant's program of interest. 

1. Autobiographical Sketch

This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, undergraduate years, and, if applicable, what you’ve done since completing your bachelor’s degree. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. Looking over medical school personal statement examples may help you get some ideas, but a repeat of your AMCAS statement will not be acceptable. (6000 characters)

Please note: if you are applying to the MD/PhD program, please include why you are specifically interested in seeking MD/PhD training at UCSD.

2. Some medical school applicants are already focused on pursuing a particular career pathway in medicine. While many students will change from this pathway during medical school, knowing of your potential interests does help us to assign interviewers. Your choice below does not influence how the Admissions Committee selects students to interview.

Please select from one of the career pathways listed below. In addition to this selection, please provide a brief description of your future career goals. (400 characters)

• Academic Medicine (Working as a faculty member at a School of Medicine either as a clinician, a clinician-educator, or a clinician investigator. This could be in any field of medicine)
• Primary Care and/or work in underserved communities (Working as a general internist, a pediatrician, or a family medicine physician and/or spending the majority of your time working in a community currently underserved by the medical profession)
• Public Health, administrative leadership in medicine (Pursuing an MPH and/or working for a public health department or organization; working in health care policy; working as a hospital administrator)
• Specialist in private practice (Working in a private practice or managed care setting as a subspecialist. Examples include cardiologist, infectious disease specialist, obstetrician, orthopedic surgeon, general surgeon, anaesthesiologist, radiologist)
• Other/undecided

1. Please describe your interest in the PRIME-HEq program. Topics to include are longitudinal experiences that you’ve had with underserved communities, including the type of community that you’ve worked with and your level of involvement. Additionally, you should discuss the length of time that you’ve spent working in these communities. (OPTIONAL)

2. Global Health Academic Concentration: Please describe your interest in Global Health. The term Global Health can have many meanings; for our purposes, we find the definition provided by Koplan et. al. in their 2009 Lancet publication useful: “the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide”. In your essay, be sure to describe any personal or professional experiences that have shaped your interests, and how Global Health issues have influenced your decision to pursue a career in medicine. (OPTIONAL)

3. Please describe your interest in the MAS-Clinical Research program. Topics to include are your previous experience with clinical and/or translational research, your role within the research group, and what you envision for a career that includes clinical and/or translational research. A letter of recommendation from the individual supervising your previous experience is helpful but not required. (OPTIONAL)

“I can see in the dark! I can see in the dark!” screamed the formerly blind child as she ran around on a dimly lit street late at night. Watching her excitement on a video clip through tears, I could not help but feel immeasurable joy and think, “A week and a half ago, she could not see. Medicine did this.” As a current clinical research associate for the Vision Center team at Children’s Hospital of San Francisco, we provide the first-ever FDA-approved gene therapy that corrects a genetic defect of children who suffer from blindness due to Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis. I am a part of this team because of the family I come from, the values that they instilled in me, and the opportunities I pursued because of these values.

I come from three generations of immigrants. From displacement by the Armenian Genocide to resettlement in Soviet Armenia, to immigration to Los Angeles, CA, with each generation of movement came generations of stories. These stories contained pain from which I learned empathy, hope from which I learned resilience, and the pursuit of progress from which I learned perseverance. Most importantly, these stories taught me what it means to be a good listener and to be respectful. Using these anecdotes and my ethnic background as my foundation, I developed a desire to understand other cultures.

While in high school, I joined a non-profit group that aims to empower women who are in cooperatives in Tabasco, Mexico by selling their hand-made artisan goods. During my junior year, I had the opportunity to travel to Tabasco and meet with the women who made these beautiful, ornate pieces. After learning about their lives and seeing the appreciation they had towards us, I knew I needed to be in a field where I could expand my understanding of human cultures and behavior.

While majoring in physical anthropology in college, I worked as an office assistant and interpreter in an ophthalmology clinic over the summers. Because the clinic would get busy quickly and I wanted to ease the burden of the front office staff, I started organizing each week’s patient charts in advance and calling the patients to remind them of their appointments. “You’re like the Energizer Bunny!” said my coworker one day as I handed her a stack of charts. From that moment, the name stuck. My time at the office was valuable because it reinforced my ability to complete projects quickly and efficiently while reminding me of the importance of following any project through to the very end.

Wanting to gain more clinical experience after college, I became a clinical research coordinator at a medical center where I coordinated clinical trials and PI-initiated studies. I interfaced with and integrated a number of healthcare professionals to push forward numerous studies and care for a high volume of patients. One of the projects I worked on extensively required a six-hour, multifaceted consultation visit that was taxing both on the patient and clinic flow. Recognizing the inefficiency, I created a system in clinic that scheduled these visits early in the morning, prepared all forms and rooms for the optometrists and retina specialists in advance, and remained in constant communication with all clinic staff throughout the patient’s visit. Because of these improvements, we shortened the consultation visit time by half and became one of the top enrolling sites for the clinical trial. In addition to being exposed to and enjoying team-based, collaborative delivery of care, I developed a newfound interest in public health.

Following my time as a research coordinator, I pursued an MPH degree in epidemiology at the University of San Fransisco. While in graduate school, I wanted to integrate what I was learning in my classes by working in the community I was living in and by participating in epidemiological research. As a graduate research assistant, I refined my analytical and scientific inquiry and gained the confidence to develop a research project independently. I applied this confidence to my work as a Bloom mentor as I created weekly lesson plans and activities for adolescent girls around themes such as menstrual health and hygiene, bullying, obesity, diversity, and more. Encouraging the girls to participate, I saw them develop trust in the other mentors, their peers, and myself. as they shared their experiences with the difficult themes we presented. My time as a mentor taught me the importance of building rapport, being honest, and communicating clearly and effectively.

I have been exposed to diverse educational and professional opportunities that allowed me to help individuals, deepen my understanding of health and human behavior, and acquire a population-level perspective that places individuals in the context of their environment. I want to be a physician that serves pediatric populations and with a passion for epidemiologic research, I appreciate UCSD SOM’s Center for Better Beginnings which aims to promote maternal health and child development. Under the guidance of Dr. Gill Vandolis, I can build off my previous pediatric epidemiological studies while also volunteering in my future specialty of pediatrics at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. UC San Diego School of Medicine would allow me to gain a solid understanding of clinical concepts in a research setting, to continue to pursue epidemiologic research, and would help propel me into a future career as a physician and researcher. I aim to improve the lives of children and adolescents through the practice of compassionate medicine and interdisciplinary, innovative research.

Character count: 5601

Click here to see another response to this prompt. 

I envision integrating my future medical education with my MPH to pursue interdisciplinary research and working at a public health organization. Specifically, I want to pursue epidemiological research that informs change. I aim to translate my future research into effective policy changes and innovative, community-based initiatives.

Character count: 335

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Hello, I'm not sure where the information about a 2 week turnaround time for MD-PhD students came from, but I wasn't able to find it anywhere else, including the UCSD MSTP website.

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Natalie! Thanks for your comment. Please follow any deadlines detailed by UCSD to submit your secondaries. 

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San Diego State University | SDSU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

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?

University of California 2023-24 Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Nov 30

You Have: 

University of California  2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 4 out of 8 essays, 350 words each.

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Oddball , Community , Activity

The UC application sounds like a riddle. Every student must write four essays, but choose from eight prompts. The rules may be unfamiliar, but the game is the same: tell admissions something they don’t know – and then do it three more times! The instructions counsel you to “select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances,” and frankly, we couldn’t agree more. A strategic applicant will choose a constellation of prompts that highlight vastly different aspects of their lives and personalities, leaving an admissions officer with a deep and complete picture of who they are. Don’t get hung up on trying to divine the questions admissions wants you to answer. In the end, they just want to get to know the real you, plus the application swears that “there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.” So follow your heart (!) and don’t let the fatigue get to you. Avoid robotically starting every answer by restating the question and be as anecdotal as possible. With each essay, your goal isn’t just to answer the question, but to tell a very short story about yourself!

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.  

Things to consider: a leadership role can mean more than just a title. it can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. what were your responsibilities, did you lead a team how did your experience change your perspective on leading others did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization and your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. for example, do you help out or take care of your family.

When answering this question, avoid the siren song of your resume. This question isn’t asking you for a list! Remember: it’s your job, as an applicant, to use every essay as an opportunity to reveal something new about yourself. Think of a moment when you were in a position where you worked really hard to help a group of people. Maybe you are always the one helping your younger siblings with their homework, and you struggled to find ways to engage your dyslexic younger brother with math. Maybe, as a camp counselor or church volunteer, you were in charge of choreographing and instructing a number for a group of seven-year-old hip hop dancers to perform. Perhaps, on a Habitat for Humanity school trip, you became the head cook, whipping up everything from pancakes to chicken fajitas while galvanizing a team of sous chefs to pitch in.  

The point is, try to isolate a single leadership moment, and bring it to life with vivid details. Describe where you were, what was happening around you, and what you were feeling. Discuss what challenges you faced, and what you ultimately learned from the experience. Don’t shy away from challenges or even failures, since these are exactly the sorts of character-building experiences that can demonstrate resilience and quick thinking.

2. 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.

Things to consider: what does creativity mean to you do you have a creative skill that is important to you what have you been able to do with that skill if you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution what are the steps you took to solve the problem, how does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom does your creativity relate to your major or a future career.

You may think that this question was geared towards the artistically inclined, but take a closer look. The wording offers many potential definitions that veer away from traditional conceptions of creativity (and actually, it asks you for your personal definition!). Creativity lies in your outlook: seeing the opportunity to use one of your skills in a novel situation; looking at a problem from a new angle to find the solution that no one else could see. This question is, in reality, ideal for the more scientifically oriented to create a more well-rounded profile. Creative types, on the other hand, might want to proceed with caution since, really, every question is an opportunity to show off your talents and describe your artistic endeavors.

No matter who you are, though, remember this classic writing advice: show don’t tell. So, you claim that gardening, or Calculus, or painting is how you show your creative side. Okay. So, then immerse the reader in this activity with you . If you enjoy gardening, describe the plants, their qualities, and how you make your horticultural choices; are you drawn to the aesthetics or are you botanically inquisitive? Similarly, if your subject is Calculus, show the reader how you sat in your dad’s office for six hours straight trying to calculate Pi on a three dozen sheets of paper using red crayon.  If you love to paint, show the reader where you paint, what you paint, and why you paint, describing the colors, textures, materials—the essential process behind your art. Write descriptively so that the reader can feel as if he or she were experiencing your creative passion with you.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?  

Things to consider: if there’s a talent or skill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. you don’t necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). why is this talent or skill meaningful to you, does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom if so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule.

If question 3 reminds you of question 2, you’re not alone. Often, when we talk about a talent or skill that we have honed over the course of a lifetime, we’re inclined to describe it as an art — a creative extension of who we are. So if you choose to respond to both of these questions, make sure to highlight distinct skills in each. 

The good news is: finding your subject should be easy! You just need to answer this question: what makes you proud? Think about the stories that your friends and family like to share about you. Think about moments when your hard work paid off. When you can zero in on an experience that makes your heart swell, you’ll be able to pinpoint your essential subject. If the memory of your first swim meet victory still makes you smile, draw us into your rigorous training schedule; describe the aspects of the sport that motivate you to wake up early and push yourself. What were your challenges? What has this experience taught you? This narrative should have a clear timeline that traces your growth from the past to the present and into the future. How do you plan to further develop your talent in college and/or after college? Show not only that you have grown, but that you will continue to grow as you take your first steps into adulthood.

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Things to consider: an educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. for example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that’s geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you — just to name a few. , if you choose to write about educational barriers you’ve faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them what personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge how did overcoming this barrier help shape who are you today.

This question is tricky because it has two parts. So first break the question down: You can write about either A.) How you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity OR B.) How you have worked to overcome an educational barrier. The “or” is key. You are not being asked to write about both parts of this question. Just write about one.

If you have participated in an afterschool program, internship, honors program, or a special class that was meaningful or inspiring to you, you will want to think about choosing option A.  Maybe it was an afterschool program for young, aspiring lawyers, or an advanced history class that you took at your local community college. This is an opportunity for you to showcase your ambition and highlight the kinds of challenges that engage and excite you. Beyond underscoring an academic interest, reflect on the personal qualities required for you to succeed. And remember to show, not tell! It will save you from accidentally humble-bragging your way through this assignment. 

Now, for option B. If you have worked to overcome a disability, struggled in school because you have a different background than your peers, suffered financial hardship, or something along those lines, you can choose to write about option B. To nail this tricky task, you will need to highlight not only the ways you struggled, but also the qualities that helped you succeed. How would you define yourself? Resilient? Hardworking? Brave? Zero in on a quality that resonates with you, and write targeted descriptions that bring it to life. (No one is going to believe you if you just write, “I am resilient,” and leave it at that.) Lastly, reflect on how this barrier shaped who you are today, and what skills you gained through facing this educational barrier.

5. 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?

Things to consider: a challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. why was the challenge significant to you this is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone, if you’re currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life for example, ask yourself, “how has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family”.

If you skipped question 4 or chose to write about option A, this question is a gift: a second chance to showcase your resilience in the face of obstacles. On the other hand, if you chose to write about option B in question 4, this might feel redundant. You are free to write about both, but again, proceed with caution and be sure to select a totally different challenge.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: questions that ask you to describe a struggle or failure are really probing for stories about success. What pro-active steps did you take to address the problem at hand? Even if your solution didn’t work out perfectly, what did you learn? In facing this challenge, did you discover a courageous, creative, or hard-working side of yourself? Did you learn something valuable about yourself or others? Highlight the upside. How did this challenge shape who you are today? And how will the skills that you gained dealing with this challenge will help you in college and beyond?

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. 

Things to consider: many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can’t get enough of. if that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom — such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs — and what you have gained from your involvement., has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, ap, ib, college or university work) are you inspired to pursue this subject further at uc, and how might you do that.

If you’ve ever referred to yourself as a “nerd” or “geek”, this question is probably for you. To nail down a topic for this bad boy, you can work in two directions: (1) think about how your favorite academic subject has impacted your extracurricular pursuits, or (2) trace one of your favorite hobbies back to its origins in the classroom. Maybe your love of languages led you to take a job at a coffee shop frequented by multilingual tourists. Or perhaps your now-extensive coin collection was resurrected when you did a research project on ancient Roman currency. Whichever way you go about it, building a bridge between the scholarly and the personal lies at the heart of answering this prompt.

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? 

Things to consider: think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place —like your high school, hometown or home. you can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community, why were you inspired to act what did you learn from your effort how did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community.

Some backwards advice: When writing about community service, you should always start with yourself. Community service essays are cliché minefields. To avoid drifting into platitudes, you need to ground your writing in the specificity of your life. Don’t start with the action and end with what you learned. Instead, dig into your motivations. If you spent weeks petitioning your school community to raise the hourly wage for custodial staff, what prompted you to act? What assumptions did you have about income inequality and what did you learn about your community in the process? Or, maybe you weren’t too enthused about your community service. Maybe you participated in a soccer-team-mandated day of coaching a pee-wee team. What caused your skepticism? How did you turn the experience around?

Also, don’t just choose a topic that sounds impressive. “This year I acted as the co-chair of the Honors Society, presiding over twenty different cases.” If you didn’t, in fact, really enjoy Honors Society, write about a topic that means something to you instead. Think of a moment where you felt like you made a change in your local community. It can be something small; it does not have to be monumental, but it should mean a great deal to you. Describe the moment, using detail to bring it to life, and then reflect on what that experience taught you, and how you hope to continue these activities in the future.

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Things to consider: if there’s anything you want us to know about you, but didn’t find a question or place in the application to tell us, now’s your change. what have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better, from your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for uc don’t be afraid to brag a little..

This question is really just what it says it is—an open-ended, choose-your-own-adventure question.  Is there something that you really, really want to tell the UC admissions team that you feel makes you a strong and unique candidate that is not showcased in the other three personal insight questions? As with the other questions, whatever topic you choose, please use detail and description to bring this topic to life for the reader, and include thoughtful reflection on why this topic matters to you. Also, be sure to explain why your chosen topic makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the UC schools, since the question specifically asks you to do that!

About Kat Stubing

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