ucla transfer application essays

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How Do I Transfer To UCLA From Community College? A Simple, Easy To Follow Plan

by Chad Agrawal

A Proven System That Will Get You Into UCLA

If you’re wondering how to transfer to UCLA from community college, you must read my guide. In my no-risk, money back guaranteed ebook, “The 3 Word Truth,” you will discover that your path from community college to UCLA is not only possible, but easier than you ever thought it could be. With my easy to follow guide, you will learn a proven method with simple and effective tips that will have you transferring into UCLA and on the fast track to academic and career success.

Learn From Someone Who Has Done What You Want To Do

The best method to accomplish any goal is to do what successful people have already done to reach that goal and model it. I am that person, I have that method for you to model, and I will help you to do it- quickly, effectively, and successfully. That’s right. I transferred from community college to the distinguished school I had dreamed of. Now you can benefit from the methods that I used and use them for yourself to achieve your goal of a UCLA transfer.

Just Follow My Simple Method: That’s All It Takes

You might be laughing right now and thinking, “Me meeting the transfer requirements for UCLA? Well, stop laughing and start picturing yourself there. Is it hard to transfer to UCLA? No, It is easier than you imagine. My guide will accelerate your ability to do it, so don’t be afraid. It all starts with getting yourself geared to read the information I provide and follow it. Are you ready to do that? You have the desire. I know that because you have read this far. The only question is will you see your desire through?

Community College Is Helpful To Your Goal. No Joking!

There are advantages to being in community college for two years before your UCLA transfer. Don’t believe me? For one thing, having two schools will give you a greater ability to expand your horizons and make twice as many friends and contacts as you would other wise. As a UCLA transfer student, you will need to know the secrets that will transform you from a community college student to one transferring to UCLA. That’s where my program comes in. You don’t need to be the smartest student or the most well-connected. You do, however, need to know the way to do it. I know because I did it. And now I want to help you to accomplish the same goal.

My Guide: Simple, Quick, Easy To Follow

My ebook guide, “ The 3 Word Truth ,” is just 19 pages long, but the rewards you will reap from it will outpace one that is 500 pages longer. It is vital that you resist the mindset that tells you that something good and worthwhile must be difficult and time consuming. I promise not to waste your time and that is why I have trimmed the filler and given you just what you need, just what works, just what will help you in transferring to UCLA from community college.

You’re Halfway Home Already, Let Me Take You The Rest of The Way

Recognize that you already possess the ability to be a UCLA transfer . If you are thinking that I am a unique genius and that you could not possibly do what I did, think again. I was an average student in high school. The key to getting into UCLA is not your desire, your intellect, or your drive, but in knowing the simple and effective methods that will allow your dream to become a reality.

A Minimal Investment In Time For Maximum Rewards

Once you know how, you will be amazed at how easy it is. You’re not required to dedicate your life to achieve UCLA transfer acceptance. If you are working too hard, something is wrong. It's similar to internet marketers who receive an over optimization penalty for working too hard to rank on Google. Don't waste you're time and effort like those guys. By following the simple and powerful plan I outline for you, the time you invest will be relatively minimal. But your rewards will be staggeringly fulfilling. Just like me, you can become a top student and get more out of your college experience than you ever dreamed possible.

Here Is The Valuable Information You Will Learn From My Guide

In “ The 3 Word Truth ,” you will learn what to do and how to do it. If your SATs were not high enough to meet UCLA transfer requirements, I will show you how to take them again and astound yourself with your improvement. How? Well, it’s not enough to just study hard. You need to study the right way. My guide will teach you that right way. You will learn how you can score above the 95th percentile. Best of all, you won’t have to dedicate months of intensive preparation time. I will show you how to get yourself fully ready for your SATs in under 3 weeks.

You will also learn how to write a knockout essay for your UCLA transfer application; One that puts your application at the top of pile and not the bottom.

Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that motivating?

Get Started Right Now On Your Road to UCLA

Order Your Copy of “ The 3 Word Truth ” right away and start your path to UCLA transfer acceptance. Don’t delay. Every minute you wait is a minute longer until you are transferring to UCLA. My guide is certain to produce the results you want. I’m so sure of it that I offer an iron-clad 60 day money-back guarantee. You have everything to gain and you take no risk. All you have to do is put in the time to learn my tips and secrets. Will you put in that time? If you are as dedicated as I know you are, then your answer is a definite, unqualified YES! Act now while I am offering my guide at a special sale price.

Quantities Are Strictly Limited: Get Yours Before They’re Sold Out

I limit quantities to prevent unnecessary competition for you, my valued clients. This offer is only available for a limited time and once it is sold out, it will not be offered again until next year. I urge you to hurry and get yours right now. Remember, you have nothing to lose. You will receive a full refund if you decide you are not satisfied anytime within 60 days. And guess what? I have not ever received even one refund request for my guide.

Get 2 FREE Bonuses With Your Order

You will also receive 2 bonus ebooks ABSOLUTELY FREE with the purchase of “ The 3 Word Truth .” The first, “Transfer Students Advice: Adjusting to College Life Easily,” will give you insightful tips on acclimating quickly and successfully as a UCLA transfer student. You will discover that you can have not only a satisfying academic career, but that you can also enjoy everything that college has to offer. Why should you just cloister yourself in your dorm room or in the school library? Instead, learn how to have a full college experience.

The second free bonus is “Networking With Anyone: How to Talk to People.” Once you transfer to UCLA, you will want to get the most out of your experience and that means meeting people, making friends, making contacts- not just ones for today, but ones that will last a lifetime. The key to this is communication and your complementary gift will teach you how to do that easily and effectively.

Don’t Delay: Your Future Is In Your Hands

Your success is before you. The bottom line is that you have the opportunity to take charge of your desire and transform it into reality. Click here right now and start the exciting journey to your UCLA transfer acceptance. Remember, there is no risk on your part. All you need is the motivation to  order now . I know you will be happy about your decision.

This post was written by Chad Agrawal

Chad Agrawal is the founder of CCTS, helping students transfer from community college to Ivy League, tier 1 or anywhere else by following this community college guide .

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Wow! Great post Chad. Thank you for the helpful information for transferring.

Great points altogether. You’ve got a new reader!

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Tips to Write Great UC Transfer Application Essays

The University of California (UC) system, the most prestigious public education institution in the world, attracts tens of thousands of freshmen and transfer applicants each year. The freshmen admission is highly competitive across UC campuses, particularly at UC Berkeley and UCLA. For example, UCLA alone received more than 110,000 freshmen applications in 2018 who competed for roughly 15,000 seats.

Although many local residents have chosen the UC transfer route for financial reasons, we want to highlight that for many students who didn’t fair well academically in high school, the UC transfer route is a more viable and efficient pathway to receiving a UC degree. The transfer admission rates in recent years at UC Berkeley and UCLA have ranged between 20 to 25%, which are much higher than their respective freshmen admission rate.

Beginning last fall, UC and the California Community College system began an agreement to expedite the often convoluted transfer process. The agreement builds on a 2015 program that created "transfer pathways," listing which classes community college students should take to qualify for enrollment in 21 of the most popular majors on UC campuses, such as chemistry, English, mathematics and film.

Students who complete the curricula for their desired major, as designed by the agreement, and meet the minimum GPA requirement will be guaranteed admission into the UC system. If students are not admitted to their number one campus, the system will instead place them at another campus that has space in the chosen major.

What are Personal Insight Questions? And why do they matter?

So you have followed the transfer pathway at your local community college, and you have managed to achieve a decent GPA. How can your application stand out? The answer is simple: your application essays or, in the UC application term, your answers to the Personal Insight Questions.

“These questions are about getting to know you better — your life experience, interests, ambitions and inspirations. Think of it as your interview with the admissions office. Be open. Be reflective. Find your individual voice and express it. While this section of the application is just one part we consider when making our admission decision, it helps provide context for the rest of your application.”

In other words, your essays are the only way to add character to an otherwise punctuated list of accomplishments. Essays are your best shot at demonstrating personality, explaining how you perceive the world, and describing your most compelling motives. These ideas tend to get lost in a general transcript. The essay is a looking glass into the greater “why” of your candidacy.

The requirements of Personal Insight Questions for transfer applicants are as follows:

One required question you must answer.

You will also need to answer 3 out of 7 additional questions. All of these 7 questions are equal and are given equal consideration in the application review process. There is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.

Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.

The Required Personal Insight Question:

Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university..

Different from freshmen applicants who can choose “undecided” when it comes to a college major, transfer applicants have to declare the major(s) they are interested in pursuing. Consider the following when brainstorming ideas:

How did your interest in your major develop? What classroom learning experiences (such as working with faculty or doing research projects), and/or experiences from outside (such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student or community organizations) have helped shape your interest?

What other influences (culture, community, family, etc.) have steered you toward this major?

How is your intended major tied to your long-term goals?

If you are applying to multiple campuses with a different major at each campus, you need to approach this question from a broader perspective.

The key here is to demonstrate that you are ready—academically, intellectually, and psychologically—to succeed in the upper-division courses for the declared major once you enroll at the university. Further, since you are applying as a transfer student who is considered more mature than a high school senior, it is important to discuss how continuing the study of this intended major at a four-year college helps you pursue your career and life goals.

Additional Questions (Choose 3 of 7)

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..

This prompt is explicitly for describing your leadership experience in more detail than the “president” or “team leader” title on your CV or resume. College admissions officers are looking for ways in which you fostered mentorship, resolved tension, and organized group effort in the environment surrounding you, e.g., school clubs or teams, community events. You want to draw upon strong examples in which you made a positive impact on others. Remember: Leadership roles are not limited to titled positions or to the school environment.

Example 1: You reinvigorated interest in a club that had initially been losing members.

Example 2: You inspired a friend or classmate to take a leadership role.

Example 3: You organized community events to help promote a cause you deeply care about.

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.

This prompt lends flexibility to how you applied creativity to academic fields, extracurricular endeavors, and beyond. If you are artistic (e.g., painter, illustrator, poet, photographer, etc.), you can certainly write about being creative in your artwork. But don’t be discouraged by this prompt if you are not in such traditionally “creative” roles . The prompt’s emphasis is strongest on problem-solving and innovative thinking. Maybe you created your own program to help organize information, or maybe you created a rack to help hold your sports equipment. The opportunities here are broad.

Example 1: There was a leak in your home toilet that your parents were about to call a plumber to fix, but you figured it out.

Example 2: You figured out an alternate solution to an academic problem in class that differed from your teacher’s.

Example 3: You grew up in more than one culture and were adept at blending multicultural elements in your artwork.

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

Don’t make the mistake of simply listing the skills or talents you’ve developed. The real trick to writing a great response to this prompt is by tying character and personality traits to the activity. Describing your specific traits (e.g. tenacity, humility, grit, and compassion) that helped you hone your talents is just as important as the skills or talents themselves. Elaborate on why this activity is worth it to you, and how your character is exhibited through this activity. You also want to address how you have cultivated this talent to display just how much work it took to get to where you are.

Example 1: How a character trait of yours made acquiring a skill possible.

Example 2: How developing a talent revealed a part of your personality that you didn’t recognize prior to practice.

Example 3: How developing certain skills helped you strengthen your character.

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

This prompt contains two different but related topics: a significant educational opportunity or an educational barrier. You can write about either topic, or address both if they are related in your case. Try not to get bogged down in what an “educational opportunity” is. Define an educational opportunity as anything that has added value to your educational experience and has better prepared you for college. It can be more recent, something you did while attending community college. For example, if you have taken several advanced online classes related to your major, this would be a great place to share why you did it and what you have learned.

If you choose to go down the educational barriers route, think of barriers broadly. It can be academic (e.g., dealing with a weak academic subject), cognitive (e.g., a learning disability), socio-economic (e.g., if accepted, you would be the first person in your family going to college), or cultural (e.g., being a recent immigrant to the U.S. adapting to the new living and learning environment). Then, more importantly, what personal characteristics or skills did you rely on to overcome this barrier? How has the process shaped you as a person? How do you plan to use what you have gained in the future?

Example 1: Describe a situation where you went above and beyond an assignment’s requirement in order to enrich yourself.

Example 2: Describe how you have managed to deal with a weak academic subject and become a better learner as a result.

Example 3: Describe how you have managed to overcome a learning disability and how the process has changed the way you view academic success.

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?

This prompt has two parts: the most significant challenge and its effect on your academic achievement. The word “challenge” can apply to a very broad range of events. Maybe you struggled in a certain course. Maybe you had to deal with health issues, family issues, or financial struggles while simultaneously completing your coursework. It is OK to use this prompt to explain why you may have done sub-par in a particular area of your academics. Or perhaps, your UC application back as a high school senior was unexpectedly rejected; you learned to accept the rejection and have been working tirelessly for the transfer. Whatever topic you choose, you want to describe the learning and growth that you experienced was involved. Be sure to share the ways or aspects in which you matured along the way. What’s most interesting to college admissions officers is “what changed due to this challenge?”

Just like our “educational opportunity” definition given for the previous prompt, “academic achievement” goes far beyond your GPA. It could mean your intellectual goals or your struggle to balance homework with your part-time job. We recommend thinking of the challenge first before deciding whether it could be weaved into something academic.

Example 1: Describe working a part-time job while trying to deal with your rigorous academic workload.

Example 2: Describe how prejudice or stereotype in your community or a specific field may have held you back from pursuing an interest but didn’t.

Example 3: Describe how a certain peer pressure from your school and/or family has changed you and affected you academically, and the steps you have taken to overcome it.

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

Similar to previous prompts, the definition of “community” should not by stymied. Your community includes your school, the community college you are attending, maybe a local park, or maybe your city’s library. Community could also be more abstract, like the culture or ethnicity you identify with. With this in mind, remember that your writing must illustrate your role in the community you have defined. Why do you identify with this community the most? Questions like these should lead you to demonstrate the positive influence you have made. It’s important that you stay genuine. Do not overstate your impact. Remember the metaphor of the butterfly’s wings: small change is still change.

Example 1: Describe a volunteer position or project that really made you feel like a member of your community.

Example 2: Use metrics to define your impact on your community.

Example 3: Describe how you assisted a teacher in the class and helped enhance the learning experience of others.

7. 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?

This is the most open-ended prompt. You can literally write about most anything. If you want to get creative with your writing, this is where to do it. This isn’t the best prompt to talk about academic achievement or community service, as there are better prompts for those topics. What you write for this prompt should also not be repetitive of the other three prompts you have chosen. Instead, use this prompt to write an aspect of you that the admissions officer would never know based on other parts of your application. This is your wildcard. Use this prompt to be as creative as you can while not being too outlandish. Here are some examples from our students who did well with this prompt:

Example 1: An excerpt of a novel you were writing.

Example 2: How a religious belief has influenced you.

Example 3: A hobby or personal interest that hasn’t been shown on any other part of your application, but is an important part of who you are.

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Discover all the information you need below to get your UCLA application going. Learn more about the qualities and characteristics we’re looking for in our review process. Also, find out about important deadlines you won’t want to miss.

You’ll be graduating from high school or you’ve already graduated but have yet to enroll in any college or university.

You graduated from high school and have completed some college-level coursework beyond the summer following graduation.

International

You’re in your final year of secondary school or you’ve already completed it but are not currently enrolled in any college or university. Your secondary credential will qualify/qualifies you to enter a university in your home country.

Application

The University of California (UC) application opens August 1 and the period of time to submit an application for admission is October 1–November 30 .

Important Dates

UC application opens

UC starts accepting applications

Last day to file UC applications

Decisions for most freshman applicants released

Decisions for most transfer applicants released

What We Look For

We value applicants who challenge themselves with a rigorous curriculum in high school or secondary school and whose personal stories, rich experiences and leadership skills enhance their perspective and potential contributions to our campus community.

Student Profiles

When reviewing applications, we consider a wide variety of factors. See how the primary academic factors, which are more easily quantifiable, help shape the profile of our students.

Personal Insight Questions

Additional Information

• First-Generation Students
• Students With Disabilities
• Undocumented Students
• Returning Students
• Transferring Credits
• Reporting Changes to Applications

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Write the University of California Essays 2023-2024

The University of California (UC) school system is the most prestigious state university system in the United States and includes nine undergraduate universities: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UC Merced, and UC Irvine.

The University of California system has its own application portal, as well as its own deadline of November 30th—a full month before the Common Application is due. All nine universities use one application, so it is easy to apply to multiple UCs at the same time. 

The application requires you to answer four of eight personal insight questions, with a 350-word limit on each prompt. This may seem daunting at first, but we provide this guide to make the prompts more approachable and to help you effectively tackle them! 

University of California Application Essay Prompts

Note: There is only one application for all the UC schools, so your responses will be sent to every University of California school that you apply to. You should avoid making essays school-specific (unless you are applying to only one school).

You might want to start by deciding which four of the eight prompts you plan on answering. The eight 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.

As you begin selecting prompts, keep the purpose of college essays at the forefront of your mind. College essays are the place to humanize yourself and transform your test scores, GPA, and extracurriculars into a living, breathing human with values, ambitions, and a backstory. If a specific prompt will allow you to show a part of who you are that is not showcased in the rest of your application, start there. 

If nothing immediately jumps out at you, try dividing the prompts into three categories: “definites,” “possibilities,” and “avoids at all costs.” “Definites” will be prompts that quickly spark up a specific idea in you. “Possibilities” might elicit a few loose concepts, anecdotes, or structures. And “avoids” are prompts where you honestly cannot see yourself writing a convincing essay. Next, take your “definites” and “possibilities” and jot down your initial thoughts about them. Finally, look at all of your ideas together and decide which combination would produce the most well-rounded essay profile that shows who you are as an individual.

Of course, this is just one way to approach choosing prompts if you are stuck. Some students might prefer writing out a list of their values, identifying the most important ones in their life, then figuring out how to showcase those through the prompts. Other students select prompts based on what they are excited by or through freewriting on every prompt first. Do not feel constrained by any one method. Just remember:

• Do not rush into prompts at first glance (though trial writing can be very valuable!).
• Make sure that you consider potential ideas for many prompts before making final decisions, and ultimately write about the one with the most substance.
• The prompts you select should allow you to highlight what is most important to you.

Check out our video to learn more about how to write the UC essays!

The 8 UC Personal Insight Questions

“Leadership Experience” is often a subheading on student resumes, but that is not what admissions officers are asking about here. They are asking for you to tell them a specific story of a time when your leadership truly mattered. This could include discussing the policies you enacted as president of a school club or the social ties you helped establish as captain of a sports team, but this prompt also gives you the freedom to go past that.

Leaders are individuals with strong values, who mentor, inspire, correct, and assist those around them. If you don’t feel like you’ve ever been a leader, consider the following questions:

• Have you ever mentored anyone? Is there anyone younger than you who would not be the person they are today without you?
• Have you ever taken the initiative? When and why did it matter?
• Have you ever been fundamental to positive change in the world—whether it be on the small scale of positively impacting a family member’s life or on the large scale of trying to change the status of specific communities/identities in this world?
• Have you ever stood up for what’s right or what you believe in?

Leadership is a concept that can be stretched, bent, and played with, but at the end of the day, the central theme of your essay must be leadership. Keeping this in mind, after your first draft, it can be helpful to identify the definition of leadership that you are working with, to keep your essay cohesive. This definition doesn’t need to appear within the essay (though, if you take on a more reflective structure, it might). Some examples of this include “being a positive role model as leadership,” “encouraging others to take risks as leadership,” and “embracing my identities as leadership.”

Here are some examples of how a leadership essay might look:

• You’ve always loved learning and challenging yourself, but when you got to high school it was clear that only a certain type of student was recommended to take AP classes and you didn’t fit into that type. You presented a strong case to the school counselors that you were just as prepared for AP classes as anyone else, enrolled in your desired classes, and excelled. Since then, AP classes have become more diversified at your school and there has even been a new inclusion training introduced for your district’s school counselors. 
• When you were working as a camp counselor, the art teacher brought you two of your campers who were refusing to get along. To mediate the conflict, you spent long hours before bed talking to them individually, learning about their personal lives and family situation. By understanding where each camper came from, you were better equipped to help them reach a compromise and became a role model for both campers.
• As a member of your school’s Chinese organization, you were driven by your ethnic heritage to devote your lunch breaks to ensuring the smooth presentation of the Chinese culture show. You coordinated the performers, prepared refreshments, and collected tickets. You got through a great performance, even though a performer didn’t show and some of the food was delivered late. You weren’t on the leadership board or anything, but exhibited serious leadership, as both nights of the culture show sold out and hundreds of both Chinese and non-Chinese people were able to come together and celebrate your culture.

Like the last prompt, this prompt asks about a specific topic—creativity—but gives you wiggle room to expand your definition of that topic. By defining creativity as problem-solving, novel thinking, and artistic expression, this prompt basically says “get creative in how you define creativity!” 

Additionally, this broad conception of creativity lets you choose if you want to write about your personal life or your academic life. A robotics student could write about their love of baking on the weekends or their quick thinking during a technical interview. A dance student could write about their love of adapting choreography from famous ballets or their innovative solution to their dance team’s lack of funds for their showcase. You have space to do what you want!

That said, because this prompt is so open, it is important to establish a focus early on. Try thinking about what is missing from your application. If you are worried that your application makes you seem hyper-academic, use this prompt to show how you have fun. If you are worried that you might be appearing like one of those students who just gets good grades because they have a good memory, use this prompt to show off your problem-solving skills.

Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to describe any skill in creative pursuits as you answer this prompt. The prompt asks you how you express your “creative side,” alluding to creative instinct, not creative talent. You could write about how you use painting to let out your emotions—but your paintings aren’t very good. You could write about dancing in the shower to get excited for your day—but one time you slipped and fell and hurt your elbow. Experiences like these could make for a great reflective essay, where you explore the human drive towards creative expression and your acceptance that you personally don’t have to be creatively inclined to let out creative energy.

Some examples:

• A math student writing about a time they devised a non-textbook method to proving theorems 
• A creative writer describing how they close-read the ups-and-downs of classical music as an attempt to combat writers’ block and think of emotional trajectories for new stories
• An engineering student writing about cooking as a creative release where numbers don’t matter and intuition supersedes reason
• A psychology student writing about the limitations of quantitative data and describing a future approach to psychology that merges humanism and empiricism.

This is the kind of prompt where an answer either pops into your head or it doesn’t. The good news is that you can write a convincing essay either way. We all have great talents and skills—you just might have to dig a bit to identify the name of the talent/skill and figure out how to best describe it.

Some students have more obvious talents and skills than others. For example, if you are intending to be a college athlete, it makes sense to see your skill at your sport as your greatest talent or skill. Similarly, if you are being accepted into a highly-selective fine arts program, painting might feel like your greatest talent. These are completely reasonable to write about because, while obvious, they are also authentic! 

The key to writing a convincing essay about an obvious skill is to use that skill to explore your personality, values, motivations, and ambitions. Start by considering what first drew you to your specialization. Was there a specific person? Something your life was missing that painting, hockey, or film satisfied? Were you brought up playing your sport or doing your craft because your parents wanted you to and you had to learn to love it? Or choose to love it? What was that process like? What do these experiences say about you? Next, consider how your relationship with your talent has evolved. Have you doubted your devotion at times? Have you wondered if you are good enough? Why do you keep going? On the other hand, is your talent your solace? The stable element in your life? Why do you need that?

The key is to elucidate why this activity is worth putting all your time into, and how your personality strengths are exhibited through your relationship to the activity. 

Do not be put off by this prompt if you have not won any big awards or shown immense talent in something specific. All the prompt asks for is what you think is your greatest talent or skill. Some avenues of consideration for other students include:

• Think about aspects of your personality that might be considered a talent or skill. This might include being a peacemaker, being able to make people laugh during hard times, or having organization skills.
• Think about unique skills that you have developed through unique situations. These would be things like being really good at reading out loud because you spend summers with your grandfather who can no longer read, knowing traffic patterns because you volunteer as a crossing guard at the elementary school across the street that starts 45 minutes before the high school, or making really good pierogi because your babysitter as a child was Polish.
• Think about lessons you have learned through life experiences. A military baby might have a great skill for making new friends at new schools, a child of divorce might reflect on their ability to establish boundaries in what they are willing to communicate about with different people, and a student who has had to have multiple jobs in high school might be talented at multitasking and scheduling. 

Make sure to also address how you have developed and demonstrated your selected talent. Do you put in small amounts of practice every day, or strenuous hours for a couple of short periods each year? Did a specific period of your life lead to the development of your talent or are you still developing it daily? 

The purpose of college essays is to show your values and personality to admissions officers, which often includes exploring your past and how it informs your present and future. With a bit of creativity in how you define a “talent or skill,” this prompt can provide a great avenue for that exploration. 

This prompt offers you two potential paths—discussing an educational opportunity or barrier. It is important that you limit yourself to one of these paths of exploration to keep your essay focused and cohesive. 

Starting with the first option, you should think of an educational opportunity as anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for life and your career. Some examples could include:

• participation in an honors program
• enrollment in an academy geared toward your future profession
• a particularly enlightening conversation with a professional or teacher
• joining a cultural- or interest-based student coalition
• plenty of other opportunities

The phrasing “taken advantage of” implies the admissions committee’s desire for students who take the initiative. Admissions officers are more interested in students who sought out opportunities and who fought to engage with opportunities than students who were handed things. For example, a student who joined a career-advancement afterschool program in middle school could write about why they were initially interested in the program—perhaps they were struggling in a specific subject and didn’t want to fall behind because they had their sights set on getting into National Junior Honor Society, or their friend mentioned that the program facilitated internship opportunities and they thought they wanted to explore therapy as a potential career path.

On the other hand, if an opportunity was handed to you through family connections or a fortuitous introduction, explore what you did with that opportunity. For example, if a family member introduced you to an important producer because they knew you were interested in film, you could write about the notes you took during that meeting and how you have revisited the producer’s advice and used it since the meeting to find cheap equipment rentals and practice your craft.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you have faced, consider the personal characteristics and skills you called upon to overcome the challenge. How did the process of overcoming your educational barrier shape you as a person? What did you learn about yourself or the world? An added plus would be talking about passing it forward and helping those in your purview obtain the knowledge you did from your experiences.

Some examples of educational barriers could include:

• limited access to resources, materials, technology, or classes
• lacking educational role models
• struggles with deciding on a passion or career path
• financial struggles

One example of an interesting essay about educational barriers:

As a student at a school that did not offer any honors classes, you enrolled in online lectures to learn the subject you were passionate about — Human Geography. Afterward, you spoke to your school administrators about high-achieving students needing higher-level courses, and they agreed to talk to the local community college to start a pipeline for students like you.

Either way that you take this prompt, it can be used to position yourself as motivated and driven—exactly the type of student admissions officers are looking for!

This prompt is three-pronged. You must 1) identify a challenge 2) describe the steps you have taken to overcome the challenge and 3) connect the challenge to your academic achievement.

When approaching this prompt, it is best to consider these first and third aspects together so that you identify a challenge that connects to your academic life. If you simply pick any challenge you have experienced, when you get to the third part of the prompt, you may have to stretch your essay in ways that are unconvincing or feel inauthentic.

That said, remember that “academic achievement” reaches far beyond grades and exams. It can include things like:

• Deciding your career goals
• Balancing homework, jobs, and social/familial relationships
• Having enough time to devote to self-care
• Figuring out how you study/learn best
• Feeling comfortable asking for help when you need it

You should begin brainstorming challenges and hardships that you have experienced and overcome. These could include financial hardships, familial circumstances, personal illness, or learning disabilities. Challenges could also be less structural—things like feeling like you are living in a sibling’s shadow, struggles with body image, or insecurity. While it is important that your challenge was significant, it matters much more that you discuss your challenge with thoughtful reflection and maturity.

Some ways to take this prompt include:

• Writing about how overcoming a challenge taught you a skill that led to academic success — for example, a high-achieving student who struggles with anxiety was forced to take time off from school after an anxiety attack and learned the importance of giving oneself a break
• Writing about a challenge that temporarily hindered your academic success and reflecting on it — for example, a student who experienced a death in the family could have had a semester where they almost failed English because reading led to negative thought spirals instead of plot retention
• Writing about how a challenge humbled you and gave you a new perspective on your academics — for example, a student with a part-time job who helps support her family missed a shift because she was studying for a test and realized that she needed to ask her teachers for help and explain her home situation

As you describe the steps you have taken to overcome your selected challenge, you will want to include both tangible and intangible steps. This means that you will need to discuss your emotions, growth, and development, as well as what you learned through overcoming the challenge. Was your challenge easy to overcome or did it take a few tries? Do you feel you have fully overcome your challenge or is it a work in progress? If you have fully overcome the challenge, what do you do differently now? Or do you just see things differently now? If you were to experience the same challenge again, what would you have learned from before?

Here are some detailed examples:

• Your parents underwent a bitter, drawn-out divorce that deeply scarred you and your siblings, especially your little brother who was attending elementary school at the time. He was constantly distraught and melancholy and seemed to be falling further and further behind in his schoolwork. You took care of him, but at the cost of your grades plummeting. However, through this trial, you committed yourself to protecting your family at all costs. You focused on computer science in high school, hoping to major in it and save up enough money for his college tuition by the time he applies. Through this mission, your resolve strengthened and reflected in your more efficient and excellent performance in class later on.
• Your race was the most significant challenge you faced growing up. In school, teachers did not value your opinion nor did they believe in you, as evidenced by their preferential treatment of students of other races. To fight back against this discrimination, you talked to other students of the same race and established an association, pooling together resources and providing a supportive network of people to others in need of counseling regarding this issue.

The first step for approaching this prompt is fun and easy—think about an academic subject that inspires you. This part of the essay is about emotional resonance, so go with your gut and don’t overthink it. What is your favorite subject? What subject do you engage with in the media in your free time? What subject seeps into your conversations with friends and family on the weekends?

Keep in mind that high school subjects are often rather limited. The span of “academic subjects” at the university level is much less limited. Some examples of academic subjects include eighteenth-century literature, political diplomacy, astronomy, Italian film and television, botany, Jewish culture and history, mobile robotics, musical theater, race and class in urban environments, gender and sexuality, and much more.

Once you’ve decided what subject you are most interested in and inspired by, think about a tangible example of how you have furthered your interest in the subject. Some common ways students further their interests include:

• Reading about your interest
• Engaging with media (television, film, social media) about your interest
• Volunteering with organizations related to your interest
• Founding organizations related to your interest
• Reaching out to professionals with your academic interest
• Using your interest in interdisciplinary ways
• Research in your field of interest
• Internships in your field of interest

While you should include these kinds of tangible examples, do not forget to explain how your love for the subject drives the work you do, because, with an essay like this, the why can easily get lost in describing the what . Admissions officers need both.

A few examples:

• You found your US government class fascinatingly complex, so you decided to campaign for a Congressional candidate who was challenging the incumbent in your district. You canvassed in your local community, worked at the campaign headquarters, and gathered voter data whilst performing various administrative duties. Though the work was difficult, you enjoyed a sense of fulfillment that came from being part of history.
• Last year you fell in love with the play Suddenly Last Summer and decided to see what career paths were available for dramatic writing. You reached out to the contact on your local theater’s website, were invited to start attending their guest lecturer series, and introduced yourself to a lecturer one week who ended up helping you score a spot in a Young Dramatic Writers group downtown.
• The regenerative power of cells amazed you, so you decided to take AP Biology to learn more. Eventually, you mustered up the courage to email a cohort of biology professors at your local university. One professor responded, and agreed to let you assist his research for the next few months on the microorganism C. Elegans.
• You continued to develop apps and games even after AP Computer Science concluded for the year. Eventually, you became good enough to land an internship at a local startup due to your self-taught knowledge of various programming languages.

With regards to structure, you might try thinking about this essay in a past/present/future manner where you consider your past engagement with your interest and how it will affect your future at a UC school or as an adult in society. This essay could also become an anecdotal/narrative essay that centers around the story of you discovering your academic interest, or a reflective essay that dives deep into the details of why you are drawn to your particular academic subject.

Whatever way you take it, try to make your essay unique—either through your subject matter, your structure, or your writing style!

College essay prompts often engage with the word “community.” As an essay writer, it is important to recognize that your community can be as large, small, formal, or informal as you want it to be. Your school is obviously a community you belong to, but your local grocery store, the nearby pet adoption center you volunteer at, your apartment building, or an internet group can also be communities. Even larger social groups that you are a part of, like your country or your ethnicity, can be a community. 

The important part of your response here is not the community you identify with but rather the way you describe your role in that community. What do you bring to your community that is special? What would be missing without you?

Some responses could include describing how you serve as a role model in your community, how you advocate for change in your community, how you are a support system for other community members, or how you correct the community when it is veering away from its values and principles.

Here are some fleshed-out examples of how this essay could take shape, using the earlier referenced communities:

• A student writes about the local grocery store in his neighborhood. Each Sunday, he picks up his family’s groceries and then goes to the pharmacy in the back to get his grandmother’s medication. The pharmacist was a close friend of his grandmother’s when she was young, so the student routinely gives the pharmacist a detailed update about his grandmother’s life. The student recognizes the value in his serving as a link to connect these two individuals who, due to aging, cannot be together physically.
• An animal-loving student volunteers one Saturday each month at the pet adoption center in their city’s downtown district. They have always been an extremely compassionate person and view the young kittens as a community that deserves to be cared for. This caring instinct also contributes to their interactions with their peers and their desire to make large-scale positive social change in the world.

Your response to this prompt will be convincing if you discuss your underlying motives for the service you have done, and in turn, demonstrate the positive influence you have made. That said, do not be afraid to talk about your actions even if they did not produce a sweeping change; as long as the effort was genuine, change is change, no matter the scale. This essay is more about values and reflection than it is about the effects of your efforts.

Lastly, if you are discussing a specific service you did for your community, you might want to touch on what you learned through your service action or initiative, and how you will continue to learn in the future. Here are a few examples:

• Passionate about classical music, you created a club that taught classical and instrumental music at local elementary schools. You knew that the kids did not have access to such resources, so you wanted to broaden their exposure as a high school senior had done for you when you were in middle school. You encouraged these elementary schoolers to fiddle with the instruments and lobbied for a music program to be implemented at the school. Whether the proposal gets approved or not, the kids have now known something they might never have known otherwise.
• Working at your local library was mundane at times, but in the long run, you realized that you were facilitating the exchange of knowledge and protecting the intellectual property of eminent scholars. Over time, you found ways to liven up the spirit of the library by leading arts and crafts time and booking puppet shows for little kids whose parents were still at work. The deep relationships you forged with the kids eventually blossomed into a bond of mentorship and mutual respect.

Be authentic and humble in your response to this essay! Make sure it feels like you made your community a better place because community is a value of yours, not just so that you could write about it in a college essay.

This is the most open-ended any question can get. You have the freedom to write about anything you want! That said, make sure that, no matter what you do with this prompt, your focus can be summarized into two sentences that describe the uniqueness of your candidacy.

The process we recommend for responding to open-ended prompts with clarity involves the following steps:

1. On a blank piece of paper, jot down any and every idea — feelings, phrases, and keywords — that pop into your head after reading this prompt. Why are you unique?

2. Narrow your ideas down to one topic. The two examples we will use are a student writing about how her habit of pausing at least five seconds before she responds to someone else’s opinion is emblematic of her thoughtfulness and a student whose interest in researching the history of colonialism in the Caribbean is emblematic of their commitment to justice.

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. These sentences will not be in your final product, but will help you to maintain a focus. For our examples, this would be something like “Natalie’s habit of gathering her thoughts before responding to other people’s opinions allows her to avoid undesired complications and miscommunications in her social interactions. This has not only helped her maintain strong relationships with all the staff members of the clubs she leads, but will also help her navigate the social environments that she will face in the professional world.” A summary for the student writing about their interest in the history of colonialism could be “Jonathan has always been highly compassionate and sympathetic by nature. When they found out about the historical injustices of colonialism in the Caribbean through the book The Black Jacobins , they realized that compassion is what is missing from politics. Now, they are inspired to pursue a political science degree to ultimately have a political career guided by compassion.”

5. Finally, write an essay dedicated to constructing the image you devised in step 4. This can be achieved through a number of different structures! For example, Natalie could use an anecdote of a time when she spoke too soon and caused someone else pain, then could reflect on how she learned the lesson to take at least five seconds before responding and how that decision has affected her life. Jonathan could create an image of the future where they are enacting local policies based on compassion. It is important to keep in mind that you do not want to be repetitive, but you must stay on topic so that admissions officers do not get distracted and forget the image that you are attempting to convey.

As exemplified by the examples we provided, a good way to approach this prompt is to think of a quality, value, or personality trait of yours that is fundamental to who you are and appealing to admissions officers, then connect it to a specific activity, habit, pet peeve, anecdote, or another tangible example that you can use to ground your essay in reality. Use the tangible to describe the abstract, and convince admissions officers that you would be a valuable asset to their UC school!

Where to Get Your UC Essays Edited

With hundreds of thousands of applicants each year, many receiving top scores and grades, getting into top UC schools is no small feat. This is why excelling in the personal-insight questions is key to presenting yourself as a worthwhile candidate. Answering these prompts can be difficult, but ultimately very rewarding, and CollegeVine is committed to helping you along that journey. Check out these UC essay examples for more writing inspiration.

If you want to get your essays edited, we also have free peer essay review , where you can get feedback from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by editing other students’ essays.

You can also receive expert essay review by advisors who have helped students get into their dream schools. You can book a review with an expert to receive notes on your topic, grammar, and essay structure to make your essay stand out to admissions officers. Haven’t started writing your essay yet? Advisors on CollegeVine also offer  expert college counseling packages . You can purchase a package to get one-on-one guidance on any aspect of the college application process, including brainstorming and writing essays.

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Film, Television & Digital Media (BA)

How to apply

First-year applicants.

You may apply for admission as a first-year if you meet the following criteria You’re currently in high school. Or, you’ve already graduated from high school, but haven’t yet enrolled in a regular session at a college or university.

For first-years, the Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television is a four-year program consisting primarily of two years of general college studies and two years of major coursework.

How to Apply

Choose applicant Type to Learn how to apply

APPLICATION WORKSHEET AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY

October 1 – November 30, 2023

UC Application

Complete the University of California Application for Undergraduate Admission .

• For more information about UCLA Undergraduate Admissions, go to: http://www.admission.ucla.edu/

Deadline: December 7, 2023

Supplemental Application

Complete the Undergraduate FTVDM Supplemental Application .

• Note: This is not the same login used for the UC Application.

Complete all required information.

• Indicate areas of interest within Film.
• Personal Essay (2 page max)
• Life Challenge Essay (2 page max)
• Critical Essay (3 page max)
• Creative Writing (5 page max)
• Enter the names and emails of all recommenders into the Undergraduate FTVDM Supplemental Application.
• Upload unofficial copies of all transcripts.

By the time of entrance, Freshman Applicants must:

• Have at least a 3.0 GPA (CA Residents) or 3.4 GPA (Non-CA Residents)
• Satisfy the University of California’s General Freshman Admission Requirements.

Transfer Applicants

October 1–november 30, 2023.

• For more information on UCLA Undergraduate Admissions, go to: http://www.admission.ucla.edu/

Deadline: January 11, 2024

• Must be completed ONLINE by January 11, 2024 .
• Select the GE Plan completed. For information on the TFT General Education requirements, visit http://www.tft.ucla.edu/ge .
• Personal Essay (2 page max).
• Critical Essay (3 page max).
• Creative Writing (5 page max).
• Enter the names and emails of all recommenders into the film Undergraduate Supplemental Application
• Unofficial copies of all transcripts.

By the time of entrance, Transfer Applicants must:

Have at least a 3.2 GPA.

Satisfy the University of California’s General Transfer Admission Requirements .

Complete a minimum of 60 semester/90 quarter units of transferable work.

Complete ONE of the following General Education Plans:

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television GE Requirements .

Another UC campus GE Requirements.

Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) at a California Community College.

Change of Major

December 9, 2023 – January 11, 2024

Online Application

Complete the Undergraduate Program Change Petition

• Email [email protected] to receive a Fee Waiver Code.
• Completed Program Change Petition
• Life Challenge Essay (2 page max).
• Submit Unofficial UCLA Transcripts.

By the time of entrance, Change of Major Applicants must:

Enroll at UCLA in Winter & Spring Quarters of the current academic year.

Complete a minimum of 90 and not exceed a maximum of 135 quarter units of coursework.

Another UCLA Major GE Requirements.

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Post University welcomes the addition of American Sentinel’s fully online advanced nursing and healthcare programs to our current portfolio of program offerings as the American Sentinel College of Nursing & Health Sciences at Post University.

“The addition of American Sentinel’s programs, administration, faculty and infrastructure as a division of Post University will allow the leveraging of strengths and talents to create additional educational opportunities for current and future students. We feel there are already so many great synergies such as affordability, a commitment to innovation in online education and technology, as well as offering unmatched personalized student support. We are excited for the future.” –   CEO & President, John L. Hopkins

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Learn how the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health is improving outcomes for Iowa’s youth and educators and how our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are making a positive impact and improving lives in the 2021-22 College of Education Annual Report.

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Freshman requirements

• Subject requirement (A-G)
• GPA requirement
• Admission by exception
• English language proficiency
• UC graduation requirements

Additional information for

• California residents
• Out-of-state students
• Home-schooled students

Transfer requirements

• Understanding UC transfer
• Preparing to transfer
• UC transfer programs
• Transfer planning tools

International applicants

• Applying for admission
• English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
• Passports & visas
• Living accommodations
• Health care & insurance

AP & Exam credits

Applying as a freshman

• Filling out the application
• Dates & deadlines

Personal insight questions

• How applications are reviewed
• After you apply

Applying as a transfer

Types of aid

• Grants & scholarships
• Jobs & work-study
• California DREAM Loan Program
• Middle Class Scholarship Program
• Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
• Native American Opportunity Plan  
• Who can get financial aid
• How aid works
• Estimate your aid

Apply for financial aid

• Cal Dream Act application tips
• Tuition & cost of attendance
• Glossary & resources
• Santa Barbara
• Campus program & support services
• Check majors
• Freshman admit data
• Transfer admit data
• Native American Opportunity Plan
• 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. You may use the additional comments field to note extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, if necessary. 

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]