berkeley college essay prompt

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Personal Insight Questions

As a vital part of your application, the personal insight questions—short-answer questions you will choose from—are reviewed by both the admissions and scholarship offices., at berkeley we use personal insight questions to:.

• Discover and evaluate distinctions among applicants whose academic records are often very similar
• Gain insight into your level of academic, personal and extracurricular achievement
• Provide us with information that may not be evident in other parts of the application

What we look for:

• Initiative, motivation, leadership, persistence, service to others, special potential and substantial experience with other cultures
• All achievement in light of the opportunities available to you
• How you confronted and overcame your challenges, rather than describing a hardship just for the sake of including it in your application
• What you learned from or achieved in spite of these circumstances

Academic achievement

For first-year applicants:

• Academic accomplishments, beyond those shown in your transcript

For transfer students:

• Include interest in your intended major, explain the way in which your academic interests developed, and describe any related work or volunteer experience.
• Explain your reason for transferring if you are applying from a four-year institution or a community college outside of California. For example, you may substantiate your choice of a particular major or your interest in studying with certain faculty on our campus.

How to answer your personal insight questions

• Thoughtfully describe not only what you’ve done, but also the choices you have made and what you have gained as a result.
• Allow sufficient time for preparation, revisions, and careful composition. Your answers are not evaluated on correct grammar, spelling, or sentence structure, but these qualities will enhance overall presentation and readability.

If you are applying…

• Your intended field of study
• Your interest in your specific major
• Any school or work-related experience
• for a scholarship, we recommend that you elaborate on the academic and extracurricular information in the application that demonstrates your motivation, achievement, leadership, and commitment .
• Discuss how the program might benefit you
• Tell us about your determination to succeed even though you may have lacked academic or financial support

Keep in mind

You can use the Additional Comments box to convey any information that will help us understand the context of your achievement; to list any additional honors awards, activities, leadership elements, volunteer activities, etc.; to share information regarding a nontraditional school environment or unusual circumstances that has not been included in any other area of the application. And, finally, after we read your personal insight questions, we will ask the question, “What do we know about this individual?” If we have learned very little about you, your answers were not successful.

• Personal Insight Questions (University of California)
• Personal Insight Question Writing Tips
• Leadership (video)
• What Leadership Looks Like

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Personal insight questions

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• You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal. All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.  
• Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application. 

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

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? 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? 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 is 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? 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 you are today? 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? 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?

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? 8. 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? 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 chance. 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.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

Need more help?

Download our worksheets:

• English [PDF]
• Spanish [PDF]

18 UC Berkeley Essay Examples that Worked (2024)

If you want to get into the University of California, Berkeley in 2022, you need to write strong Personal Insight Question essays.

In this article I've gathered 18 of the best University of California essays that worked in recent years for you to learn from and get inspired.

What is UC Berkeley's Acceptance Rate?

UC Berkeley is one of the top public universities and therefore highly competitive to get admitted into.

This past year 112,854 students applied to Berkeley and only 16,412 got accepted. Which gives UC Berkeley an overall admit rate of 14.5%.

And as of 2022, the University of California no longer uses your SAT and ACT when deciding which students to admit.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Scattergram

This means that your Personal Insight Questions are even more important to stand out in the admissions process. That is, your essays are more heavily weighed.

If you're trying to get accepted to UC Berkeley, here are 18 of the best examples of Personal Insight Questions that got into Berkeley.

What are the UC Personal Insight Question Prompts for 2022-23?

The Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) are a set of eight questions asked by the UC application, of which students must answer four of those questions in 350 words or less.

Here are the Personal Insight Question prompts for this year:

• 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 stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

18 UC Berkeley Personal Insight Question Examples

Here are the 18 best Berkeley essays that worked for each Personal Insight Question prompt #1-8.

If you're also applying to UCLA, check out more unique UCLA essays from admitted students.

UC Berkeley Example Essay #1

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UC PIQ #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. (350 words max)

From an early age I became a translator for my mother anytime we went out in public. This experience forced me to have conversations with adults from a young age. It made me become a great communicator, while helping my parents overcome their language barrier.

Being a communicator has allowed me to lead. When I joined my school’s National Honor Society I was given the opportunity to lead. Applying the skills I used from being my mother’s translator I was able to do what no one else could, make the calls and start the club’s most successful event to date an annual Food Drive at a local Albertson’s, which collects over one ton of food every November. Also developing events like an egg hunt at the local elementary school, a goods drive for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and stabilizing a volunteer partnership with a local park. I have been able to grow as a leader, who actively communicates and brings parties together, planning events and having them run smoothly with minor issues. For instance, last year there was an issue with the homeless shelter not picking up the food for the food drive. In a spur of the moment solution I managed for club member’s parents to collectively deliver the food. My ability to communicate benefited me allowing me to find a solution to an unanticipated problem.

Throughout the four years I have been in journalism I have led; mentoring younger writers and improving the way the paper operates. Staying after hours, skyping with writers about their articles all helped establish my role as a leader, who is always supporting his team. I have done this while writing over 100 articles, editing tons of pages, and managing deadlines. I learned that while being a leader requires effort, it is the passion like I have for journalism that motivates me to lead in my community.

Being a leader so far in my life has taught me that I need to communicate, be passionate, and pass on my knowledge helping cultivate future leaders, who can expand and supersede my work.

UC PIQ #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. (350 words max)

Video games have cultivated my creative thought process. When I was a toddler I invented a game I would play with my brothers. It was nothing along the lines of Hide-and-Seek or Tag, but rather, it was meant to mimic a role-playing video game. It was called "Guy" and came with its own story, leveling system, and narrative story. While seemingly impossible to translate the mechanics of a video game into real life, the "Guy" trilogy provided hundreds of hours of fun to pass hot summer days and escape the harsh reality of our parents arguing and eventual divorce.

This thought process translated into my educational career. have always thought of a tough class or test as a video game. This mostly due to my excessive amounts of video games I played as a child through middle school (especially 7th grade). Each year comes bigger and "stronger" challenges, bigger and stronger bosses to defeat. My senior year will have me face the most powerful boss yet; full AP course load on top of heavy club involvement and community college classes.

Many thought of this "secret boss" as an impossible challenge; something that could never be beaten. No one from my school has ever attempted to take on such a challenge, let alone defeat it. That is probably what excites me about it. In a game, messing around with lower level enemies is fun for a while, but gets boring when it is too easy. The thought of a challenge so great and difficult makes the victory even more rewarding. Stormy skies, heavy rain, and epic boss battle music; I'll take that over a peaceful village any day. In the future, I seek to use this thinking to drive research. I think of abstract physics concepts like secret door and levels that need to be proven true or just a myth in the game. One day, I can make my own discovery of a secret "cheat code' that can help everyone who plays a little game called life.

UC PIQ #3: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? (350 words max)

I’ve always hated the feeling of clammy hands, the needless overflow of adrenaline rushing through my veins, and the piercing eyes that can see through my façade—the eyes that judge me. I felt like this debilitating anxiety that I suffered through was something I could not avoid when doing the thing I was most afraid of—public speaking. I still felt every sweat droplet run down my skin before each speech, and this anguish never completely dissipated. Fortunately, I learned to moderate my fear in high school when I decided to join the speech and debate program. My anxiety has slowly faded in intensity as I’ve gained certitude and poise with every tournament, and every chance I’m given to speak on behalf of others; this talent has allowed me to be a voice for the voiceless.

Out of all the national tournaments that I’ve competed in, the MLK invitational holds a distinct place in my heart. It was my first invitational tournament in which I competed exclusively in Lincoln Douglas debate. I only had two weeks to prepare myself since it was finals week, while my competitors had upwards of two months to prepare. I was fortunate to break into the final round, as my years of experience helped me to articulate and explain my few arguments more effectively, while also refuting my opponent’s.

I realized that the extent of one’s knowledge is useless if it cannot be made known in a way that is clear to others. I learned that preparation is necessary, but one can be so focused on what they are going to say that they don’t hear the arguments presented. I kept an open and ready mind for various claims and strategies which left me free to adapt to the opponent’s argumentative style each round. This ability to think on my feet has served me well in countless debates, speeches, and presentations. I continuously use these skills to become a better and more active listener in my daily interactions as well.

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My greatest skill is my ability to remember things really well, whether they be minute details or important information that should not be forgotten. Over time, I’ve had a knack for remembering details most people would not even bother to remember, such as old test scores, atomic masses, and other details involving numbers. My friends have always marveled at my ability to remember all these numbers. When I was in chemistry class, we used the periodic table so much that I soon began to remember the atomic mass of the more common elements, and even the molecular mass of common compounds like glucose or water. One of my best friends, who is undoubtedly the smartest person in our class, even finds it crazy that I can remember all these numbers and always tells me that my memory of numbers is amazing. I also used my memory to learn and remember how to solve the Rubik's cube, which amazes my friends, as they find it to be complex with many different, possible combinations.

This skill that I have developed, however, isn’t completely under my control, as sometimes I just remember random and irrelevant facts without really trying to do so. I recall one weekend when my eight-year-old cousin was attempting to memorize the digits of pi: I remembered them along with him, learning up to forty digits in just one day. The skill is seemingly natural and not something I have worked hard to develop, as I may be able to use my memory to my advantage, or it can be a disadvantage. It helps when I have multiple tests in one day, or a test with many questions where I have to remember a lot of information, such as finals. Sometimes, however, it is a disadvantage when I remember information during a test that is not relevant to the topic, such as random dates, names, or song lyrics, to name a few. This skill is very important to nonetheless, as it has assisted me all throughout my life in many tests and challenges involving memory.

UC PIQ #4: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. (350 words max)

At 10:30 pm on a hot, summer, Wednesday night, you would expect my friends and me to be having the time of our lives and going out on crazy high school adventures— but instead, we were actually stuck in a chemistry laboratory trying to map out the Lewis structure of sulfuric acid.

Over the summer of my sophomore year, my friends and I enrolled into ‘Introduction to Chemistry’, an evening course at our local community college. As a six-week summer course, I spent two hours in lecture, two hours in the laboratory, and another two hours studying on my own for four days a week for six weeks. It was evident that I struggled with adjusting to the pace of college when I received 19% on a quiz. I felt left behind, exhausted, and overall pathetic. No matter how many hours I spent studying, I couldn’t keep up. But instead of giving up, I picked up certain strategies like reading the material the night before, rewriting my notes, and joining a study group; eventually working my way up to a B.

At the end of that summer, I learned so much more than just chemistry. On top of having the raw experience of what college is like, my chemistry experience taught me that it is okay to fail. I discovered that failure is an essential part of learning. Coming to this realization inspired me to take more college courses and rigorous courses in high school. I transformed into a hungry learner, eager to fail, learn, and improve. By seizing the opportunity to take this course, I pushed myself beyond my limits. This experience and realization changed how I wanted to pursue the rest of high school, college, and life in general.

I walked into my first day of the chemistry class expecting to walk out with an A; but thankfully, I didn’t. Instead, I walked out of that class with a taste of the college experience and a principle that I now live by-- that it is okay to fail, as long as you get back up.

The relationship I cultivated with my school's college center, by simply being inquisitive, has been most significant. Over my years in high school the college center became my 2nd home, where I learned about extra opportunities and triumphed with help from counselors.

For instance, with help from my school’s college center I applied and was accepted as an LAUSD Superintendent Summer Scholar this past summer. The program selected 15 juniors out of over 450 applicants to work in one of 15 departments, and I was chosen to work for the communications department, which received over 70 applications – making me 1 of 70. Interning for LAUSD at their 29 floor high rise was very eye-opening and exposed me to working in communications alongside seasoned professionals. The opportunity gave me the chance to meet the Superintendent and school board members, who are politically in charge of my education. As part of the communications department I learned how the district operates a network of over 1,300 schools and saw how the 2nd largest school district shares info with stakeholders through universal press releases, phone calls, and the district homepage.

I wrote several articles for the district publication and worked with public information officers who taught me the principles of professionalism and how to communicate to over 1 million people. Recently, I was called from the district to become a part of their Media Advisory Council working alongside district heads, representing the students of LAUSD.

Working for LAUSD furthered my passion to pursue careers in both communication and education. I have always had a desire to be a journalist and the internship assured me of that. I want to write stories bringing student issues from areas like mine to light. Being exposed to the movers and shakers that control education in Los Angeles has heavily motivated me to become an educator and at some point become a school board member influencing the education students like me receive.

Support from the college center has spawned opportunities like a life-changing internship and set me on course for a future full of opportunity.

“Give me liberty, or give me death!”, I proudly exclaimed, finishing up a speech during my first Individual Event competition for Speech and Debate, also known as Forensics Workshop. Public speaking was always one of my shortcomings. During countless in-class presentations, I suffered from stage-fright and anxiety, and my voice always turned nervous and silent. I saw Speech and Debate as a solution to this barrier that hindered my ability to teach and learn. With excessive practice, I passed the tryout and found myself in the zero-period class. All of my teammates, however, joined because they loved chattering and arguing. I had the opposite reason: I despised public speaking.

I was definitely one of the least competitive members of the team, probably because I didn’t take the tournaments very seriously and mainly worried about being a better speaker for the future. Throughout the daily class, I engaged in impromptu competitions, speech interpretations, spontaneous arguments, etc... Throughout my two years on the team, my communication, reciting, writing, and arguing skills overall improved through participation in events such as Impromptu, Original Oratory, Oratorical Interpretation, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Congress. I even achieved a Certificate of Excellence in my first competition for Oratorical Interpretation -- where we had to recite a historical or current speech -- for Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death.”

I decided to quit Speech and Debate because I felt as if it has completed its purpose. After this educational experience, my communications skilled soared, so I could perform better in school, especially on essays and presentations. Leaving this activity after two years gave me more time to focus on other activities, and apply communications skills to them. In fact, I even did better in interviews (which is how I got into the Torrance Youth Development Program) and even obtained leadership positions in clubs such as Math Club and Science Olympiad Through my two years in Speech and Debate, I believe I became a much better thinker, speaker, and leader. Taking advantage of this opportunity boosted my self-esteem and overall made high school a better experience.

UC PIQ #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? (350 words max)

Although many would say that hardships are the greatest hindrance on a person, my hardships are my greatest assets. The hardships I have overcome are what push and drive me forward. If I had not gone through the failures of my 7th grade year I may have been satisfied as a B or C student. It is easy for us to use our hardships as excuses for not doing work, however, this is a mistake that many people make.

Through my struggles and failure, I have realized an important truth: I am not special. The world will continue to go on and expect me to contribute no matter what I have gone through. Everyone endures some type of obstacle in their life; what makes people different is how they handle them. Some sit around and cry "boo-hoo" waiting for people to feel sorry for them. Others actually take action to improve their situation.

Through hard work, I have been able to outperform my peers, yet I know there is still room for improvement. The thought of actual geniuses in top universities excited me; I long to learn from them and eventually surpass them, or perhaps enter a never ending race for knowledge with them. I used to live an hour away from school. I would have to wake up and be dropped off at a donut shop at 4 in the morning and then walk to school at 6:30 am. After school, I would have to walk to the public library and stay for as long as it was open then wait outside and get picked up around 9:30 pm. I am reluctant to retell this story; not because I am ashamed, but because it is not important. It doesn't matter what hardships I have endured, they do not determine who I am. What matters is what I have done.

At the start of high school, I saw nothing but success. From grades to extracurricular activities, everything seemed to be going smoothly. However, as my sophomore year progressed, this wave of success was soon swamped by a wave of disillusionment. I struggled to perform in Calculus and as a Vice-President, but instead of looking for a solution, I looked for excuses. Ultimately, when I was forced to face my two F’s and my lost elections, the world came crashing down. The vision I had meticulously planned out for the future seemed to shatter before my eyes. My self-confidence plummeted to an all-time low. I thought my life was over.

However, my response to this failure was what would ultimately determine the direction my life would take. In the end, I made the right choice: instead of continuing to blind myself with a false narrative that cast all the blame off my own shoulders, I admitted to my own shortcomings and used this experience as a lesson to grow from.

In doing so, I learned to focus on the aspects of my life that I was truly passionate about instead of spreading myself too thin. I learned to face challenges head-on instead cowering at the first sign of difficulty, even if it meant asking others for help. I learned to accept and utilize my own differences to create my own unique leadership style. Most importantly, rather than letting this mistake define me, I ignited a sense of determination that would guide me back on the right path no matter how many obstacles I encounter.

Looking back, this tragic mistake was a double-edged sword. While it definitely leaves a stain on my record, it is also likely that I wouldn’t have been able to find the same success a year later without the lessons I gained from this experience. At the end of the day, while I still grimace every time I contemplate my sophomore year, I understand now that this mistake is what has allowed me to develop into the person I am today.

Throughout my childhood, I grew up in a nine-person household where the channels of our TV never left the Filipino drama station and the air always smelled of Filipino food. But the moment I left home, I would go to a typical suburban elementary school as an average American kid at the playground. I grew up in a unique position which I both love and hate: being a second-generation Filipino American.

I love being a second-generation immigrant. I have the best of both worlds. But I also hate it. It chains me to this ongoing struggle of living under the high expectations of immigrant parents. How could I hate the part of me that I loved the most?

Growing up, I lived under the constant academic stress that my parents placed on me. Their expectations were through the roof, demanding that I only bring home A’s on my report card. My entire academic career was based on my parent’s expectations. Their eyes beat down on every test score I received. I loved them so much, but I could only handle so much. The stress ate me alive, but I silently continued to work hard.

Living under this stress is the biggest ongoing challenge of my life thus far. Until last year, I never understood why my parents expected so much from me. Finally being old enough to understand my parent’s point of view, I realize that they set these high expectations in the hopes that one day, all of the pain and struggles it took to get to America will pay off. Since then, I’ve overcome the high expectations of my parents by converting their pressure into a fireball of ambition and motivation, deeply ingrained in my mentality.

This intense desire to succeed in America as a second-generation immigrant is something that has and always will fuel my academic drive. As the first person in my family to go to college in America, I’ve made it my life aspiration to succeed in academics in the honor of my family-- a decision made by me.

UC PIQ #6: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. (350 words max)

Understanding the past helps us make better choices in today’s society. History provides us with the views of people and politics, the ethnic origin of people, and much more. At the base of all history, there is an intensive culmination of research which hopes to address or bring light to a story.

My passion for history began while digging deep into own family’s story, researching the history of Latin America, and the origins of the city I was raised in.

For example, when I first saw my favorite show Avatar The Last Airbender, I spent hours researching the mythology of the show which in the process made me learn about the philosophy of China: daoism, Confucius, and the mandate of heaven. Anything can be put within a historical framework to understand the context; every decision, tv show, and law has a history and that is exactly what I love. History forces us to take into account the voices of the past before we can attempt to plan for the future.

History has helped me become a more effective writer for the school paper. It has made me think like a attorney, revisiting old cases, and writing up a winning argument in a mock trial. Thinking like a historian has helped me make sense of the current political climate and motivated me to help start Students For Liberty, at my school’s campus where political ideologies are shared respectfully.

Learning, about history drives my inquisitive nature — I demonstrated this desire by volunteering at a local museum to learn more about the origins of my community in Carson. Ultimately, learning about the Dominguez family who established the Harbor Area of LA.

In terms of academics and performance, I have passed both of my history AP exams in World and U.S. history — being the 2nd person in my school’s history to do so. Studying history in highschool has nurtured my love for social science, which I hope to continue in college and throughout my life.

Ever since I was little, I have possessed a unique fascination for nature and the way it interacts with itself. As I sat in the prickly seats of old tour buses and the bilingual tour guide has silenced himself for the dozens of passengers that have closed their curtains and fallen into deep slumber, I would keep my eyes glued to the window, waiting to catch a glimpse of wild animals and admiring the beautiful scenery that mother nature had pieced together. At Outdoor Science Camp, while most of my friends were fixated on socializing and games, I was obsessed with finding every organism in the book. Nothing else caught my attention quite like ecology.

As high school dragged on and the relentless responsibilities, assignments, and tests washed away the thrill of learning, ecology was one interest that withstood the turmoil. At the end of a draining day, I would always enjoy relaxing to articles detailing newly discovered species or relationships between species.

This past summer, I was able to further this interest when a unique opportunity to volunteer abroad caught my eye. Flying over to the beautiful tropical shorelines of the Dominican Republic, I was able to dive into the frontlines of the battle against climate change, dwindling populations, and habitat destruction brought about by mankind, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

While everyone was obviously ecstatic about snorkeling in the crystal blue waters, only I was able to retain that same excitement about trekking through knee thick mud and mosquito infested forests to replant mangrove trees. While tracking animal populations, my heart leaped at the sight of every new species that swam right in front of my eyes. Even when it came to the dirty work of building structures to rebuild coral and picking up trash along the beach, I always found myself leading the pack, eager to start and do the most.

From this experience, I realized that pursuing the field of ecology was what I could picture myself doing far into the future, and this was how I was going to impact the world.

UC PIQ #7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words max)

Originally I saw volunteer work as a nuisance. I felt that it was an unnecessary "requirement" for college. I felt that someone decided to do volunteer work while in high school and now it has become the norm and is essentially required for college. Once I began to get involved, however, I found a true appreciation for the work I was doing.

I loved helping people and, as always, wanted to challenge myself. I worked at the Bellflower Volunteer center and tutored kids every day available, as well as helping out with large special events put on by the city. I then joined Key Club and made it my mission to attend every single event no matter what; even going to the lengths to walk for 4 hours starting at 5 in the morning (it was still dark outside) for a 2-hour beach clean up. I then became Service Event Coordinator and also made it my mission to have an event every week, while attending all of them, while still working at the Volunteer Center. I also started a tutoring program in math at my school as I really enjoy helping my peers academically.

It always warmed my heart to see fellow ninjas( our division mascot) at events I had planned, friends and neighbors at Bellflower events, and CSF members at tutoring.I am always willing to help people with anything. If someone needs my help I will stop whatever I am doing to help in any way that I can. Lending a helping hand is an important part of our society; however, a helping hand cannot do anything if the other hand does not reach for it as well. We need to be able to help ourselves first before others can help us. I tried to create a community where I could help people, but also people could help themselves so that there is no reason for anyone to not be able to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Throughout my childhood, the phrases “get good grades” and “make money” constantly harassed my every waking moment. Life seemed pointless, a never-ending cycle of trying to make more money to create artificial happiness. However, through partaking in my middle school’s ASB, I discovered my love for helping others, and I realized that I wanted to make my life about changing the world and leaving behind a better future for the generations to come.

In an attempt to live up to this philosophy, I have performed hundreds of hours of community service. From volunteering at a senior home to distributing food to the homeless, there is no doubt that I have made a substantial impact on those around me.

Despite all this, my most significant contributions are the ones that take place every day and are often undocumented. Picking up trash, staying long after my job is complete to help other groups, or even saying, “Thank you. Have a nice day,” to anyone who has provided a service for me are just a few examples. While they seem insignificant, these small actions add up.

However, above all, my biggest contribution is building meaningful connections with the people around me and making sure they realize how special and important they are to me and everyone else. In nurturing those who are less experienced, assisting those who are struggling with their emotions or their studies, and inspiring those who have untapped potential, I am not merely applying a band-aid on a wound, but elevating a whole community around me to tackle and prevent ailments the next decades will bring.

Years from now, I will likely have forgotten about my modest academic achievements. However, the memories of seeing someone I had mentored blossom into a strong leader and the smiles and laughter of someone I’ve helped battle through depression will forever be ingrained in my mind.

Serving food at school carnivals, embellishing the local marsh, tutoring students after school, and discharging patients at my local hospital were some of the ways I actively supported my city. However, a distinct way of being engaged in my community involved being selected for the Youth Development Program last summer. This organization works with the Torrance Refinery and selects thirty out of hundreds of applicants. The first week of this program involved activities that trained students for college and eventually their careers by making them adept in communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. For the next four weeks, students were assigned a specific job around the City of Torrance and Torrance Unified School District (TUSD).

I was placed in the TUSD Information Technology Department, along with six other students, and we essentially helped deal with technology-based issues around the district. Even though my professional desire incorporates biology and chemistry, I had a compelling interest and math and technology. I gave back to my community by utilizing the technological skills I gained at work. My colleagues and I traveled daily to several schools around the district and assisted in technological advancements: testing network ports and preparing schools for newer phones, imaging and updating new laptops and desktops, and arranging and setting up new computer labs and Chrome book carts.

Today, many people globally use technological and visual aids to assist their education. My summer job also allowed me to make a difference in the education of others. With the faster internet, newer telephones and computers, teachers could instruct more efficiently and students can be educated more effectively, thus improving their academic performance in the future. This program helped me a lot by boosting my teamwork and leadership skills, which will be extremely valuable as I will be pursuing many president/vice-president positions in my senior year. However, this program has allowed me to make a stronger impact on other people rather than myself; I feel delighted that my work in summer will be beneficial to twenty-thousand students across Torrance.

UC PIQ #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? (350 words max)

In 2011, I started at a newly built school spanning sixth to twelfth grade. The school’s inception was not the greatest with gang culture and issues plaguing the school and nearby community. From this moment I knew wanted to make a change, improving the school and local community.

For example, two years ago a bicyclist was crushed by a container truck across the street from my school, several peers of mine and I advocated for a bike lane to get installed on the street to protect cyclists from the busy traffic. I worked day and night for three weeks using my connection with the city’s public works director to meet with city officials and make a change. I looked for solutions and ways to improve my community and lead the charge to better our street. When we met with city officials they agreed and ultimately approved our bike lane proposal. This civic action started with a group of three concerned high school students, in which I helped facilitate the conversations resulting into a bike lane project, that will be built the summer of 2018 after I graduate high school. Ultimately helping solve an issue in my community.

Using my influence as part of the Associated Student Body I advocated for a new medical academy on my school’s campus to address the growing interest in medicine and health careers of many students at my school. While I am not personally interested in a health related field, I recognized that many students at my school did and teachers agreed. I came in as an intermediary, who because of my position in ASB was also a member of my School’s Shared Leadership Council (SLC), through these means I motivated other ASB officers to support the academy’s inception and after a grueling amount of meetings in which we went through logistics the academy was approved for the benefit of students.

I am a student who will attend a UC pursuing my passions in journalism, education, and history; while being an involved student making the campus a better place than when I first arrived.

Rather than relying on pure intellect, I choose to excel through continual self-improvement, my ability to overpower obstacles, and an unrelenting force of determination. There are thousands of students smarter than me, students with better test scores, students with more volunteer hours, and quite possibly, a more socially acceptable sense of humor. I can assert, however, that my determination and ambition is hard to match.

I am willing to look in the face of the impossible without fear; in fact, the only emotion flowing through my body would be excitement. There are thousands of intelligent students, however many are unable or are unwilling to utilize their full potential. Although not a genius, I have shown my ability to improve drastically in capability over time.

At some point in my middle school career I was not technically supposed to still be enrolled because my grades were too low; now I'm on track to be valedictorian of my class. I am willing to do whatever it takes to meet my goal; if there were a service event across the country I would be willing to walk the entire way; if I could take a million AP's I would. I understand that it is a big jump to go from Bellflower High School to a UC in terms of academic difficulty; however, that is part of the excitement. I am not afraid of failure, it does nothing but make me stronger. Am I capable of making a jump of such a magnitude? It is not my judgment to make; I am only here to try.

The spin-the-wheel slows down and eventually stops at ‘try again next time’. That is, until I secretly push it one slot over to ‘princess tiara’. As the child hurries away to the next carnival game with the tiara in her hair, her mom turns back at me with a warm smile and mouths the words “thank you”. Seeing genuine happiness in the people of my community while volunteering at events such as my school carnival always remind me why I love my community so much.

I hold a lot of pride in how I’ve become a prominent figure in my community. From volunteering at festivals for my local elementary school to becoming employed by the City of American Canyon Parks and Recreation Department, I relish being in the hub of the community. I love our annual Fourth of July parades and Easter egg hunts, where I am stopped every 15 minutes to catch up with the crazy kids I worked with at summer camp or even just with the staff I’ve met from school. Growing up and connecting with such a diverse community is and will always be a large part of who I am. From kindergarten up until my senior year of high school, both my small community and I as an individual have grown immensely. By volunteering at local events, connecting with the people of my community, and finally getting employed by my city, I know that I have contributed to the successful growth of my community.

Although I really love my community here in the small town of American Canyon, I cannot help but think of the other great communities that I can potentially be a part of as well. I believe that by going to the University of California, I will be able to thrive in the liveliness of the communities that the campuses are well-known for. A major contribution I believe that I can bring to the University of California is integrating, being involved in, and building the school’s community so that both I and the school can grow together for each other.

What can you learn from these UC Berkeley essays?

If you want to get into UC Berkeley in 2022, you need to write great essays that help make you stand out. From these 18 Berkeley essays that worked, here are some takeaways:

• Use specific examples of places and events (name them) ( #8 , #17 )
• Tell a story ( #6 , #18 , #7 )
• Demonstrate your background, identity, or culture ( #3 , #15 , #4 )

If you enjoyed these UC Berkeley essays, you'll also like reading our top UCLA essays that worked. They answer the same PIQ prompts, but quite differently.

Applying to other public universities? Check out these awesome University of Michigan essays.

Let me know, which UC Berkeley essay was your favorite and why?

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UC Berkeley Essay Prompts 2023-2024

By Eric Eng

Welcome to the guide on the UC Berkeley Essays for the 2023-2024 application season. If you’re applying to UC Berkeley, you already know it’s one of the top universities in the world. But getting in isn’t just about having great grades or test scores; your essays are just as important.

These short pieces of writing are your chance to show who you are beyond numbers and lists of activities. They allow you to share your thoughts, experiences, and ambitions with the admissions committee. In this guide, we’ll explore the prompts for this year and provide you with tips and strategies to craft essays that will catch the attention of the admissions officers and make a lasting impression.

Let’s get started on this journey to putting your best foot forward with UC Berkeley’s essays for the application cycle 2023-2024.

How Important are Supplemental Essays in the College Admissions Process?

Essays, particularly those for prestigious institutions like UC Berkeley , play a crucial role in the college admissions process. Here are three key points that highlight their importance:

1. Personalization and Individuality: UC Berkeley essays offer a unique opportunity for students to showcase their individuality, beyond just grades and test scores. This is a platform where they can express their personal narratives, life experiences, and specific interests that align with the school’s values and programs. A well-crafted essay can distinguish a student from the pool of applicants by providing a glimpse into their personality, creativity, and potential contributions to the campus community.

2. Demonstration of Fit: Essays specific to UC Berkeley for the years 2023-2024 allow students to tailor their responses to demonstrate how they are an ideal fit for the university. This involves not just speaking about what the school can offer them, but also what they can bring to the school.

A strong essay can connect a student’s aspirations, experiences, and values with UC Berkeley’s academic offerings, cultural ethos, and mission. This alignment showcases the student as not just academically capable but also as someone who will thrive and contribute positively to the campus environment.

3. Critical Thinking and Communication Skills: The ability to articulate thoughts effectively and persuasively is a key skill sought by top universities like UC Berkeley. The essay-writing process evaluates a student’s critical thinking, clarity in communication, and writing skills. An impressive essay demonstrates a student’s ability to present complex ideas coherently, argue a point of view, and engage the reader. These skills are indicative of a student’s readiness for college-level work and their potential for academic success.

Overall, essays are not just a formality in the college admissions process, especially for institutions like UC Berkeley. They provide a comprehensive picture of the applicant, highlighting their personality, fit for the university, and intellectual capabilities. A compelling essay can be a decisive factor in gaining UC Berkeley admission, making it an essential component of the application process for the years 2023-2024.

How Many Essay Prompts Does UC Berkeley Have?

For the 2023-2024 academic year, the University of California schools, including renowned institutions like UC Berkeley, UCLA , and UC San Diego, along with seven other campuses, have released their essay prompts for prospective students enrolling in 2024. Unlike many other major universities that utilize the Common Application, the UC system operates with its unique application process.

Students aspiring to join any of these UC campuses, including those crafting their UC Berkeley Essays 2023-2024, are required to write four essays . They have the liberty to choose these from a set of eight options . So, what exactly are the essay prompts for UC Berkeley in the 2023-2024 application cycle? Let’s delve into them!

What are the UC Essay Prompts?

If you’re applying to UC Berkeley or any University of California school, you’ll have to write answers to four personal insight questions . Each one should be 350 words long, and you can pick which ones you want to answer from a list of eight options.

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

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.

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

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

5. 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?

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

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

8. 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?

How to Write the UC Berkeley Essays

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

Being a leader isn’t just about having a title. It’s about guiding others, taking charge of a job, or leading a team on a project or event. Consider what you did and what you got out of it. What was your role?

Did you guide a group? How did leading others change how you see leadership? Did you solve a big problem at your school, place of worship, neighborhood, or a group you’re part of? Remember, being a leader isn’t just for school stuff. For instance, do you look after your family?

How to Respond:

Identify a Specific Leadership Experience: The first step is to recall a particular instance where the student demonstrated leadership. This could be in a formal setting like being a club president, a team captain, or an organizer of an event, or in an informal situation like leading a group project, resolving a conflict among peers, or volunteering in the community. The key is to choose an experience that had a significant impact on the student or those involved. The student should think about a situation that challenged them and where they had to use their initiative and leadership skills to make a difference.

1. Detail the Positive Influence and Conflict Resolution: Once the experience is chosen, the student should focus on how they positively influenced others. This involves explaining the actions they took to encourage, motivate, or guide others and the outcome of these actions. If the experience involved resolving disputes, the student should discuss how they approached the conflict, listened to different viewpoints, and found a solution that was acceptable to all parties involved. It’s important to highlight empathy, understanding, and the ability to bring people together.

2. Reflect on Personal Growth and Learning: A crucial part of this essay is reflecting on what the student learned from this experience. This could include understanding more about their own leadership style, gaining insights into team dynamics, or learning how to deal with challenging situations. It’s about showing self-awareness and the ability to learn and grow from experiences. The student should explain how this leadership experience has shaped them and possibly influenced their future goals or aspirations.

3. Demonstrate Long-term Contribution: Finally, the student should illustrate how their leadership contributed to group efforts over time. This isn’t just about a one-time event; it’s about showing sustained effort and ongoing impact. The student could discuss how their leadership led to lasting changes in a club, improved team performance over a season, or contributed to ongoing success in a group project. This part of the essay should convey a sense of commitment and the ability to make a lasting difference.

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 does being creative mean to you? Is there a creative talent you really care about? What have you managed to do with it? If you’ve ever used your imagination to tackle a problem, what was your solution? How did you come up with it?

Consider how your creativity plays a role in your choices, whether you’re in school or outside of it. Does it connect to what you want to study or the job you want in the future? You might believe this question is just for people who are good at art, but if you look again, you’ll see it’s asking for your own idea of creativity.

1. Identify Your Unique Expression of Creativity: The first step is for the student to reflect on how they uniquely express their creativity. This could be through traditional artistic methods like painting or writing, or through less conventional means such as devising unique solutions to everyday problems, engaging in creative coding, or innovative project designs. Students should think about moments where they felt most creative and what they were doing at that time. It’s important to choose a form of creative expression that is genuinely meaningful to them, as this will shine through in their writing.

2. Illustrate with Specific Examples: Once the student has identified how they express their creativity, the next step is to illustrate this with specific examples. This could be a project they spearheaded, a personal challenge they overcame using a unique approach, or a hobby that requires creative thinking. Detailed storytelling is key here; rather than just stating they are creative, they should show how their creativity manifests through their actions and decisions.

3. Reflect on the Impact: After detailing specific examples, students should reflect on the impact of their creative endeavors. This could be on a personal level, such as how engaging in creative activities has shaped their identity or thinking patterns, or on a broader scale, like the impact of their creativity on others or their community. This reflection shows depth of thought and self-awareness, which are qualities universities like UC Berkeley value.

4. Connect to Future Goals and Ambitions: Lastly, it would be beneficial for students to tie their creative side to their future goals and aspirations, particularly how they plan to continue expressing and cultivating this creativity in college and beyond. This could involve discussing how they see their creativity playing a role in their intended major, future career, or how they plan to contribute to the UC Berkeley community. This not only shows that they have direction but also how their unique qualities will add value to the university.

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

If you have a special skill or something you’re really good at, now’s the time to talk about it. It’s okay if you haven’t won any awards for it. You can still tell us why it’s important to you. Did this ability come easily to you, or did you have to work hard at it? Can you use this skill in school or somewhere else? If you can, tell us how you managed to fit it into your life.

1. Identifying the Talent or Skill: The first step is for students to introspect and identify a talent or skill that truly resonates with their personality and experiences. It’s important that they choose something that is genuinely significant to them, rather than what they think might impress the admissions committee.

This could be anything from a creative skill like painting or writing, to interpersonal skills like empathy or leadership, or even a unique ability to solve complex problems. The key here is authenticity and showing a deep connection with the talent or skill chosen.

2. Narrative of Development: Once the talent or skill is identified, students should reflect on how it has developed over time. This isn’t just about showcasing when and how they discovered this talent, but also about illustrating their commitment to nurturing and improving it.

They could discuss milestones, challenges, or pivotal moments that contributed to the growth of their skill. This narrative helps to demonstrate perseverance, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow, qualities that are highly valued in a university environment.

3. Evidence of Demonstration: It’s essential for students to provide concrete examples of how they have demonstrated this talent or skill. This could include personal projects, participation in clubs or organizations, competitions, volunteer work, or any other relevant experiences. By providing specific examples, students can illustrate the practical application of their talent and its impact. This also offers a window into their personality and how they engage with the world around them.

4. Reflecting on Impact: Finally, students should reflect on the impact their talent or skill has had on their personal growth and on others. This could involve discussing how it has shaped their perspective, contributed to their academic or career goals, or allowed them to make a difference in their community.

This reflection shows depth of thought, self-awareness, and an understanding of the broader implications of their personal abilities. It’s an opportunity to connect their individual experiences and skills to the larger world, demonstrating maturity and forward-thinking.

By thoughtfully addressing these aspects, students can create a compelling and introspective response that not only highlights their unique abilities but also offers a glimpse into their personal journey and character development.

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

When thinking about what to write, remember that an educational opportunity could be anything that has made your learning better and helped get you ready for college. This could be being part of a special program for advanced or honors students, joining a school focused on a certain job or subject you want to study, or just taking challenging classes you like.

1. Identifying the Opportunity or Barrier: Students should begin by clearly identifying a significant educational opportunity they embraced or an educational barrier they faced. This could range from taking part in advanced courses, engaging in special academic programs, or tackling personal circumstances that impacted their education, such as language barriers or socio-economic challenges. It’s crucial to describe the situation in a way that sets the stage for the ensuing narrative. The focus should be on providing context to understand the significance of the opportunity or challenge.

2. Personal Growth and Learning: After setting the scene, the next step is to delve into how engaging with this opportunity or overcoming the barrier contributed to their personal and academic growth. Students should reflect on what they learned from the experience and how it shaped their perspective on education and personal development. This part of the essay should illustrate a journey of transformation, showcasing how the student evolved, what skills they developed, and how their approach to learning or problem-solving improved.

3. Actions and Initiative: An essential aspect of this prompt is demonstrating initiative and action. Whether it’s about how they took advantage of an opportunity or overcame a barrier, students need to highlight the specific steps they took. This might involve describing the effort put into an academic project, seeking out mentors or resources, or balancing challenging circumstances with their commitment to education. This section should convey a sense of agency and determination, painting a picture of a student who is actively engaged in shaping their educational journey.

4. Linking Experiences to Future Goals: Lastly, students should connect their experiences to their future aspirations and how it aligns with their desire to study at UC Berkeley. This part is about drawing a line from past experiences to future ambitions, demonstrating that the lessons learned and the skills acquired are stepping stones towards their long-term goals. It’s an opportunity to show how their unique experiences have prepared them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in college and beyond.

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?

You might face a challenge in your life, with your friends, at school, or in your neighborhood. Think about why this challenge matters to you. This is your chance to share the tough situations you’ve come across and what you’ve learned from them. Did someone help you, or did you manage it by yourself?

If you’re still dealing with a tough situation, what steps are you taking to handle it? How has this situation changed things for you at home, school, or with your friends and family?

We at Admissionsight suggest that if you don’t come from a background with many challenges, you might want to skip this essay question. That’s because there will be students who have had to deal with really big problems, like losing their homes, and it might not look good if you write about a smaller issue like your school not offering more math classes.

1. The Significant Challenge: The first step is to select a challenge that has had a profound impact on the student’s life. This could be a personal, academic, or social challenge. It’s important to choose a challenge that genuinely affected them, as authenticity in the essay will resonate more with the admissions committee. The chosen challenge should be substantial enough to allow for a detailed discussion about its impact and the student’s response. For example, overcoming a learning disability, dealing with a family crisis, or facing cultural barriers could be potential topics.

2. Describing Steps Taken to Overcome the Challenge: After identifying the challenge, the student should clearly outline the specific actions they took to address it. This is where they can demonstrate problem-solving skills, resilience, and determination. It’s essential to focus on the process rather than just the outcome, as the journey towards overcoming the challenge is often more insightful than the resolution itself. This might include seeking help, learning new skills, or changing their perspective on the problem.

3. Reflecting on Personal Growth: This section of the essay should delve into how the challenge has contributed to the student’s personal development. It’s an opportunity to showcase character strengths such as perseverance, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. The student should reflect on what they learned about themselves through this experience and how it has prepared them for future challenges. This introspection can reveal maturity and depth of character, qualities that are highly valued in college applicants.

4. Linking the Challenge to Academic Achievement: Finally, the student needs to connect their experience with the challenge to their academic life. This could mean discussing how overcoming the challenge has improved their academic performance, influenced their academic interests, or shaped their educational goals. For instance, a student who overcame a speech impediment might discuss how this experience led to a passion for linguistics, or a student who dealt with a health issue might explain how it sparked an interest in biomedical engineering.

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

If there’s a school subject you love and can’t seem to get enough of, how have you learned more about it? Talk about how you started to like this subject and share any related things you’ve done, like helping out in your community, working a job, joining in on summer activities, or being part of school clubs. What did these activities teach you?

Has your favorite subject influenced your choice of what to study in college or the job you want in the future? Have you taken any advanced or college-level classes in this area? Do you want to keep studying this subject at the University of California, and if so, how?

If you often call yourself a “nerd” or “geek” because of your love for a certain subject, this is your chance to talk about it. You can explain how your favorite subject has led to a hobby outside of school, or you can think about how a hobby of yours started from something you learned in class. 

1. Identifying the Subject and Initial Fascination: Students should begin by clearly identifying the academic subject that captivates them. This should be more than just stating the subject; it’s crucial to articulate why this subject sparks their interest. They could reflect on a moment or experience that ignited their passion for the subject. For instance, a student fascinated by physics might recall their awe when they first learned about the laws of motion and how it prompted them to explore further. This part of the essay should aim to convey the student’s initial curiosity and enthusiasm.

2. Examples of Classroom Engagement: Next, the student should describe how they have pursued this interest within their school environment. This might include taking advanced or specialized courses, participating in related clubs, or engaging in class projects or discussions that delve deeper into the subject. The key here is to demonstrate active engagement and a desire to explore the subject beyond the basic curriculum. For example, a student interested in literature might talk about how they led a book club discussion in their English class or chose challenging literary works for independent study.

3. Exploration Beyond the Classroom: It’s equally important to discuss how the student has extended their learning outside of school. This could involve personal projects, extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering, or any other experiences that show a commitment to exploring the subject in a real-world context. For example, a student passionate about environmental science might volunteer for local conservation efforts or initiate a recycling program in their community. This part of the essay should illustrate how the student’s interest is not confined to academic settings but is a part of their everyday life and personal growth.

4. Reflection and Future Aspirations: Finally, students should reflect on what they have learned from their experiences and how this will shape their future goals and pursuits, especially in relation to their potential studies and contributions at UC Berkeley. This is an opportunity to link their past experiences and future aspirations, showing a clear trajectory of passion and purpose. For instance, a student interested in engineering might discuss how their hands-on experiences and academic pursuits have prepared them to contribute to UC Berkeley’s engineering community and beyond.

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

When you hear “community,” you might think of your sports team, your neighborhood, or where you go to school. You decide what “community” means to you, and tell us how you’ve been involved. Did you see something that needed to be changed?

What made you want to do something about it? What lessons did you take away from trying? How did your actions help other people or your community as a whole? Did you work by yourself or with others to make a difference where you live?

1. Identify Specific Contributions: Encourage students to reflect on their tangible contributions to their school or community. This could include organizing events, participating in or leading community service projects, starting a club or initiative, or even small-scale actions like tutoring peers or improving school facilities. The key is to focus on specific activities where their involvement made a measurable difference.

2. Emphasize Personal Growth and Learning: A crucial aspect of this prompt is not just what the student did, but also what they learned from the experience. Did they gain new skills, like leadership or communication? Did they overcome challenges or change their perspective on a societal issue? This reflection shows maturity and self-awareness, important qualities for a university student.

3. Highlight Collaboration and Impact on Others: UC Berkeley values community and teamwork. Students should discuss how they worked with others, showing their ability to collaborate and build relationships. They should also reflect on the impact of their actions on those around them. Did their efforts lead to a stronger, more connected community? How did others benefit from their actions?

4. Connect to Future Goals and Aspirations: Finally, students should tie their past actions to their future ambitions. How do these experiences shape their goals, especially as they relate to their intended field of study or future career? This connection demonstrates forward-thinking and a commitment to continuing positive contributions, aligning with UC Berkeley’s ethos of innovation and social responsibility.

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

If there’s something about you that you think is important for the UC admissions team to know, but you haven’t had a chance to share it yet, this is the time to do so. What makes you different? Maybe you have a unique skill, a special talent, or you’ve faced a challenge that shows who you are. Think about what makes you a great pick for the University of California. It’s okay to show off here.

This part of the application is wide open—you get to take control of the story you tell. Is there a part of your life or experience that you’re eager to share with the UC admissions team that makes you stand out, but it doesn’t fit into the other questions you’ve answered? Remember to give lots of details and explain why this story is so important to you. Also, make sure you talk about why this makes you a particularly good fit for the UC system.

1. Identify Unique Personal Qualities or Experiences: Encourage students to reflect on aspects of their identity or experiences that are unique to them. This could include overcoming specific challenges, engaging in unusual hobbies or interests, or having a distinctive cultural background. For example, if a student grew up in a multicultural environment, they could discuss how this experience has shaped their worldview and ability to interact with diverse communities, a quality that’s highly valued at a global institution like UC Berkeley.

2. Highlight Unmentioned Achievements or Projects: Students should think about any accomplishments or projects they haven’t already mentioned in their application. This could be a personal project, a community initiative, or an achievement in an area not traditionally associated with academic success. For instance, if a student has developed an app to solve a community problem or has been actively involved in environmental activism, these are achievements worth mentioning.

3. Demonstrate Alignment with UC Berkeley’s Values: It’s important for students to research and understand UC Berkeley’s values and mission. They can then reflect on how their personal qualities or experiences align with these values. If UC Berkeley emphasizes innovation, a student could talk about how their creative thinking or problem-solving skills have been evident in their past endeavors, and how they plan to bring that innovative spirit to campus.

4. Showcase Growth and Learning: This prompt is a great opportunity for students to discuss how they have grown or what they have learned from their experiences. This could involve personal development, such as learning to overcome failures, or intellectual growth, such as developing a passion for a particular field of study. For instance, a student might describe how working a part-time job taught them valuable lessons about responsibility, time management, and empathy.

How to Structure Your Application Essays

A well-structured essay not only conveys the message clearly but also reflects the applicant’s organizational and analytical skills. Here are three key points elaborating how an applicant can effectively structure their UC Berkeley essays for the academic years 2023-2024:

1. Introduction with a Hook and Statement: The introduction is crucial in capturing the reader’s attention. Applicants should start their 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays with a compelling hook – a unique anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or an intriguing statement about their experiences or perspectives.

Following the hook, the introduction should include a clear statement that outlines the main theme or argument of the essay. This approach not only grabs the attention of the admissions committee but also sets a clear direction for the rest of the essay.

2. Body Paragraphs with Clear Arguments and Examples: Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea or experience that supports the statement. Applicants should use a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections, and specific examples to illustrate their points.

This section should demonstrate how their experiences, achievements, and goals align with what UC Berkeley offers. The use of detailed examples not only provides depth to their narrative but also showcases their understanding of the university’s ethos and programs. Transition sentences at the end of each paragraph can help maintain the flow and coherence of the essay.

3. Concluding Statement: The conclusion is an opportunity to reinforce how the applicant’s experiences and aspirations make them a perfect fit for UC Berkeley. Additionally, the conclusion can be forward-looking, tying the applicant’s goals and potential contributions to what they hope to achieve at UC Berkeley. This not only brings the essay full circle but also leaves a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

Incorporating these structural elements in UC Berkeley essays for 2023-2024 will help applicants present their stories in a coherent, compelling, and organized manner. This structure not only aids in conveying the content effectively but also demonstrates the applicant’s writing skills, critical thinking, and suitability for the academic environment at UC Berkeley.

How Do the UC Berkeley Essays Compare to Other Top Universities?

The UC Berkeley essays, especially for the academic years 2023-2024, have distinctive features that set them apart from essays required by other top universities. This comparison sheds light on the unique expectations and focuses of different prestigious institutions.

Firstly, UC Berkeley essays tend to emphasize diversity, social responsibility, and innovation. The university is known for its progressive ethos and commitment to social change, which is reflected in its essay prompts. For instance, prompts may ask students to discuss how they have contributed to or plan to contribute to social justice, diversity, or environmental sustainability.

This contrasts with schools like Harvard or Yale , where essay prompts are often more open-ended and focused on personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and academic interests. UC Berkeley’s prompts guide applicants to demonstrate their alignment with the university’s values and mission, encouraging them to showcase how they can contribute to and benefit from Berkeley’s unique environment.

Secondly, the structure and style of UC Berkeley essays often require a balance between personal narrative and intellectual exploration. Unlike Stanford’s essays, which are known for creative and unconventional prompts that allow for a wide range of expressive freedom, UC Berkeley’s prompts usually call for a more structured response.

They often require applicants to provide specific examples of experiences or goals related to the prompt’s theme. This structure necessitates a clear demonstration of the applicant’s thought process, decision-making skills, and the ability to articulate their experiences in a way that highlights their potential contribution to the Berkeley community.

Lastly, the tone and content of UC Berkeley essays often reflect the university’s emphasis on real-world impact and pragmatic solutions. Unlike MIT or Caltech, where essay prompts might lean more towards technical prowess and scientific inquiry, UC Berkeley’s prompts encourage applicants to discuss the practical implications of their interests and experiences.

This includes addressing societal issues, reflecting on personal challenges in a broader context, or discussing how one’s academic interests can lead to tangible changes in the community. This focus on practical application aligns with UC Berkeley’s reputation as an institution that values not just academic excellence but also social engagement and impact.

How to Effectively Revise and Proofread

Effectively revising and proofreading essays, especially for prestigious universities like UC Berkeley, is a critical step in the application process. Here are four detailed key points on how applicants can enhance their UC Berkeley Essays for the years 2023-2024:

1. Structure and Coherence Check: Start by evaluating the overall structure of the essay. Ensure that each paragraph flows logically to the next, and there’s a coherent narrative throughout. Check if the introduction effectively sets the stage and if the conclusion ties back to the main points without introducing new information. For the 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays, it’s essential to make sure that the structure aligns with the prompt’s requirements and effectively showcases the applicant’s strengths, experiences, and fit for the university.

2. Content Depth and Relevance Analysis: Dive deep into the content of each section. Assess whether each paragraph contributes meaningfully to the essay’s overall message. Remove or revise parts that seem off-topic or do not add value to your narrative. Especially for UC Berkeley, ensure that the content reflects the applicant’s understanding of the university’s values, such as diversity, innovation, and social responsibility. Check if personal anecdotes and examples are relevant and effectively illustrate the points being made.

3. Language and Clarity Enhancement: Pay close attention to the choice of words, sentence construction, and overall readability. Use active voice wherever possible, and vary sentence structure to maintain reader interest. Avoid jargon and overly complex language that might obscure the message.

For the 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays, it’s important to maintain a balance between a formal tone and personal voice. Ensure that the essay sounds authentic and conveys the applicant’s personality, while still being polished and professional.

4. Final Proofreading for Grammar and Typos: The final step involves a meticulous proofreading session. Look for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and typos. These small errors can detract from the professionalism of the essay.

Reading the essay aloud or having someone else review it can be helpful in catching mistakes that might have been overlooked. For UC Berkeley applicants, presenting a well-proofread essay is crucial, as it reflects attention to detail and dedication to presenting one’s best self.

By following these steps, applicants can significantly improve their UC Berkeley Essays for 2023-2024. The process of revision and proofreading is not just about correcting errors; it’s about refining and enhancing the essay to best represent the applicant’s abilities, aspirations, and fit for the university.

Why Choose UC Berkeley?

Choosing UC Berkeley means picking a place that stands out for its commitment to excellence and innovation. It’s not just any university—it’s a hub where bright minds meet to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of knowledge.

At Berkeley, you’ll find yourself among a diverse group of students and faculty who are pioneers in their fields. The campus is famous for its dynamic atmosphere, where every idea and perspective is valued, setting the stage for groundbreaking research and learning experiences.

What’s more, UC Berkeley is known for its impressive alumni network, full of leaders who have made significant impacts in various industries around the world. Opting for Berkeley could connect you with opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere. Its location in the San Francisco Bay Area, a thriving center for technology and culture, gives you the chance to engage with numerous industries and communities.

At its heart, UC Berkeley is not just an institution but a community that fosters growth, ambition, and a commitment to making a difference. Choosing UC Berkeley is about embracing a future filled with possibilities and being part of a long-standing tradition of excellence. It’s where you don’t just attend classes; you join a lively and supportive community that propels you toward your dreams.

Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our guide to the 2023- 2024 UC Berkeley essays, remember that this is more than just a writing task—it’s your chance to have a heart-to-heart with t he admissions committee. Your essays are your voice in the room full of potential Golden Bears. They should reflect who you are, not just what you’ve done.

So, take a deep breath, trust in your unique experiences, and let your personality shine through your words. Keep it real, keep it you, and don’t be afraid to let your passion for learning and growing at UC Berkeley light the way. It’s your story, your future, and now is the time to share it. Good luck, and Go Bears!

AdmissionSight , a college consulting firm, offers personalized assistance to students in their college admissions journey. We help you create a strategic plan for your application process, identify suitable schools aligned with your academic and personal goals, and prioritize your application strategy. 

Our experts review your application, providing constructive feedback to enhance its quality and uniqueness. We also assist in crafting compelling essays that reflect your personality and achievements, guide you through the writing process, and offer feedback on drafts. In addition, we provide interview coaching to boost your confidence and readiness for college interviews, offering tips on professional presentation and answering common questions. 

We aid in optimizing your extracurricular activities to align with your interests and goals, emphasizing leadership and initiative. Overall, AdmissionSight offers valuable guidance and support to increase your chances of college acceptance. With a strong network and a success rate exceeding 75% in the past decade, book a free initial consultation today!

Want to assess your chances of admission? Take our FREE chances calculator today!

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Supplemental Essay Prompts

Freshman admissions.

The Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) program seeks inquisitive, self-motivated students with a passion for finding and solving big problems.

The following essay question is designed to provoke honest, thoughtful responses to help us get to know you. It gives you the opportunity to provide unique information about yourself, your interests, and your reasons for applying to the program. In addition to content, essays are evaluated for writing and critical thinking ability, skill in organizing and presenting thoughts, and the relevance of your answer to the question posed. Your response is limited to 350 words.

Required Essay: (350 words maximum)

Your supplemental essays must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on December 15, 2023 .

Describe how the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program in Engineering and Business at UC Berkeley will help you to achieve your goals. Share with us the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). What unique experiences from your world motivated you to apply to our program?

Video Essay Invitation

Some applicants may receive a request to record a video essay. Video essay requests are by invitation only and will be requested starting in November. Videos must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on January 12, 2024 . Check your email for an invitation and if requested, be sure to submit your video essay by the deadline.

The questions are:

• How have you contributed to and bolstered the communities you are a part of? (Communities can = school, extracurriculars, family, etc.)
• How will your admittance into the program catapult your educational journey or complement your career plans?
• What has been your biggest failure and how did you respond?

Continuing Student Admissions

The following essay questions were created to provoke honest, thoughtful responses to help us get to know you. They’re framed within the context of The Haas School of Business’s four Defining Leadership Principles and the College of Engineering’s mission and vision, and give you the opportunity to provide unique information about yourself and your interests. These essays are the principal means we have of gaining insight about you and your reasons for applying to the Berkeley M.E.T. Program. In addition to content, essays are evaluated for critical thinking and writing ability, skill in organizing and presenting thoughts, and the relevance of your answers to the questions posed.

All applicants are required to answer question A and to choose either topic B or C. The Admission Committee does not have a preference for either question B or C. They’re given equal weight in the review process. Essay D is optional.

Required Essay A: (500 words maximum) Describe your post-undergraduate goals. Why is the Berkeley M.E.T. Program essential in helping you achieve these goals?

Tip: We understand that both Haas and the College of Engineering (COE) have world-renowned reputations and faculty, strong alumni networks, and that majors have priority access to business and COE courses. Aside from these factors, why do you feel that studying both COE and Business is a necessary step in pursuit of your immediate post-undergraduate goals? You’re not required to include a detailed post-undergraduate plan, but you should address how the program will help you achieve your goals broadly.

Choose either Essay B or C: (500 words maximum)

Essay B: Describe a time when something important to you did not work out as planned. How did you respond, and what did you learn from the situation?

Tip : If you applied to M.E.T. as a freshman, this is an opportunity for you to share with us what has been enhanced since then.

Essay C: If admitted to Berkeley M.E.T., how would you help develop a sense of belonging for classmates from diverse communities? What challenges do you anticipate, and how will you respond to them?

Optional Essay D: (250 words maximum) Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application?

Tip: Use this essay to explain academic issues, grade disputes or personal/family/medical circumstances you want the admission committee to be aware of. Currently, there are unique circumstances impacting applicants to Berkeley M.E.T. You may also use this essay to discuss how you’ve been impacted by matters such as the pandemic, social unrest, and/or natural disasters.

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August 5, 2024

2024-2025 University of California Essay Prompts: Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD

The University of California schools have released their 2024-2025 essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2029. Unlike most highly selective universities, the UC schools are not members of The Common Application — the school has its own application .

Just like in previous years, applicants to the University of California, Berkeley , the University of California, Los Angeles , the University of California, San Diego , and the seven other UC institutions must answer four essay prompts out of a batch of eight options. So, what are this year’s essay prompts? They’re the same as last year’s! Let’s dive in.

2024-2025 UC Essay Topics and Questions: Personal Insights

Below are the UC essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2029, along with the guidance issued by the UC admissions committee. These essays apply to all UC schools — including the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Diego, the University of California, Santa Barbara , the University of California, Davis , the University of California, Santa Cruz , the University of California, Irvine , the University of California, Merced , and the University of California, Riverside .

Applicants have up to 350 words to respond to  four  of the  eight  prompts. And, yes, applicants should go to the maximum word count to make their case!

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?

Applicants should share one small story here to demonstrate their leadership. Rather than tell the UC admissions committee about what great leaders they are, they can show it through one specific example. And it doesn’t even need to be a successful example of leadership. Instead, students can highlight what they learned from the scenario to be even better leaders.

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?

Even in an essay that could lend itself to silliness, applicants must showcase intellectual curiosity. So, suppose a student expresses their creative side by tie-dying t-shirts and their singular hook in their activities section that they’ll be contributing to schools like UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD is math. In that case, they can write about the mathematics behind the patterns they love to create on clothing.

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 is 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?

Too many students choose to write about awards and honors they’ve received in this prompt. Some sneak it into the essay, thinking it’s a subtle way of reinforcing their success. What a mistake! Doing so will only render them unlikable, which should be the precise opposite of their objective.

Ideally, an applicant will share a skill related to their singular hook. If their hook is poetry, let’s hear all about how they became passionate about performing spoken word at open mic nights at a local establishment.

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 you are today?

If students have yet to face a genuine academic barrier, such as the ones many students in low-income communities face, it would behoove them to focus on the significant educational  opportunity  they’ve encountered. Was it the chance to perform research on Russian literature with a local professor? Was it a chance to do an archaeological dig in a student’s hometown? The opportunity will ideally fit with the student’s singular hook.

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?

Unless a student comes from an underprivileged background, we at Ivy Coach would encourage them to avoid choosing this essay prompt since there  are  going to be students who have faced significant obstacles and writing about how a school ran out of math courses while another student writes about the evictions their family has endured isn’t going to sit well with UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, and other UC admissions officers.

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?

Ideally, a student will choose an academic subject that aligns perfectly with their hook. If their activities reflect a passion for physics, they should share the origin story of their interest in the discipline — as a high schooler rather than a child. What made them fall in love with matter and energy? What made them want to better understand our universe?

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?

An applicant’s answer should align with their hook as articulated in their activities section. Suppose a student’s hook is political science. In that case, they should write an essay that shares one small story about how their political activism created the change they wished to see — or failed to create the change they hoped to see, only further motivating them to agitate for further change.

Maybe they wanted to stop developers from razing affordable housing communities. Perhaps they tried to fix un-level sidewalks. Whatever it is, applicants should share an anecdote here about their activism — whether successful or not.

8. 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?

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 chance. 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.

Since the University of California has a unique application and is not a member of The Common Application, this essay prompt presents a perfect opportunity for applicants to include an abbreviated version of their 650-word Personal Statements from their Common Applications.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with the University of California Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your chances of admission to UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, and other UC institutions by submitting the most compelling essays possible, fill out Ivy Coach ’s complimentary consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to delineate our college counseling services for applicants to the Class of 2029.

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University of California 2024-25 Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Nov 30

University of California  2024-25 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 the UC essay 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. So, keep reading to get expert tips on how to write your UC essays!

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 UC personal insight 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 UC personal insight 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 UC personal insight 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 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!

We hope you enjoyed our UC application essay tips! Don’t hesitate to submit a contact form below if you’d like to work with an experienced College Essay Advisor on your drafts!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants must respond to four (4) out of the eight (8) Personal Insight Questions.

Each UC Personal Insight Question asks for a response of 350 words.

We recommend reading each prompt and jotting down a few ideas that come to mind. Next, review your notes and elaborate on each story. You’ll be able to tell rather quickly which of your stories have the most potential to transform into 350-word essays and reveal new, interesting information to admissions regarding your candidacy!

As with all application essays, admissions is hoping to read essays that help them to get to know the person behind the application data. They even say on their website , “There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.”

No! You need to write a total of four (4) essays. These essays should have very little (if any) overlap.

The UC essays are quite important! They’re your only opportunity to speak to admissions in your own voice. The admissions committee will be reviewing dozens of applications each day, which means they are assessing a lot of data. These essays present an opportunity for you to humanize your application and stand out from the crowd.

Applicants will want to avoid silly grammar mistakes , repeating the prompt in their response, and telling rather than showing (e.g., saying you are determined without giving an example of a time you displayed determination).

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, berkeley essay prompts.

Hey everyone! I'm a high school junior looking into UC Berkeley for college, and I want to get a head start on the essay prompts. Can anyone tell me what the prompts are for this year's application? Thanks!

Hello! It's great that you're getting a head start on your application for UC Berkeley. Since you're applying to a University of California (UC) school, you'll need to answer four out of eight Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) as part of your application. Remember, each response has a 350-word maximum.

CollegeVine has a guide that breaks down all eight PIQs, so you can determine which would be the best for you to respond to. You can find all eight prompts and CollegeVine's breakdowns here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays

As you choose which prompts to answer, consider picking ones that allow you to showcase different aspects of your personality, interests, and experiences.

Best of luck with your application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

UC Essay Prompts 2023-24

Uc essay prompts 2023-2024.

Students applying to UC schools must be prepared to answer the UC prompts as part of the application process. Each year, the University of California receives over 200,000 undergraduate freshmen applications. An important part of these applications are the UC Personal Insight Questions, also known as UC PIQs. In this article, we’ll break down the UC essay prompts to help you ace your UC application.

In addition to reviewing each of the UC essay prompts, we will discuss unique aspects of the UC application. We will also share tips to help you choose the UC prompts that are best suited to you. Finally, we’ll share additional resources that can aid you in writing your UC PIQs, including UC essay examples.

Applying to the University of California

Many of the University of California’s campuses are ranked among the best colleges in the nation. Not only that, the UCs are also some of the most affordable schools, especially for California residents. So, it’s no surprise the number of students that end up applying to UC schools. With so many qualified applicants, it’s important to start early and put dedicated time and effort into your UC PIQs.

Ready to learn more about UC Personal Insight Questions? Before we dive into the UC PIQs, we’d like to share a bit about the UC application process . The UC admissions process differs in several ways from many other U.S. schools. Here are a few key facts to keep in mind before you start responding to the UC essay prompts:

You must apply through the UC system’s application, known as UC Apply .

The UC schools do not accept the Common Application or the Coalition Application. As such, they will not see the personal statement that many schools require you to submit via these applications. Ensure anything you want to share comes across in your responses to the UC Personal Insight Questions.

The UC Apply deadline is November 30 .

The UC schools do not have special deadlines like early action or early decision. However, their general application deadline is earlier than it is at most other schools. The UC application is available to fill out from October 1 to November 30 each year. As a result, we recommend choosing your UC essay prompts as soon as they become available. That way, you can write several drafts of your UC essays and polish them in advance of the November deadline.

The UCs use a holistic admissions process.

After reading your UC Personal Insight Questions, each UC school will consider your application as a whole. That means your grades, courses, special research projects, talents, and high school rank, among many other factors, are all important. As such, put effort into every part of your application. Notably, the UC schools are test blind , meaning they do not review test scores. Hence, do not lose sight of the importance of answering your UC prompts fully. Each of the UC Personal Insight Questions is a chance to prove yourself as a candidate for admission. 

We hope this provides more context as to how the UC Personal Insight Questions fit into the broader application process. Next, we’ll explore the UC schools more in-depth.

How many UCs are there?

There are ten University of California schools in total. However, only nine have undergraduate programs. These nine schools are the following, in order of most selective to least selective:

UC Acceptance Rates

• UCLA – 9% acceptance rate
• UC Berkeley – 11% acceptance rate
• UC Irvine – 21% acceptance rate
• UC San Diego – 24% acceptance rate
• UC Santa Barbara – 26% acceptance rate
• UC Davis – 37% acceptance rate
• UC Santa Cruz – 47% acceptance rate
• UC Riverside – 69% acceptance rate
• UC Merced – 89% acceptance rate

Several of these schools rank among the best colleges in California . Keep in mind that you can apply to all nine with the same application using UC Apply. While this makes applying convenient, it also means that all the UCs you apply to will receive the same UC essays. As a result, your UC Berkeley essays will be identical to your UC Davis essays and UC Irvine essays.

With this in mind, you might be wondering how to make your application stand out to a specific UC. First, start by reviewing the admissions processes for each of the UC schools you wish to attend. Then, identify key characteristics those UC schools are looking for in their applicants.

For example, consider UCLA. A successful UCLA application will demonstrate a student’s academic and personal achievements, despite any challenges they may have faced. Touching on these themes in your UCLA essay can help you build a strong UCLA application.

Make sure that your UC essays reflect your best characteristics in some form. Since the UC schools are part of the same system, they share many of the same values. Common characteristics they are looking for include creativity, problem-solving, persistence, leadership, and diversity. Use your responses to UC essay prompts to highlight how you demonstrate these qualities.

Which UCs require essay prompts?

All of the UCs require students to respond to UC Personal Insight Questions as part of their UC application. When you submit your responses to the UC PIQs on UC Apply, you’ll select which UCs to send them to. Unlike the school-specific nature of some supplemental essays, your UC essays should not mention a specific school. They are, instead, solely focused on your personal experiences.  

Furthermore, each of the UCs you apply to will review your application independently. Schools are not aware of which other UCs you applied to. Nor are they able to tell whether you were admitted to another UC. In short, although the UC essay prompts are the same at every school, they are evaluated separately by each school.

How many UC Personal Insight Questions are required?

Freshmen are required to submit responses to four of the eight available UC Personal Insight Questions. Meanwhile, transfer students must only respond to three. However, in addition to these UC essay prompts, transfer students must also submit a response to one additional required question.

Later, we’ll explore each of the eight UC PIQ prompts in depth. We’ll also share tips for selecting the right UC PIQs for you. Before we get to the prompts, let’s look at how long your responses to the UC essay prompts should be.

How long are UC Personal Insight Questions?

Each of your four responses to the UC Personal Insight Questions can be up to 350 words long. With limited space, you should focus on sharing only the most important reflections and details to strengthen your story. Once you’ve written drafts, ask a friend or mentor to help edit your responses to the UC essay prompts. A second set of eyes can help you remove unnecessary words or phrases, finding space for more critical ideas. 

While 350 words for one essay is not a lot of space, remember you are writing four essays in total. As such, you have 1400 words in total to express who you are in your UC PIQs. 

Next, we’ll share the UC essay prompts that you can respond to for your PIQs. 

What are the UC Essay Prompts?

As we mentioned above, there are eight UC essay prompts. Remember, all eight UC essay prompts are the same no matter which school you are applying to. So, you can use the same prompt for your UC Irvine essay, UC San Diego essay, or UC Davis essay. 

Here are the eight UC prompts for the UC PIQs:

Below, we’ll explore each UC essay prompt in greater detail. And, we’ll provide tips and reflection questions to ensure your responses answer the prompt effectively .

UC Essay Prompt #1: Leadership

The first of the eight UC essay prompts is about leadership. The question is as follows:

UC Personal Insight Question #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..

The word leadership often calls to mind a formal title, such as president of a club or head of student council. However, that is not how these UC prompts define leadership. In fact, the UC essay prompts allude to the fact that leadership occurs in many different scenarios. Colleges also value informal forms of leadership, such as the examples listed in the prompt.

Importantly, the UC essay prompts ask for an example of your leadership. Be sure to provide a specific example in your essay, rather than simply stating that you are a leader. For instance, maybe you stood up for a friend who was being bullied. Or maybe you created a study group to help your classmates do well on a difficult test. These are instances of informal leadership that would be excellent ideas for UC PIQ prompts.

Writing UC Personal Insight Questions about leadership can be intimidating if you feel like you haven’t had much formal leadership experience. However, almost everyone has had some experience where they’ve positively influenced others. Use these tips to discover and capture your leadership experience when answering your UC PIQ prompts:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #1

1. ask friends, family, and mentors for examples..

Sometimes, it can be hard to see our own accomplishments. Consider surveying your friends, family, and mentors, like teachers or coaches, for examples. Ask them how they have seen you positively influence others. From there, note if any examples feel particularly meaningful to you.

2. Be specific.

As with all UC essays, you’ll want to be specific to make a captivating argument. Spend time brainstorming specific details about your experience so that you can write about it in a compelling manner. For example, if you stood up for a friend who was being bullied, consider including details about the incident. How did you feel in the moment? What stands out to you now? 

3. Highlight your impact.

In this UC PIQ, admissions is looking for an example of how you made an impact on others. So, don’t forget to include what the effect of your involvement was. Perhaps in the bullying example, your friend told you they felt supported and safer at school, and the bullying stopped. What you learned from your experiences is as important as what happened to you.

If you choose the leadership prompt as one of your UC PIQ prompts, be sure to use these tips. Thoroughly reflecting on an experience is key to writing successful UC PIQs. Strong UC PIQ examples demonstrate strong critical thinking, another valuable trait to demonstrate in your UC Personal Insight Questions.

UC PIQ #1 Reflection Questions

As you review your draft response to the leadership UC PIQ, consider whether your response answers the following questions:

• Does your response clearly demonstrate a positive impact you had on others?
• Did you provide details to illustrate your story?
• Does your essay have an insightful reflection on what you learned about leadership?

Responding effectively to PIQ #1 requires answering yes to all these questions. Now, let’s continue looking at the UC prompts with UC PIQ #2.

UC Essay #2: Creativity 

The second of the eight available UC PIQ prompts focuses on creativity. Like the leadership question, you should interpret creativity broadly. Here is the second of the UC prompts:

UC Personal Insight Question #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..

You might read this question and think: “I’m not creative!” However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t choose it for one of your UC Personal Insight Questions. As the UC prompts state, every person is creative. We simply express our creativity differently. Creativity can include finding new routes to school in the morning to evade traffic. It might also look like discovering new ingredients and recipes for your school lunches. However you define or express your creativity is valid and could make a great topic for your UC PIQs.

When selecting a topic for your UC essay prompts, think about moments when you were particularly mentally energized. Reflect on what you were doing and how you approached that situation. Then consider whether you can tell an engaging story about that situation that demonstrates your creativity. 

Here are some tips for writing strong responses to UC essay prompts on creativity:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #2

1. think outside the box..

Creativity at its core is about tapping into your individual passions and interests. Allow yourself to think broadly about your own creativity and release any assumptions about what it means to be traditionally creative. Your UC essay prompts are a space for you to be yourself.

2. Pick a passion.

This prompt is designed to let you highlight personal passions. Maybe that passion is drawing or singing, or maybe it is solving math problems. Whatever you choose to describe, make sure it is a topic that matters deeply to you. 

3. Paint a picture.

Even if your chosen topic has nothing to do with art, use details that awaken the reader’s senses. Help us feel the joy behind your creative endeavor by giving us specific sensory details that excite you. Make your UC PIQs enjoyable and exciting to read.

Of all the UC essay prompts, this one is about creativity – so be creative and have fun writing! That will translate into an interesting response. If you’re feeling stuck, it might be helpful to review other UC PIQ examples. That way, you can get a sense of how different students respond to their UC essay prompts.

UC PIQ #2 Reflection Questions

As you finish drafting your UC Personal Insight Questions, use these questions to reflect upon your response:

• Does your topic reflect a unique way of thinking or creating?
• Does your response reflect your passion for a creative endeavor?
• Do you include sensory details that make your creativity come to life?

Whether you are working on a UC Irvine essay or a UC San Diego essay, ask yourself these questions. That way, you can feel confident you’ve done a comprehensive job responding to your UC prompts.

UC Essay Prompt #3: Talent

When choosing among the UC essay prompts, you might be drawn to one that allows you to talk about one of your strengths. This is your opportunity to brag about yourself, while also having self-awareness and reflecting upon your skills or talents. The third prompt on our list of the UC prompts is as follows:

UC Personal Insight Question #3

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

The key to answering this question well is to respond to all parts of the question. Start by reflecting on talents and skills that you have. A talent is anything you feel you can naturally do well, while a skill is something you’ve acquired over time. Both require work to hone. Sharing how you put work into your passions is important for any student including this talent prompt in their UC PIQs.

Again, keep an open mind as you reflect. We often associate talents and skills with huge accomplishments, like being a famous singer or an Olympic swimmer. In fact, talents can be seemingly small abilities, like memorizing difficult rap lyrics or putting together a stylish outfit. Skills can include everything from planning fun birthday parties to listening well to others. No talent or skill is too small to mention, so long as you provide engaging descriptions and meaningful reflections. (You might hear that caveat a lot when reviewing the UC prompts.)

Here are some tips for acing the third of the UC essay prompts:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #3

1. brag a little..

As we mentioned, these UC prompts are designed to learn more about you. If you don’t tell UC admissions officers about your accomplishments, they won’t know about them. The strongest UC essay examples share achievements that may not be evident elsewhere on an application.

2. Be honest and vulnerable.

Just because you have a skill doesn’t mean you are perfect. Feel free to share what you find challenging about this activity or how you have sought to improve. Several UC PIQ examples highlight where students have struggled or failed in learning a new skill. Whether writing a UC Davis or UC San Diego essay, this vulnerability will stand out.

3. Focus on growth.

A strong response to UC prompts always includes self-reflection. Find the balance between bragging and highlighting weaknesses by finding the lessons you learned from this experience. Maybe you have always had a knack for predicting the weather, but one day predicted wrong and ended up soaked by a downpour. Perhaps your lesson is to be humble and always find secondary evidence to back up your predictions. 

As with all UC essay prompts, try to pick a topic you enjoy writing about. That genuine interest will come across, whether you’re writing a UCLA essay or UC Berkeley essay.

UC PIQ #3 Reflection Questions

After capturing your talent for one of your four UC PIQs, consider these reflection questions:

• Did you highlight a talent or skill that is important to you?
• Did you find a balance between bragging and reflecting upon your growth?
• Did you describe your talent or skill with descriptions that make it come to life?

Check out other UC essay examples in this guide for ideas of how other students approached their UC prompts. But for now, let’s continue our exploration of the UC prompts.

UC PIQ #4: Educational opportunities and barriers

Uc personal insight question #4, describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced..

The fourth of the UC essay prompts is a unique question that asks you to share an educational opportunity or barrier. Other UC prompts thus far have asked you to focus on experiences you chose. However, this question opens the door to discuss an experience that happened to you. But remember, your PIQs should always focus on you. Just as you would for other UC essay prompts, you must make a point to highlight your own growth or learnings.

Indeed, the UC school system is very aware of educational inequities across the state and country. This question acknowledges that disparity, providing space for UC admissions officers to consider a student’s educational experience in their evaluation. Students working on their UC Berkeley essay or UCLA essay might be worried about their grades not being strong enough. Those students may wish to choose this prompt if their grades or course choices don’t reflect their best abilities. 

On the flip side, applicants can also use this PIQ to share further details about an opportunity they took advantage of. For example, maybe your UCLA application includes your summer research experiences but doesn’t offer space to elaborate on them. In that case, you may want to choose PIQ #4 as one of your four UC essay prompts.

When writing about education barriers or opportunities, you should be cautious about how you explain your experience. Here is some guidance about responding to this question as one of your UC PIQs effectively:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #4

1. choose a barrier or an opportunity that had significant impact on your academic career..

Your UC PIQs must highlight experiences which shaped you profoundly. Some UC PIQ examples highlight how students were accepted into programs that exposed them to a new career path. Other UC essay examples discuss how their school’s lack of classes for students with special needs prevented them from excelling. Use your UC essay prompts to your advantage by being strategic about which experiences to highlight. 

2. Remain an active participant in your story.

The goal of these UC prompts is to learn more about how you approach life. After describing the barrier or opportunity, share how it shaped you. What did you learn from the experience? What did you put into the experience to make sure you could succeed? A UC Davis essay passively complaining about a high school’s lack of advanced courses is unlikely to impress UC Admissions.

3. Focus on your growth and goals.

In many of the UC essay prompts, you have an opportunity to share your intentions for the future. Whether you grew up extremely privileged or lacking resources, UC Admissions wants to understand the quality of your character. Share how you have grown and what you hope to accomplish next.

No matter which UC prompts you select, give your full effort towards making sure they reflect your best qualities. 

UC PIQ #4 Reflection Questions

In contrast to other UC prompts, this response can be answered in two distinct ways. By focusing on an educational barrier or an educational opportunity. Regardless of which route you take, you’ll want to review your response to ensure it answers these reflection questions:

• Does your response highlight an opportunity or barrier that is academic in nature?
• Do you demonstrate how you played an active role in overcoming the barrier or making the most of the opportunity you chose?
• Does your response demonstrate how you grew or learned from your experience?  

As much as your UC essay prompts are about your experiences, they are ultimately about you. Make sure you demonstrate how you became who you are in your responses to the UC essay prompts.

Alright, we’re halfway through reviewing the UC essay prompts! If these first four UC prompts didn’t speak to you, there are four more you can choose from. Keep reading to learn about PIQ #5.

UC Essay Prompt #5: Significant Challenge

Next is the significant challenge prompt. Of the UC prompts, this UC PIQ is considered the challenge essay. This is a common topic – you’ve probably encountered similar prompts for supplemental essays on other applications. The prompt for #5 of the UC PIQS is as follows:

UC Personal Insight Question #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.

Like all the UC essay prompts, this requires some thought before diving in — what do successful UC essays cover here? Firstly, remember all of the UC PIQ prompts are very particular with their wording. Note “overcome” and “affected” in this UC PIQ. These are the “whats” of your essay.

The UC essay prompts ask for essays that reveal more about who you are as a person and a learner. Therefore, if you use this prompt for one of your UC PIQs, your challenge should be linked to your academics. That is to say, while not all successful UC essay examples for this prompt concern academic challenges, many do.

So, what topics are ideal for these UC essay prompts? Although you may have faced many academic challenges, the best UC Personal Insight Questions go above and beyond. Some UC PIQs discuss challenges that have little to do with academics but nevertheless have an effect. When brainstorming here, think about times that you struggled academically, and pinpoint the source. Common challenges are not off-limits, provided you tackle them with specificity and nuance in your UC PIQs.

Your responses to UC essay prompts should give your readers a better sense of who you are. Think of how many UC PIQs the UC Berkeley essay readers or UC Irvine essay review team see every year. The strongest UC PIQs will discuss a challenge and the writer’s reaction in a compelling way. Here are some tips to consider when answering #5 of the UC essay prompts:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #5

1. consider your personal narrative..

Once you’ve decided on your topic, consider the most unique or interesting aspect of your journey with your challenge. Answering UC essay prompts starts with determining how your topic relates to your personal narrative . Let your writing capture something about your personality while highlighting certain aspects of your background.

2. Focus on the journey.

It may be tempting to get caught up in the what and the why of the challenge. While these are important details to include in your essay, be sure to detail what you did to overcome this challenge. Effective responses to UC essay prompts about challenges illustrate the writer’s character through their response to adversity. 

3. Connect back to academics.

Even if your challenge was not directly related to academics, it should connect back to some aspect of your education. Emphasize ways in which you continued to apply yourself academically, despite or in spite of this challenge. Successful UC essay examples demonstrate academic tenacity—not necessarily unbroken success—throughout hardship. 

Remember, this prompt is about overcoming a challenge. Frame the challenge as something you surmounted when drafting your UC PIQs. 

UC PIQ #5 Reflection Questions

Here are some reflection questions to consider if you choose to write about #5 of the UC PIQ prompts:

• Does your essay clearly define the challenge you overcame?
• Does your approach to the challenge highlight your unique and compelling traits?
• Do you describe the effect of the challenge on your academic achievement?

Keep these questions in mind to keep your response focused and continually engaged with the prompt.

UC PIQ #6: Academic Interests

Next on our list of UC essay prompts is the academic interests essay. Among the UC prompts, this is one of the most straightforward:

UC Personal Insight Question #6

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

Some of the UC essay prompts give a lot of room for interpretation and exploration. However, academic interest UC PIQs are rather simple. These UC essays should discuss the writer’s academic passion and their track record engaging with it. As with other UC essay prompts, look closely at the wording. Your focus may be “inside and/or outside of the classroom.” Let’s say you’ve researched astronomy on your own but your school doesn’t offer an astronomy class. If it inspires you, that’s still a great topic for this essay prompt!

Your topic can be any academic subject that you’ve pursued in a tangible way. Of course, if you’ve undertaken research or other work in that field, that experience is an excellent start. However, you could also write about personal research projects, or maybe school organizations and events you’ve been a part of. Like the other UC essay prompts, this PIQ asks not just what you like, but how you pursue your interests.

UC prompts invite you to showcase what makes you unique, from your academic passions to your creative drive. Consider these tips when writing your own responses to the UC essay prompts:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #6

1. ground your essay in an anecdote..

Think about when you first engaged in this topic – what inspired you? How did you get involved? If it is directly aligned with your intended college major, when did you decide you wanted to continue your studies? Or make a career out of it? Grounding your essay in a specific moment can demonstrate your passion while bringing life to the person behind that passion.

2. Showcase your drive.

A strong UC PIQ essay for this prompt will be unambiguous in describing your interest and how you pursue it. But great UC essays will describe these in a way that leaves little doubt about your force of will. Learning, particularly at a college level, does not end in a classroom. A curious and driven student will take any chance to learn. Will a UC San Diego essay reader see you as a passionate, driven, inspired person? Strong responses to the UC prompts should leave the reader with no doubt that you will excel at a UC.

3. Tell a story.

Make sure there is movement in your essay. That means telling a story with a beginning, middle, and end, propelled forward through change and action. Is there a way your UC PIQ can demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for your topic through your actions? The best responses for UC essay prompts exhibit out-of-the-box thinking and a willingness to pursue—or make—opportunities.

When writing responses to the UC essay questions, reading UC essay examples may inspire you. If you’re unclear on ideal approaches for UC prompts, UC PIQ examples can steer you in the right direction. Since the UC PIQ prompts often overlap through UC application cycles, you may find guidance in past UC PIQs.

UC PIQ #6 Reflection Questions

Use these reflection questions to keep you on track during the writing process:

• Do you clearly identify your academic passion and ways you’ve pursued it?
• Do you highlight positive traits about yourself (persistence, creativity, curiosity, etc.) through your actions?
• Does your essay portray you as a flexible learner who goes beyond textbooks in pursuit of understanding?

This academic PIQ is one of the best opportunities you have to characterize yourself as a student and a learner.

UC Essay Prompt #7: Community

The next of the UC prompts asks a question common to college essays. Other UC essay prompts ask about you—your background and qualities, your leadership potential. In contrast to those UC Personal Insight Questions, this one asks about your contributions to a community. Here is the prompt:

UC Personal Insight Question #7

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

Like with the other UC Personal Insight Questions, the wording here matters. UC PIQ examples for community UC prompts, past and present, discuss a variety of communities, including school. Your community may be a religious or cultural community, or one centered on a particular identity. Your UC Davis essay or UC San Diego essay may even center around a hobby community, like a knitting circle.

In a similar vein, “a better place” is a key point here. Poorly thought-out UC PIQs may simply rehash a scenario where the writer exhibited leadership or initiated something. However, remember that responses to the UC prompts should address the prompt directly. Therefore, effective UC Personal Insight Questions will emphasize the positive impact the writers had on their community. Consider how your leadership or initiative improved the community and the experiences of its members and beyond.

Strong UC PIQ examples build on the personal narrative constructed elsewhere in the UC application. UC Personal Insight Questions should show the writer demonstrating core traits that they want UC admissions to know. Here are some tips to help you be clear about your contribution(s) to the community and your impact:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #7

1. identify your community..

When responding to UC essay prompts about community, the obvious first step is to identify the community and its significance. Touch on how you got involved and what this community means to you.

2. Measure your impact.

Answering these UC essay prompts can feel somewhat similar to completing your Common App extracurriculars section. That is to say, strong UC essays often use concrete figures and details when discussing impact. Would the UC Irvine essay review team have a clear picture of your impact from your essay? Can a UC Berkeley essay reader understand exactly what you’ve accomplished from your UC essays?

3. Be honest and realistic.

Be honest about your efforts and the difference you’ve made, however large or small. The connection between action and effect should be logical. A shared calendar for your gardening club may not save lives, but organizing mutual aid through a community organization might. Don’t oversell the impact your actions have had. Of course, your UC application (and college applications in general) should portray you as an ideal candidate—but not through exaggeration. 

Finally, take pride in your contribution. Certainly, leadership tends to make for strong UC PIQs. However, you can improve your community even without being in an official leadership role. Think deeply about your community participation and how you can best highlight your impact in your UC Personal Insight Questions.

UC PIQ #7 Reflection Questions

Use these questions during the editing process to ensure you submit as strong an essay as possible to UC Admissions:

• Do you clearly identify your community and your contribution—with statistics where applicable?
• Does your UC PIQ showcase positive personal traits in the way you improved your community?
• Do you portray yourself as a helpful member of your community?

Next, we’ll review the final UC PIQ prompt.

UC PIQ #8: Beyond Your Application

The last of the UC essay prompts gives applicants carte blanche to cover anything not mentioned in other UC PIQs. Let’s look at the final item on the list of UC prompts:

UC Personal Insight Question #8

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.

This is distinct from other UC essay prompts in that it is very open-ended. While it may seem easy to write this essay, it can be much more challenging than the other UC PIQs. Whatever topic you choose, your essay should ultimately strengthen your case for admission. Particularly if this is a UC Berkeley essay or UCLA essay, this UC PIQ should be highly individualized and impressive.

Think carefully about your topic and whether it could be used for other UC essay prompts. A chronic health condition may be better suited for the challenge essay. Efforts in activism might be a better answer to the leadership, creativity, or community UC Personal Insight Questions. Of the UC prompts, this may lend itself best to preparation through reading UC PIQ examples. Successful UC essay examples can help you figure out what kinds of experiences you may have that fit this prompt.

So you’ve chosen your topic and decided it doesn’t fit any other UC essay prompts as well as this one. How can you approach this essay? Here are some tips to help you get started:

Tips for approaching UC PIQ #8

1. focus on character..

Like with other UC prompts, there’s a question that you need to answer: why are you an outstanding candidate? Strong candidates are curious, self-driven students whose values align with those of the institution to which they are applying. Consider the qualities that make you prepared to take on challenging coursework and enrich the campus community. 

2. Fill in the gaps.

Consider how your personality and character show in your other three UC essay prompts answers. Is there another trait that a UC Davis essay reviewer would miss if they read your UC Personal Insight Questions? Maybe you mentioned a non-academic interest that you could expand on to add depth to your UC Irvine or UCLA application. Either way, this UC PIQ should add additional, essential context that wouldn’t suit the other UC prompts.

3. Save it for last.

It may be best to finish the other UC Personal Insight Questions before this one. In doing so, you can review your responses to other UC prompts to see what’s missing from your application. And, you can be sure your response connects back and complements your other essays.

If, while writing, you find that your topic fits the other UC essay prompts better, roll with it! Unlike UC prompts 1 through 7, not everyone will have something to say for this prompt. Since you can choose four of the eight UC Personal Insight Questions, you’ll have ample opportunity to reflect elsewhere.

UC PIQ #8 Reflection Questions

Keep these questions in mind throughout the writing process, from choosing a topic to revising your drafts:

• Is your essay topic best suited to this topic out of the eight UC essay prompts?
• Does your essay introduce new information or context that bolsters the strength of your application?
• Does your essay build on the narrative you’ve built in your other UC Personal Insight Questions?

Now, we’ve covered all eight of the UC essay prompts. Next, let’s discuss how to choose the right UC prompts for you.

Choosing the Right UC PIQs for You

Of the eight UC essay prompts, you can only write four UC essays. So which ones should you pick? The first step to choosing your UC prompts is to read them thoroughly and see which ones stand out. Trust your gut and start brainstorming —you may even end up making ideas for all eight UC essay prompts. There are tons of writing exercises you can use when searching for essay topics, and you may need to try several.

Once you’ve thought of essay topics, figure out which ones are most viable. Which ideas could spark great UC PIQ examples, written with genuine enthusiasm and clarity? If you can’t avoid a somewhat cliche topic, can you write about it in a compelling way? What insights can you find in your experiences that nobody else would—and how do you show them? Choose the UC prompts that excite you and enable you to showcase the traits that make you a strong candidate. 

Every strong UC San Diego essay or UC Davis essay will be personally inspiring and aspirational. It may take a few brainstorming sessions for you to figure out which UC essay prompts inspire your best writing. Be flexible when planning your essays: ideas for one of the UC PIQ prompts may end up fitting other UC prompts. In those cases, be willing to change your chosen UC essay prompts to get the best fit for your ideas.

How to Make Your UC Essays Stand Out

Once you’ve chosen your UC essay prompts and drafted your UC essays, there’s still work to be done. Between writing a first draft and submitting an Irvine or UCLA application, you must revise your essays. Above, we gave you reflection questions for each of the UC prompts. Now, here are a few questions you should ask yourself about your responses to UC essay prompts as a whole.

Do your UC PIQs paint a vivid picture of who you are and what you’ll bring to the campus community?

At heart, the UC essay prompts ask you to explain who you are and how you navigate the world. Remember, every aspect of your application is evaluated holistically, whether it’s a UCLA application or a UC Davis application. And, since UC Apply doesn’t use standardized test scores for admission decisions, your essays must help make your case. Your UC Personal Insight Questions should explore key parts of your experience in an interesting, authentic fashion. After reviewing your PIQs, a reader should have no doubt that you’re a great fit for your UCs of choice.

Have you gotten feedback from a trusted peer or mentor about how well your essays describe you?

Getting a fresh pair of eyes on a UC PIQ is an often-underrated style of editing. After you’ve reviewed them on your own, ask someone you trust to review your responses to the UC essay prompts. They may have suggestions on ways to help your voice shine through. Or even notes on if you’ve misrepresented yourself in your writing. Before putting anything in UC Apply, try to have another person read your UC PIQs.

Are there any technical errors in your UC PIQs?

This is pretty obvious, but the last thing you want in your essays is a spelling or grammar mistake. This is another reason a second opinion can be helpful! Ensuring your essays are error-free is an easy way to help polish your UC Personal Insight Questions.

UC Application Deadlines

After all that effort you’ve put into your UC Personal Insight Questions, don’t let a missed deadline ruin your chances. Since all UC schools from UCLA to UC Davis use the UC Apply portal , they have the same deadline: November 30 . Note that UC Apply does not have early decision or early action application options .

Contrary to the Common Application, which can be submitted as early as September, UC Apply opens its filing period in October. Of course, just because you can’t submit your UC application before October 1 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start early. Your UCSD or UCLA essay writing should start well before the deadline. That way, you can ensure you have time to plan, draft, revise, and make your application stand out . Especially in light of the competitiveness of top schools like Berkeley and UCLA , you don’t want to rush the process.

Another benefit of starting early is that you get plenty of time to research the UC Personal Insight Questions. You’ll have time to read the UC prompts, find UC PIQ examples, and learn what UC admissions officers look for. If you browse UC sites, you may even find additional tips for writing your UC Personal Insight Questions.

More Essay UC Resources from CollegeAdvisor

CollegeAdvisor has a lot of experience helping students through the UC admissions process. To help more students, we’ve put our wisdom into free resources. Our online resources are open to all, providing helpful advice from current and former students, as well as admissions officers.

We have an array of broad-scope “how to get into” guides for the UCs and beyond. Our UCLA guide covers everything from the ideal GPA to UCLA essay strategies. Other UC schools we’ve covered include UC Irvine , UC Berkeley , and UC Santa Barbara . If you’re interested in other UCs, search our website for other schools on your list!

Maybe you’re still focused on the UC essay prompts. In that case, we have other UC essay guides that may be helpful to your writing process. Since the UC prompts haven’t changed significantly in the past few years, a winning UC Irvine essay approach from 2020 still holds up. We have 2021-2022 UC essay examples to inspire you as you write your own. Another excellent resource is our article on common college essay questions , which covers challenge essays and unique essays.

As some of the best schools in California, the UC schools can be challenging to get into without excellent essays. But, with in-depth, free resources from CollegeAdvisor.com, you’ll be better equipped to craft knockout UC PIQs.

UC Essay Prompts 2023-2024 – Final Thoughts

With schools from UC Berkeley to UC Santa Barbara , the UC system serves thousands of students from across the world. Applying to the best UC schools can seem daunting, especially given the eight different UC essay prompts. Even if you have impressive extracurriculars, a high GPA, and California residency, UC essays can tip your admissions odds.

In this article, we took a deep dive into the UC essay prompts, also called the UC Personal Insight Questions. We discussed each of the UC PIQ prompts and what sorts of topics may be best suited for each. Then, we went into more detail about approaching each essay, from exploring ideas to putting them together. Additionally, we provided some advice on reflecting on your experiences and choosing your four UC essay prompts. Finally, we left you with a hearty helping of UC essay examples and guides.

Your UC Essay matter

Whether you’re applying to UC Santa Cruz or ticking off boxes from UCLA to UCSD, you need strong UC essays. We hope this article has given you a steady foundation from which to start your essay writing journey. With the tips and tricks we provided, you’re better prepared to write essays to wow UC Admissions.

Still looking for more support? CollegeAdvisor.com specializes in personalized, one-on-one college advising, even before senior year. If you’re looking for individual guidance for your UC essays, reach out for a consultation with our admissions experts.

This essay guide was written by Gina Goosby and senior advisor, Courtney Ng . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Successful UC Berkeley Essays

Uc berkeley essays →, uc berkeley mentors →.

UC PIQ: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? | Sabria

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?  Overtime, I learned that Armani wants to be spoken to as…...

UC PIQ: Think about an academic subject that inspires you | Sabria

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.  It was not until…...

UC PIQ: Describe an example of your leadership experience | Sabria

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

UC PIQ: What do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? | Tevin

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

UC PIQ: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?  | Tevin

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?   “It’s near impossible, your seniors have tried”, I was told. Zhengyang…...

UC PIQ: Describe an example of your leadership experience | Tevin

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

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Frequently Asked Questions - Berkeley Writing Assessment: General Questions

Berkeley writing assessment: general questions, what is the berkeley writing assessment.

The Berkeley Writing Assessment is a 2-hour timed reading and writing activity done online. It is made up of a reading passage and questions that you will write an essay in response to, without the assistance of outside readings, books, websites, ChatGPT, or other people. You will also complete a survey that tells us about your experience with writing and writing classes.

Who should take the Berkeley Writing Assessment?

If you do not have a qualifying exam score at this time, or a C or higher in an English Composition course completed before starting Berkeley, you should  consider taking the next available assessment.

The advantage of taking the upcoming assessment is to guarantee you will have the results in time for fall semester enrollment in mid-July to best determine if you will take COLWRIT R1A or qualify for enrollment in a Reading and Composition course that satisfies Part A. The Assessment is not required for enrollment in COLWRIT R1A, you can always enroll directly into the course. COLWRIT R1A completed with a letter grade of C or higher satisfies both Entry Level Writing  and Reading and Composition Part A.

How do I sign up for the Assessment?

If you are a newly admitted first-year student who has accepted the offer to attend Berkeley, you will be assigned a Task in your CalCentral Dashboard to complete an Entry Level Writing Evaluation form. If you are a continuing  Berkeley student, there is a registration link on this page.

You may take the Berkeley Writing Assessment only once.

How is the Assessment scored?

Each student essay will be read by two raters, working independently, to assign it a score from 1-6. The two scores are combined for the final score.

How do I pass the Assessment?

This is not an exam in the traditional sense. The Assessment doesn't have passing or failing grades. Instead, it will tell you which composition class is best for you given your skills and experience. If you receive a combined final score of 8 or higher, you will be recommended to take a 4-unit Reading and Composition Part A  course in the department of your choice, including College Writing Programs. If your score is lower than 8, you will take College Writing (COLWRIT) R1A , a 6-unit course which satisfies both the Entry Level Writing and Reading and Composition Part A requirement.

How much does the Berkeley Writing Assessment cost?

There is a $196 fee for taking this assessment which is charged  after you finish the assessment to your dashboard. You can view the charge in the Cal Central dashboard under the "My Finances" tab. Fee waivers for the Berkeley Writing Assessment are only granted to students who have qualified for the UC Application fee waiver. The Berkeley Writing Assessment fee waiver will be automatically processed if you already qualified for the UC Application fee waiver.

Can the fee for the Berkeley Writing Assessment be waived?

Fee waivers for the Berkeley Writing Assessment are only granted to students who qualified for the UC Application fee waiver. The Berkeley Writing Assessment fee waiver will be automatically processed if you have already qualified for the UC Application fee waiver.

I have a conflict with the most recent Assessment. Are there any make-up times?

Yes, the Berkeley Writing Assessment will be offered two times each year: the May administration (primarily for incoming students) and once during the fall semester. Note that you may take the Assessment only once . If you do not receive a qualifying score the first time you take the Assessment, and you have no other qualifying scores or acceptable transfer course completed prior to stating Berkeley, you should enroll in COLWRIT R1A

Do I need to take the Assessment in order to enroll in COLWRIT R1A?

No, you may enroll directly in COLWRIT R1A without an assessment score. Many students appreciate taking the course as a way to improve their reading and writing skills in a small class environment (College Writing classes have only 14 students per section). The class is designed to set you up for success with your future writing assignments at Berkeley.

I took the BWA. How long will it be until I get my score?

It generally takes around 3 weeks for your essay to be scored and for the score to be submitted before it appears in your records. You can find your BWA scores on your Cal Central dashboard under the "My Academics" tab.

How do I know which test scores satisfy ELWR?

A list of accepted tests and scores is found on the University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement page.

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We're students at UC Berkeley MET, AMA!

We're a group of students in the UC Berkeley's Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program , pursuing dual degrees in engineering & business! We're super excited to announce we will be hosting an AMA, Nov 18th from 12:30-1:30 PM PST to answer any questions you all have about the program.M.E.T. was started 5 years ago for students interested in the intersection of business & technology. We just accepted our 6th class and had our second M.E.T. class graduate this past year.

The possibilities with the two degrees are wide-- our students often take internship roles in product management, software engineering, machine learning, consulting, technical/data analytics, and more (click to find out more about where our students have interned!).

Our program includes 7 engineering tracks within UC Berkeley's College of Engineering with a Business Administration degree within the Haas School of Business. The tracks include Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Industrial Engineering & Operations Research, Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Material Science Engineering, and Undeclared Engineering!

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2 degrees completed in four years, one from College of Engineering and one from Haas School of Business

Access to resources from both colleges available for all 4 years

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Small, tight-knit community of 50-60 students each year

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How to Write the Smith College Supplemental Essay 2024-2025

Smith College is a private liberal arts women’s college in Western Massachusetts. The school boasts small class sizes and close advising for over 50 areas of study. Smith is also part of both the Five College Consortium , which allows students to take courses and participate in extracurriculars at Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst.

Smith is pretty selective, so writing a strong essay can definitely help increase your chances of acceptance. Here’s how to respond to their supplemental essay prompt.

Smith College Supplemental Essay Prompt

What personal experiences, background or abilities would you bring to this residential environment to share with your neighbors and what would you hope your neighbors would share with you (250 words).

Smith wants to know about your individuality and worldview through your experiences, backgrounds, and abilities, and this aligns most with the Diversity archetype . Showcase how your unique perspective benefits the community and how you engage with others. As there is an emphasis on “neighbors,” make sure to prioritize community as a theme, whether that’s about embracing differences, serving the people around you, or any other variation of being a contributing member of your community. 

Essentially, you are being asked to reflect on the aspects of your identity, skills, and personality that will shape how you engage with Smith College’s residential campus community. Admissions officers want to know how you can enrich the experiences of your future neighbors, as well as what you hope to gain from living in a diverse and tight-knit environment. It’s an opportunity to highlight your ability to contribute to a communal space, while also demonstrating humility and openness to learning from others.

To brainstorm some ideas for what you’ll write about, think about the following questions:

• What personal experiences or aspects of your identity (culture, family background, hobbies, talents) would shape your role in a residential community?
• How have you contributed to your community in the past? How would that translate to a college campus or dorm environment?
• What specific values or qualities do you want your living space to reflect?
• What are you curious about learning from others who may have different backgrounds or interests than your own?
• How do you envision creating meaningful relationships with your neighbors?

Like any supplemental essay, a good response will be specific and personal. Make sure to share details about your life that impact how you interact with others; this could include any aspect of your identity, including ethnicity, race, culture, religion, socioeconomic class, gender and sexual orientation, hometown, illness or disability, and even interests and hobbies. 

How can your experiences or abilities related to one of these dimensions enrich the lives of the people around you? Think about how you contribute to your community or how you will. Then, dive into what you hope to gain from your peers to express your openness to learning from others—engagement is mutual, so don’t neglect this part of the prompt. 

Check out these examples below:

Good Example : “ I’ve always felt that food is a way to bring people together. Growing up in a Filipino household, Sunday afternoons were spent cooking lumpia and adobo with my cousins. I want to recreate this sense of warmth and familiarity in my life at Smith by hosting cooking nights where we can share our favorite family dishes. I can already imagine the smell of sizzling garlic and soy sauce filling the kitchen as we cook and talk about the comfort foods that remind us of home. But more than that, I hope my neighbors will share their own stories and traditions with me—whether it’s teaching me a new dance move, introducing me to their favorite songs, or showing me a special recipe that I can add to my collection .”

This example gives a vivid picture of how the student will contribute to the residential community by sharing memories and traditions related to their cultural background. It also balances their desire to learn from others, creating a sense of true exchange. The focus on food as a way to connect adds a personal and tangible element with elements of storytelling.

Bad Example: “ In the Smith dorms, I would bring a positive attitude and help others when needed. I’ve always been someone who people can count on, and I hope that my neighbors will see that I am trustworthy to talk to when they need help. I also hope that I will meet people from different backgrounds who can teach me about their experiences when they come to me to talk something out. It will be great to live with people who are different from me and learn from them. Creating authentic connections with my neighbors is an important way to create a community and make sure everyone feels supported. ”

This example is generic and doesn’t show any specific aspects of the student’s background or personality. While it mentions wanting to help others and learn from peers, it lacks detail on how the student plans to engage with the community. It could be written by anyone and doesn’t provide any personal reflection or depth to the writing.

Your response should be intentional and reflective when it demonstrates how your personal background and abilities will enrich your residential community at Smith. This will help show admissions officers that you’re ready to be an active, engaged, and open-minded member of the campus community who contributes to the culture of the college.

Where to Get Your Smith College Essays Edited for Free

Do you want feedback on your Smith College essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

Need feedback faster? Get a free, nearly-instantaneous essay review from Sage, our AI tutor and advisor. Sage will rate your essay, give you suggestions for improvement, and summarize what admissions officers would take away from your writing. Use these tools to improve your chances of acceptance to your dream school!

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Vladimir: I'm interested in architectural, environmental and interior designs. Feeling architecture in general as a method of making the best environments for people's wellbeing. Since 2019 studying Architecture at Moscow Architectural Institute - graduating as B Arch in 2024 After 2024 aiming to study abroad to get Master/Ph.D. degree Are you in need of assistance? Please email .

Course Schedules Campus Maps Public Safety Berkeley Store News Releases Event Photos Android Services Privacy Policy Add items to my menu Affiliated Faculty Graduate Students Emeriti Professors and Lecturers In Memoriam Employment Opportunities Dissertation: Metarealism and the Question of Russian Postmodernism It would be somewhat less than accurate to say that I took the direct route to the Ph.D. After completing my B.A. in Russian at Middlebury College in 1987, I returned home to Columbia, Missouri, and taught French at the university there while I applied to programs in Slavic for the following year. I arrived at Cal in the fall of 1988 and left with an M.A. in the spring of 1990. My favorite course during that time was Prof. Karlinsky’s fabulous seminar on verbalism and futurism, in which he exposed us to the work of Guro, Oleinikov, Poplavskii and Prismanova, along with many better-known writers. I’ll never forget the sight of this serious, at times imposing scholar reading poems aloud to us with such evident glee that he seemed on the verge of breaking into song and dance. After leaving Cal I dabbled in this and that for a while and eventually found my way into journalism. I worked as a reporter in Moscow for three years in the mid-1990s, covering everything from the Moscow Winter Gorodki Championship to Mikhail Gorbachev’s disastrous presidential bid in 1996, when he received just 0.5 percent of the vote, yet insisted that he had “established contact” with the Russian people during the campaign. In 1997 and 1998 I wrote for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock and thoroughly enjoyed it. I came back to Cal in 1999 with the intention of working on the poetry of the 1970s and 1980s, which I had been translating since the late ’80s. In my dissertation I focused on three of these poets — Aleksandr Eremenko, Aleksei Parshchikov and Ivan Zhdanov — who came to be known (through no fault of their own) as “metarealists.” I moved to Moscow after passing my qualifying exams and wrote my dissertation here — definitely not an option I would recommend to others, as it reduced contact with my committee to emails and rare in-person meetings. I owe a debt of gratitude to Prof. Matich and Prof. Ram for their patience and commitment during what proved a rather lengthy writing process. After serving as the political editor at the Moscow Bureau of Bloomberg news service, Patrick Henry moved to a European bureau, where he covers both Russia and the European Union. For his coverage, see: http://topics.bloomberg.com/patrick-henry/ He lives in Brussels with his wife and twin daughters. Relevant publications: “Ivan Zhdanov” and five other entries will appear in the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Russian Culture , forthcoming from Routledge. Iskusstvo pogloshcheniia , a Russian translation (with Mark Shatunovskii and Aleksei Parshchikov) of Artifice of Absorption , an essay by American poet Charles Bernstein. Forthcoming from OGI (Moscow). The first section of Iskusstvo pogloshcheniia appeared in Kommentarii 26 (2006). Co-author (with Boris Wolfson) of Internet-based exercises for Nachalo published on the McGraw-Hill website in 2002 and 2003. “Kostyor tshcheslavii” (On the history of Russia’s major writers’ unions since 1991). Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie No. 48 (2001). Crossing Centuries: The New Generation in Russian Poetry Jersey City: Talisman House Publishers, 2000. Editorial board member and translator. The Inconvertible Sky (selected poetry and prose by Ivan Zhdanov). Jersey City: Talisman House Publishers, 1996. Co-editor and translator. The Right to Err (selected poetry and prose by Nina Iskrenko). Colorado Springs: Three Continents Press, 1995. Co-editor and translator. 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Sign In 175 IMAGES 60+ College Essay Prompts for 2022-2023 Applicants How to Get Accepted by UC Berkeley and UCLA (Admissions Essays Explained) Coded Essay 6 How to Get into UCLA And UC Berkeley: Mastering The UC Essay Prompts How to Get In: UC Berkeley Admissions Requirements Check My Essay: Good uc essay examples COMMENTS Personal Insight Questions At Berkeley we use personal insight questions to: Discover and evaluate distinctions among applicants whose academic records are often very similar; ... Explain your reason for transferring if you are applying from a four-year institution or a community college outside of California. For example, you may substantiate your choice of a particular ... Personal insight questions Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have ... University of California, Berkeley Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words. 18 UC Berkeley Essay Examples that Worked (2024) Here are the 18 best Berkeley essays that worked for each Personal Insight Question prompt #1-8. If you're also applying to UCLA, check out more unique UCLA essays from admitted students. Prompt #1: Leadership Experience. UC Berkeley Example Essay #1; Prompt #2: Creative Side. UC Berkeley Example Essay #2; Prompt #3: Greatest Talent or Skill UC Berkeley Essay Prompts 2023-2024 For the 2023-2024 UC Berkeley essays, it's essential to make sure that the structure aligns with the prompt's requirements and effectively showcases the applicant's strengths, experiences, and fit for the university. 2. Content Depth and Relevance Analysis: Dive deep into the content of each section. Supplemental Essay Prompts Required Essay: (350 words maximum) Your supplemental essays must be submitted by 11:59 pm PST on December 15, 2023. Describe how the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program in Engineering and Business at UC Berkeley will help you to achieve your goals. Share with us the world you come from (for example, your family, school ... How to Write the UC Essay Prompts 2023/2024 (+ Examples) 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) Prompt #1: Leadership. Prompt #2: Creative. Prompt #3: Greatest Talent or Skill. Prompt #4: Significant Educational Opportunity/Barrier. UC Essay Prompts: Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD The University of California schools have released their 2024-2025 essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2029. Unlike most highly selective universities, the UC schools are not members of The Common Application — the school has its own application. Just like in previous years, applicants to the University of California, Berkeley, the ... How to Write the University of California Essays 2024-2025 3. Outline the structure of your essay, and plan out content for an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 4. Before you start writing your essay, write one or two sentences that summarize how you would like the admissions officers to perceive you based on this essay. Prompt's How-to Guide for the UC Berkeley Personal Insight Questions The UC Berkeley personal insight essay prompts for 2020-2021, and how to nail them. UC Berkeley's peronal insight essay prompts, and how to ace them (2020-2021). UC Berkeley requires you to write four mini-essays of 350 words out of eight prompts. How to get into UC Berkeley: Admission Requirements 2023 GPA Requirements to get into Berkeley. The recommended GPA requirements to get into Berkeley are between 3.90 and 4.0. You will need a very high GPA and will likely be graduating in the top 10% of your class in order to get into UC Berkeley. If your GPA is lower than suggested at the time you apply, you may have to perform above average on your ... UC Berkeley essay prompts: Tips and advice? Hey there! Writing your UC Berkeley essays can be both an exciting and challenging experience. Here are some tips and advice to help you craft strong essay responses: 1. Understand the prompts: Make sure you completely grasp the question being asked in each prompt. The UC application has 8 Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), you'll have to choose 4 to answer. University of California 2024-25 Essay Prompt Guide 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 ... Berkeley Essay Prompts? Hello! It's great that you're getting a head start on your application for UC Berkeley. Since you're applying to a University of California (UC) school, you'll need to answer four out of eight Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) as part of your application. Remember, each response has a 350-word maximum. CollegeVine has a guide that breaks down ... UC Essay Prompts UC Essay Prompts 2023-2024. Students applying to UC schools must be prepared to answer the UC prompts as part of the application process. Each year, the University of California receives over 200,000 undergraduate freshmen applications. An important part of these applications are the UC Personal Insight Questions, also known as UC PIQs. UC Essay and UC Personal Insight Question Examples Write your Personal Insight Questions using our free and low-cost comprehensive online courses, which include UC essay examples, step-by-step guides, and more to help you learn how to craft a University of California application if you're a high school senior or junior. Get an overview of the newly updated UC application, learn about the 13 ... Top 12 Successful University of California, Berkeley Essays These are successful college essays of students that were accepted to University of California, Berkeley. Use them to see what it takes to get into UC Berkeley and other top schools and get inspiration for your own Common App essay, supplements, and short answers. These successful UC Berkeley essays include Common App essays , UC Berkeley ... Frequently Asked Questions The Berkeley Writing Assessment is a 2-hour timed reading and writing activity done online. It is made up of a reading passage and questions that you will write an essay in response to, without the assistance of outside readings, books, websites, ChatGPT, or other people. ... (College Writing classes have only 14 students per section). The ... Berkeley M.E.T program: What is the essay's prompt and requirement? I consider applying for Berkeley's M.E.T program. However, the essay prompt can only be viewed after submitting the UC application. So, can someone… We're students at UC Berkeley MET, AMA! : r/ApplyingToCollege Hello! We're a group of students in the UC Berkeley's Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program, pursuing dual degrees in engineering & business!We're super excited to announce we will be hosting an AMA, Nov 18th from 12:30-1:30 PM PST to answer any questions you all have about the program.M.E.T. was started 5 years ago for students interested in the intersection of business ... How to Write the Smith College Supplemental Essay 2024-2025 Our college essay experts go through a rigorous selection process that evaluates their writing skills and knowledge of college admissions. We also train them on how to interpret prompts, facilitate the brainstorming process, and provide inspiration for great essays, with curriculum culled from our years of experience helping students write ... Berkeley Prize Essay Competition The BERKELEY PRIZE Competition was established in 1998, made possible by a generous gift of JUDITH LEE STRONACH to the Department of Architecture in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley. ... Essay Prize Competition; Travel Fellowship | Past Fellowships; The Library; 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018 ... Student Portal Student Portal. Click here to apply: https://bit.ly/4fxWzM2. Congratulations to Dr. Michael Iris, Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations and Career... ☀️ Summer vibes check! Patrick Henry : Dept. of Slavic Languages and Literatures, UC Berkeley After completing my B.A. in Russian at Middlebury College in 1987, I returned home to Columbia, Missouri, and taught French at the university there while I applied to programs in Slavic for the following year. ... of Artifice of Absorption, an essay by American poet Charles Bernstein. Forthcoming from OGI (Moscow). The first section of ... Tracking Generative AI: How Evolving AI Models Are Impacting Legal Law.com typed "admission essay for law school" into ChatGPT's prompt and then submitted the essay to the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University for review. assignment business plan case study course work essay report research paper speech term paper thesis