THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PERSONAL INSIGHT QUESTIONS

The eight University of California personal insight questions (piqs) for the current admissions cycle have been released, and they are the same as the prior year.

 

The eight UC prompts are:

 

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. 

 

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

 

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?

 

6.  Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of 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 stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

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Four of the eight UC essay prompts must be selected. The specific four that you pick doesn’t matter, so don’t agonize over your choices. The UC prompts that you end up choosing should be those that ask about a topic for which you have plenty to say. When writing these essays, make sure to answer the specific prompt, but also be sure to also give admissions officers insights about yourself in the process. Stand out from the typical UC applicant; go above and beyond what admissions is expecting.

 

If you aren’t entirely sure how to approach one or more the UC personal insight questions, contact us for a free consultation. We'd be more than happy to help.