University of California Personal Insight Question Guidance

​Prompt #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.  

• Leadership opportunities and experiences can happen anywhere: school, church, in the community, or at home.

• Give a specific example of how you have served as a leader. Tell us a story about a time, experience, etc. that showcased your leadership qualities. 

• Explain what type of leader you are: Do you lead by example? Do you lead with confidence? Do you use humor when leading others? 

• Discuss the significance (how have you grown, who did you help, etc.) of your leadership experience; don't just describe what happened.

• Be careful with the tone. Although you want to tell admissions officers how amazing of a leader you are, you don't want to come across as arrogant.

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Prompt #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.

• Like all your essays, "show, don't tell" the readers about your creativity. 

• Use a concrete example of your creativity instead of using the broad description, "I am creative" or "I enjoy being creative." Tell the reader exactly what it is that you do when being creative. 

• Explain why your creativity is important to you and how you plan to continue embracing your creativity/creative side in the future.

• Don't forget to address the second part of the question about how your skill or talent has developed over time. The best "talent or skill" is one that requires constant effort and growth on your part.

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

• This essay should focus on something you are passionate about and have worked hard/spent time on to become "great" at doing.

• This does not have to be your typical sports or musical talent.... think outside the box at what you're best at doing and go from there.  Don't be afraid to be quirky. Are you amazing at knitting vat sweaters? Tell us about it! 

• Remember, that most students are writing about the same talents (piano playing, photography, dancing, etc.) so if you have a unique or interesting talent that sets you apart from your peers, write about that here!

• Don't just tell the reader what you're good at and why you enjoy doing it, be sure to tell us how you got into it, what inspired you, how hard you've worked at it, any obstacles that have gotten in the way, etc. 

• Like Prompt #1, be careful, with you tone. Although readers want to hear about your greatest talent, try to share this without sounding like you're bragging or too boastful. 

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

• This question can be answered by either sharing about a significant educational "opportunity" that you took advantage of or an educational "barrier" that you have worked to overcome.

• Educational opportunities may include:  Internships, field trips, academic clubs like Mock Trial, Advanced Placement/Dual Enrollment course offerings, summer research projects, etc.

• Educational barriers may include: Family finance limitations, working to help support your family, learning disability, mental health struggles, or discrimination at school. 

• This essay should focus MOSTLY on how to overcome your barrier. Focus on 20% barrier, 80% how you overcame barrier. 

 

Prompt #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 question asks you to discuss your "most significant challenge" AND how you have overcome it.

• Don't focus on something superficial like bringing that B+ up to an A-, a break-up you experienced in 10th grade, or not getting your dream car for your 16th birthday. 

• If your grades suffered because of this challenge, be sure to include that in this essay, however, make sure that you explain how you have overcome this academic challenge.  

• End your essay by reflecting on what you learned/how you grew from this obstacle or challenge that you faced.

• Tip: Avoid a Covid-related challenge which will be a very overused "challenge" this admissions season. 

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Prompt #6: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. 

• This subject does not have to match your intended major; however, if it does, be sure to include how you intend to continue studying this topic/subject matter in college within your response. 

• Be sure to not focus your writing MORE on the subject than on YOU. 

• Tell the reader how you have applied this subject outside of the classroom and/or how you intend to apply this subject in your future endeavors.

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Prompt #7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

•  "Community" can be defined in broad terms. This may include your school, a team, your hometown, your church, etc. 

• Explain what inspired you to make your _______ a better place and how your actions made that place better. 

• As always, "Show, don't tell" in your writing. Do not use this prompt as a place to list your achievements--- that can be done in the Activities and Awards section. Tell us an interesting, and ideally moving, story instead.

• Avoid turning this into a "hero essay" by telling a story about how you lead your team to victory in the CIF championship. 

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Prompt #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?

• "Beyond what has already been shared" should serve as your guide. The application reviewer has already seen your Activities and Awards list and has already read three of your essays at this point.

• This response should be based on new information that has not yet been shared. 

• What is it about yourself that you want them to know that cannot be found anywhere else in the application? This is the place to put that.