Comet Bootcamp: Writing Your Best UC Personal Insight Questions
The University of California system received more than 200,000 applications for the graduating class of 2021. The top campuses, like UC Berkeley and UCLA, will accept fewer than 20% of those applicants. How in the world do the UCs sort through all of those applications and make decisions about who to select? Read on, young Comet padawan!
How do the UCs utilize essays in their application process?
There are many attributes UC readers use for evaluation, each with a different weight or point value that add up to your eligibility for admission. While it is easy for students to look similar based on data like grades and coursework, the essays -- or Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) as the UCs refer to them -- add personality and insight (get it?) that will help you differentiate yourself from the crowd.
Luckily the UC application gives you a lot of room to do this. With 4 350-word PIQs (eek), you have a chance to say everything you want to say about yourself. But here’s the catch: each admission reader is expected to spend an average of 6 minutes per application.
So I’m supposed to tell these people who I am and how I’ve spent the last four years of my life...and they’re going to read it in six minutes.
Yup. Therefore, these essays will need a distinct approach.
Instead of the creative, narrative style the Common Application members are hoping to see, UC readers want a digestible summary of your best attributes and accomplishments.
Think of each essay as a stylized, briefly narrated resume that goes beyond what is already listed on your activity page.
Each prompt is inviting you to present a different area of your life -- leadership, creativity, service, talent, academics, challenges, opportunities -- and each response should highlight your best and shiniest examples of your growth or journey in that area.
Ok so how do I decide what these shiny examples are?
Before you even look at the prompts, reflect on your resume and life story and think: what are Four Key Ideas I hope the reader will take away from reading my application?
Some students have four big accomplishments they are proud of. Some have an interesting background story to tell. Others have overcome a big challenge to get to where they are. Still others have spent hundreds or even thousands of hours developing an interest or talent that is important to them.
As you consider your ideas, know that readers are looking for answers to two main questions:
What did you choose to do with your time given the obstacles present or opportunities available?
Did those choices result in a net positive for you and/or your community?
Take a few minutes to think through what you want to say and which of your ideas will allow you to answer both of those questions. Keep refining until you get to your Four Key Ideas.
Each of your Four Key Ideas may fit into more than one prompt depending on what you want to say. For example, I could talk about my time as swim team captain as an example of developing and demonstrating my talent for swim, or I could talk about it as an example of my leadership. Starting with your Four Key Ideas and plugging them into prompts ensures you can talk about everything you want -- you just have to find the right angle.
Got it. So how many prompts are there and what do they ask?
There are eight PIQs to choose from. Students must respond to 4 out of 8 (that’s why we made you choose Four Key Ideas!). Each essay has a limit of 350 words. The PIQ prompts are below, along with Comet’s snappy quick-reference title for each one. We’ll break down the questions to ask yourself as you consider each prompt in the section below.
Prompt 1: Leadership
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
Prompt 2: Innovation & Creativity
Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.\
Prompt 3: Talent
What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
Prompt 4: Educational Extras
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
*This prompt is unique because it is the only prompt with an OR. You must choose which way to answer this prompt; you do not need to answer both questions.
Prompt 5: Challenge
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?
*This question has two parts. Carefully consider which challenge you will discuss, because you must also explain how that challenge affected your academics.
Prompt 6: Academics & Major
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
Prompt 7: Community
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Prompt 8: Supernova
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?
Wow, there are so many options! How do I choose the best ones for me?
Take a look at your Four Key Ideas and see which questions they might answer.
For example, if one of my Four Key Ideas was organizing and competing in local rodeos, I might be able to use “Talent” to describe how I developed my horseback riding skills and lasso tricks. I could also use “Community” to describe how putting on these competitions allowed me to bring activities and attention to my hometown. I could even say that my involvement in designing the advertising for my rodeo events has inspired my future plans in marketing (“Academics and Major”).
Once you have your Four Key Ideas plugged into four PIQs, you can start outlining.
Can you help me with an outline?
Sure!
1. Open by briefly answering the question.
Use the first sentence of your essay to SPECIFICALLY and COMPLETELY answer the prompt.
Remember--reviewers are skimming and miss important details if those details are buried or spread throughout your essay.
“My role as captain of the varsity volleyball team best reflects my leadership abilities.”
“I express my creative side by drawing the graphics for my school newspaper.”
“I’ve developed and demonstrated my talent for baking in many ways.”
Short, sweet, and to the point!
2. Provide background and multiple supporting details.
This means providing all of the statistics and examples needed to understand
the situation you were in and
the choices you made.
This is where you get specific and provide concrete details about what happened and what you accomplished or how you grew. For example, if I were going to tell a story about developing and demonstrating my talent for baking, I might write the following in my outline:
Started baking at age 8 after watching Great British Bake Off.
Joined Zimmy’s Cooking School at age 10 (had to apply, beat out 100 other applicants, became the youngest student to get into the advanced class).
Created and perfected recipes for bran muffins, zucchini bread, and maple bacon eclairs.
Sold $100 worth of baked goods at my PTA’s bake sale.
Entered a competition to get my recipe published in Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook.
There are lots of proper nouns, numbers, and specific examples that will draw the reader’s eye and compel them to read what I have to say.
3. Conclude with the “so what?”
This is where you get deep and reflective! You explore, why is this story significant? What were you able to do as a result of this experience? How did you impact others? All of that good therapeutic deep diggin’ these essays are looking for. Something like:
Through baking, I have been able to exercise my creativity, refine my problem-solving skills, and brightened people’s days along the way. Most importantly, developing my baking skills has taught me the important lesson that practice makes perfect.
Can you break that down a little more by prompt?
Sure! Beyond the general structure above, there are some specific questions that you should aim to answer depending on which prompt you choose.
Prompt 1: Leadership
What was your role?
What did you do? What problem did you notice and did you address?
What were the results of your actions and decisions?
What did you learn in this leadership role? How did the group benefit from you?
Prompt 2: Innovation & Creativity
In what way are you creative?
What are some examples of when you have exercised your creativity?
What did you do, and how was it creative? Explain!
How did/does this creativity help you, or help others?
What lessons can you take away about the value of creativity?
Prompt 3: Talent
What is your greatest talent or skill?
When did you first start using this talent or skill?
How have you developed over the years?
What lessons have you learned?
How does this talent or skill help you or others now?
Prompt 4: Educational Extra
Remember, this prompt is unique because it is the only prompt with an OR. You must choose which way to answer this prompt; you do not need to answer both questions.
| Educational Extra | Educational Stressors |
|---|---|
Educational Extra
|
Educational Stressors
|
Prompt 5: Challenge
What was one way you’ve experienced a significant life stressor that impacted your academic achievement?
Why was this challenge difficult for you?
How did it impact your learning/educational outcomes? (aka GPA, test scores, class choices, etc.)
How did you work through it? Did you have support or go through it alone? What traits were forged in you during this trial?
How are you stronger today because of it? How has life changed because of it?
Prompt 6: Academics & Major
What is your favorite academic subject?
Name a few ways you’ve pursued this subject (AP classes, volunteer work, clubs, internship, summer programs, online or college courses, etc.)
What did you learn? What did you accomplish?
How did this lead you to develop your interest in your major?
Why do you want to major in _______? What’s the emotional pull?
Prompt 7: Community
What was your community (club, school, neighborhood, organization, city) and your role in it?
What did you do? What problem did you notice, and how did you address it?
What were the outcomes or impacts of your actions?
What life lessons or personal traits did you learn by noticing, acting, and making a change?
Prompt 8: Supernova
This prompt is open-ended, but it does ask you to go beyond what you have already noted in your application (e.g. your academics and activities) to tell the readers something about you that they probably haven’t seen before.
| Something Shiny | Something Unusual |
|---|---|
Educational Extra
|
Educational Stressors
|
Thanks, I think I’ve got an outline of everything I want to include in my PIQ response. What are your tips for the style of the PIQs?
Remember, the readers are going to read quickly and they are looking for key points they can take note of and remember as they decide whether to recommend you for admission. With that in mind, here are some tips for writing your UC Personal Statements.
DO:
Read the question carefully and answer it completely.
Remember some prompts have two parts!
Be clear about the significance of your facts. Why did you tell this story?
Have a narrow focus (pinpoint on only one interest/activity/position/trait/skill)
Focus on YOU, YOUR actions YOUR choices, and YOUR impact.
DON’T:
“Paint the scene” with creative writing. You only have 350 words, so cut to the chase.
Use dialogue or other literary devices. The reader will not have the time to appreciate an allegory. This should read like a report.
Restate everything you wrote in the activities section. Instead, make a clear reference to the activity in the essay so the reader can find more details easily.
Frequently Asked Questions about the UC PIQs:
Is there one PIQ prompt that I should make sure to answer?
Nope, all the PIQs are treated equally. You should choose the questions that allow you to convey your values and accomplishments.
Do I have to take up 350 words?
No, of course not. They are reading quickly and probably won’t notice if you’re a few words under the count. However, the UCs are giving you this space, so you should use it if you can!
Are there certain topics to avoid?
Just like all college essays, you should try not to say anything too political or talk about anything too personal. You want the reader to be comfortable and enjoy reading your essay.
Are you sure I don’t need a hook?
Yes, we’re sure. Draw the reader in with your concrete details rather than your stylistic flourish.
Is it okay to write about something that’s not on my activities resume?
Yes, you can write about anything that is important to you, but remember to provide the reader with context
Can I use the last prompt as an opportunity to talk about whatever I want?
Nope. Read the question -- they are looking for something that differentiates you from other candidates, so you’ll need to make that case. If you have something to say that doesn’t fit within a prompt, consider using the additional information section in the application form.
Can I use the additional information section to write another essay?
Nope! Please follow the instructions and use this section to provide relevant or clarifying information that did not fit elsewhere.
We hope this has been a helpful introduction to what UC readers are looking for, how to choose your prompts, and what to include in each essay.
