All UC applications require answering four out of eight personal insight questions (PIQs). Your responses will help the admissions officer get to know who you are beyond your test scores, potentially boosting your chances of getting accepted.
To make a lasting impression, however, choose your prompts wisely – and make your responses compelling, too.
What Are PIQs?
The University of California wants to get to know the person behind the application (i.e., you). Responses to Personal Insight Questions are meant to give more insight into your life and personality.
You’re required to answer four out of eight prompts, with each response limited to 350 words.
You’ll notice that the UC application form doesn’t call these PIQs essays. That’s because they’re meant to be different from traditional essays: instead of the familiar five-paragraph structure, you’re expected to tell a story.
So, stay true to yourself and write how you’d speak if you were in front of an admissions officer.
8 Types of UC PIQs
UC PIQs include eight prompts, each focusing on a distinct theme, such as leadership and creativity. Here are the eight categories of UC PIQs you should be ready for:
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Your talents or skills
- Academic achievements
- Educational opportunities and barriers
- Challenges
- Academic interests
- School and community
- Additional information
- Creativity
There’s no cookie-cutter approach to responding to PIQs that would fit each prompt type. Your writing style and personality will also play a role in how you approach writing the answer.
That said, choose the prompts wisely – check out our tips below to make a well-weighed decision.
How to Choose the Right PIQ Prompts
First and foremost, don’t choose prompts based on what you think the admissions officer will want to read. All prompts have equal weight; your application won’t get downgraded simply because you chose certain questions over others.
With that out of the way, how do you choose the right prompts for your specific case? Here are four tips from our experts:
- Reflect on your strengths. What accomplishments do you want the admissions officer to know about in more detail? Pick the questions that allow you to showcase those achievements and stand out in the sea of other applications.
- Consider your personality. Which aspects of your personality would you like to put front and center? Choose the prompts that allow you to showcase those aspects. For example, if you’re creative by nature, the creativity prompt is an obvious choice.
- Think about your other essays. If you’ve already covered overcoming an educational barrier in the personal statement or supplemental essays, don’t repeat yourself in the PIQs.
- Remain coherent but vary your answers. Don’t let yourself get tempted into spreading out a single story across multiple prompts. Ensure each answer is self-contained and can be read and understood independently of others.
8 UC Essay Examples Approved by Former Admissions Officers
Sometimes, there’s no better way to learn what works best for UC PIQ’s answers than checking out the examples of UC essays that proved to be effective. We asked former admissions officers to review these and other examples to select the strongest ones for each prompt category.
UC PIQ Essay Example 1: Leadership
Prompt: Describe an example of your leadership experience.
Why this example works: This UC PIQ example describes a story where the author doesn’t initially hold a leadership title but still rises to the occasion to lead.
Key takeaway: Look beyond traditional leadership roles to find an example. Describe what you learned from the experience.
UC PIQ Essay Example 2: Creativity
Prompt: How do you express your creative side?
Why this example works: It showcases one of the not-so-obvious ways to express creativity, which would be perfect for applying to a UC STEM program.
Key takeaway: Consider your problem-solving skills and experiences when describing your creativity.
UC PIQ Essay Example 3: Greatest Talent or Skill
Prompt: What is your greatest talent and skill, and how did you develop and showcase it over time?
Why this example works: It provides a high-level yet specific overview of how the author developed their skill over time.
Key takeaway: Focus on telling a story. Start with a compelling hook.
UC PIQ Essay Example 4: Significant Educational Opportunity or Barrier
Prompt: Describe how you took advantage of an educational opportunity or overcame an educational barrier.
Why this example works: It focuses on how the author successfully overcame educational challenges to take advantage of an opportunity – in this case, the AP Calculus class.
Key takeaway: Describe a challenge or opportunity that showcases both your interest in the field and tenacity in the face of academic challenges.
UC PIQ Essay Example 5: Most Significant Challenge
Prompt: What was the most significant challenge in your life recently? How did you navigate it, and how did your experience affect your academic performance?
Why this example works: It focuses on the impact this challenge had on the author’s academic performance, not their personal life.
Key takeaway: Get as personal as you’re comfortable with, but focus on changes in your academic experiences.
UC PIQ Essay Example 6: Academic Subject
Prompt: What academic discipline inspires you to pursue knowledge outside of the classroom?
Why this example works: It describes a specific academic interest and all the ways the author delved into it beyond the classroom.
Key takeaway: Provide concrete examples of topics or works you dived into beyond the classroom.
UC PIQ Essay Example 7: Community Contribution
Prompt: Think of a time when you contributed to a positive change in your community. What steps did you take? What did you learn?
Why this example works: It clearly identifies the problem and underscores the role of engaging others in community service.
Key takeaway: Remain humble while clearly describing your contribution.
UC PIQ Essay Example 8: Anything Else
Prompt: Beyond everything you’ve already shared in your application, is there anything else that you believe makes you a strong candidate for UC?
Why this example works: It explains why the author’s grades varied across subjects, showcasing it as an advantage.
Key takeaway: Don’t repeat anything you’ve stated in other UC PIQs or your personal statement. Provide context or clarification instead.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right UC PIQs to answer is half the job. Opt for the ones that play to your strengths. Making your responses effective, however, is the other half. It takes time – and several draft iterations.
The earlier you start working on your UC PIQs, the better. So, get to drafting right now!
Frequently asked questions
How long should a UC PIQ response be?
How do I choose the right UC PIQ prompts?
What makes a successful UC PIQ response?
How do I know if my UC PIQ is effective?
- University of California. (n.d.). Presenting yourself: UC application freshman. https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/files/presenting-yourself-uc-application-freshman.pdf
- University of California. (2016, September 20). Applying to UC? Get expert tips on how to answer the personal insight questions. https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/applying-uc-get-expert-tips-how-answer-personal-insight-questions
- University of California. (n.d.). Personal insight questions: Guide for first-year applicants. https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/_assets/files/how-to-apply/first-year-english.pdf
- University of California, Davis. (n.d.). The do’s and don’ts of answering UC personal insight questions. https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/blog/answering-uc-personal-insight-question
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