University of California Essays

Writing Tips provided by UC:

• 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.

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have

positively in uenced 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 resolve an important dispute at your school, church,
community, or 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?

Paragraph 1: Start in the middle of a con ict/challenge (build tension) OR

when you nally achieved your goal (result). Brie y conclude
Anecdote
why this moment is signi cant to you. Poten al scenarios:
(Leadership) group project, volunteer program, etc.

Talk about the process of resolving the con ict or the hard
Paragraph 2:
work that led to your team’s ul mate success. How did you
Process exhibit your leadership skills/traits? Please provide concrete
examples of what you’ve done.

Paragraph 3: How has this experience in uenced your personal growth?

What is one major lesson you learned about leadership?
Personal
How will you de ne good leadership, and how will this
Growth realiza on help you contribute to the university?
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 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?

Paragraph 1: Start with an epiphany of how you gured you could approach
a common challenge di erently to show your crea ve side.
Anecdote
Poten al scenarios: an innova ve way to run for student
(Crea vity) council, building your own air puri er

Paragraph 2: What problems did you encounter, and how did you execute
your crea vity to resolve the issue at hand? What was the
Process process? Provide as much detail as possible.

Paragraph 3: What were the results of your crea ve e orts? How did the
Personal achievement help you gain personal growth? What does it
Growth mean for you to be crea ve?
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 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?

Paragraph 1: Op on A: How did you discover your passion as a child (keep

Anecdote brief)? How do you con nue the interest now via school
(Talent/Skill) performances/contests/research, etc?

Op on B: If the skill/talent is something recent, when did you

come across this in high school (Bring us to that moment
of discovery)? Show us your passion as you continue
re ning your skills in this area.

Talk about opportuni es you used this talent in/outside the

Paragraph 2:
classroom and how you balanced this with your
Process schoolwork. Show your e orts in detail.

Paragraph 3: Summarize what you have achieved with this talent. What

Personal did this learning experience teach you about personal

Growth growth? What would you like to do with your talent

moving on to college?
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 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a signi cant 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, 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?

Paragraph 1: Op on A: Opportunity—Transfer, AP classes, Internship, etc.

Anecdote Describe the emo ons you felt at the most crucial point
(Educa onal) and use descrip ve sentences to paint the scenario for
readers.

Op on B: Barrier—Dyslexia, language barrier, etc.

Describe the emo ons you felt at the most crucial point
and use descrip ve sentences to paint the scenario for
readers. Please DON’T write about grade improvements.

How did you prepare for the opportunity, or how did you
Paragraph 2:
conquer the obstacles? Where did you nd resources/
Process people for self-improvement? For example, online
resources, mentors, etc.

Paragraph 3: How has this shaped your study habits and your

Personal dedication to your academic performance? What is one

Growth major takeaway you would like to share? How will this
help you thrive in university?
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 5. Describe the most signi cant 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 discuss 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?”

Paragraph 1: A challenge in or outside the school that you think truly

Anecdote shi ed your understanding of society and matured you.
(Challenge) (You can start at a crucial point of the experience.)

Paragraph 2: What were the speci c steps you took to approach this
challenge? For example, did you ask your friends for advice
Process
or apply your own skills to solve this problem?

Paragraph 3: How did you feel before and a er this challenge? How have

Personal you changed along the process? How will this experience

Growth contribute to your success in college or develop your

empathy for our society?
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 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?

Paragraph 1: What was your rst encounter with the subject like? Bring us
Anecdote back in me. How did you connect it with your life outside the
(Academic) classroom? (Note: Business is NOT an academic subject.)

Paragraph 2: How have you furthered this interest through internships/

research/clubs/etc.? Try to think of BOTH an in-classroom
Process and an extracurricular example.

Paragraph 3: How have these endeavors enhanced your understanding of

Personal the subject? How will you further this interest at UC? Is there
Growth a problem/issue you would like to solve upon gradua on?
How is this connected to your future career plans?
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 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?

Focus on your volunteer experience within your community

a er seeing the challenges your community faced. Did you
Paragraph 1: nd a par cular issue within your school or community
Anecdote (please be personal)? For example: Did your school lack a
(Community) par cular club? Brie y conclude with a statement on how
you decided to s r change and your mo va on to make
improvements.

Describe the process of conduc ng the change and how you

Paragraph 2:
grew in the process. Be sure to include concrete e orts
Process you made to bring about change. What problems did you
encounter, and how did you solve them?

Paragraph 3: How has this experience broadened your understanding of

Personal other people’s struggles within your society? Did you
realize your hidden poten al throughout the process?
Growth
How will you further contribute to this problem upon
entering university?

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.
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