berkeley personal statement prompt

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)
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• Living accommodations
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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]

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Personal Insight Questions

As a vital part of your application, the personal insight questions—short-answer questions you will choose from—are reviewed by both the admissions and scholarship offices., at berkeley we use personal insight questions to:.

• Discover and evaluate distinctions among applicants whose academic records are often very similar
• Gain insight into your level of academic, personal and extracurricular achievement
• Provide us with information that may not be evident in other parts of the application

What we look for:

• Initiative, motivation, leadership, persistence, service to others, special potential and substantial experience with other cultures
• All achievement in light of the opportunities available to you
• How you confronted and overcame your challenges, rather than describing a hardship just for the sake of including it in your application
• What you learned from or achieved in spite of these circumstances

Academic achievement

For first-year applicants:

• Academic accomplishments, beyond those shown in your transcript

For transfer students:

• Include interest in your intended major, explain the way in which your academic interests developed, and describe any related work or volunteer experience.
• Explain your reason for transferring if you are applying from a four-year institution or a community college outside of California. For example, you may substantiate your choice of a particular major or your interest in studying with certain faculty on our campus.

How to answer your personal insight questions

• Thoughtfully describe not only what you’ve done, but also the choices you have made and what you have gained as a result.
• Allow sufficient time for preparation, revisions, and careful composition. Your answers are not evaluated on correct grammar, spelling, or sentence structure, but these qualities will enhance overall presentation and readability.

If you are applying…

• Your intended field of study
• Your interest in your specific major
• Any school or work-related experience
• for a scholarship, we recommend that you elaborate on the academic and extracurricular information in the application that demonstrates your motivation, achievement, leadership, and commitment .
• Discuss how the program might benefit you
• Tell us about your determination to succeed even though you may have lacked academic or financial support

Keep in mind

You can use the Additional Comments box to convey any information that will help us understand the context of your achievement; to list any additional honors awards, activities, leadership elements, volunteer activities, etc.; to share information regarding a nontraditional school environment or unusual circumstances that has not been included in any other area of the application. And, finally, after we read your personal insight questions, we will ask the question, “What do we know about this individual?” If we have learned very little about you, your answers were not successful.

• Personal Insight Questions (University of California)
• Personal Insight Question Writing Tips
• Leadership (video)
• What Leadership Looks Like

18 UC Berkeley Essay Examples that Worked (2023)

If you want to get into the University of California, Berkeley in 2022, you need to write strong Personal Insight Question essays.

In this article I've gathered 18 of the best University of California essays that worked in recent years for you to learn from and get inspired.

What is UC Berkeley's Acceptance Rate?

UC Berkeley is one of the top public universities and therefore highly competitive to get admitted into.

This past year 112,854 students applied to Berkeley and only 16,412 got accepted. Which gives UC Berkeley an overall admit rate of 14.5%.

And as of 2022, the University of California no longer uses your SAT and ACT when deciding which students to admit.

UC Berkeley Acceptance Scattergram

This means that your Personal Insight Questions are even more important to stand out in the admissions process. That is, your essays are more heavily weighed.

If you're trying to get accepted to UC Berkeley, here are 18 of the best examples of Personal Insight Questions that got into Berkeley.

What are the UC Personal Insight Question Prompts for 2022-23?

The Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) are a set of eight questions asked by the UC application, of which students must answer four of those questions in 350 words or less.

Here are the Personal Insight Question prompts for this year:

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
• 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.
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
• 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?
• Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
• 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?

18 UC Berkeley Personal Insight Question Examples

Here are the 18 best Berkeley essays that worked for each Personal Insight Question prompt #1-8.

If you're also applying to UCLA, check out more unique UCLA essays from admitted students.

UC Berkeley Example Essay #1

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UC PIQ #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. (350 words max)

From an early age I became a translator for my mother anytime we went out in public. This experience forced me to have conversations with adults from a young age. It made me become a great communicator, while helping my parents overcome their language barrier.

Being a communicator has allowed me to lead. When I joined my school’s National Honor Society I was given the opportunity to lead. Applying the skills I used from being my mother’s translator I was able to do what no one else could, make the calls and start the club’s most successful event to date an annual Food Drive at a local Albertson’s, which collects over one ton of food every November. Also developing events like an egg hunt at the local elementary school, a goods drive for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and stabilizing a volunteer partnership with a local park. I have been able to grow as a leader, who actively communicates and brings parties together, planning events and having them run smoothly with minor issues. For instance, last year there was an issue with the homeless shelter not picking up the food for the food drive. In a spur of the moment solution I managed for club member’s parents to collectively deliver the food. My ability to communicate benefited me allowing me to find a solution to an unanticipated problem.

Throughout the four years I have been in journalism I have led; mentoring younger writers and improving the way the paper operates. Staying after hours, skyping with writers about their articles all helped establish my role as a leader, who is always supporting his team. I have done this while writing over 100 articles, editing tons of pages, and managing deadlines. I learned that while being a leader requires effort, it is the passion like I have for journalism that motivates me to lead in my community.

Being a leader so far in my life has taught me that I need to communicate, be passionate, and pass on my knowledge helping cultivate future leaders, who can expand and supersede my work.

UC PIQ #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. (350 words max)

Video games have cultivated my creative thought process. When I was a toddler I invented a game I would play with my brothers. It was nothing along the lines of Hide-and-Seek or Tag, but rather, it was meant to mimic a role-playing video game. It was called "Guy" and came with its own story, leveling system, and narrative story. While seemingly impossible to translate the mechanics of a video game into real life, the "Guy" trilogy provided hundreds of hours of fun to pass hot summer days and escape the harsh reality of our parents arguing and eventual divorce.

This thought process translated into my educational career. have always thought of a tough class or test as a video game. This mostly due to my excessive amounts of video games I played as a child through middle school (especially 7th grade). Each year comes bigger and "stronger" challenges, bigger and stronger bosses to defeat. My senior year will have me face the most powerful boss yet; full AP course load on top of heavy club involvement and community college classes.

Many thought of this "secret boss" as an impossible challenge; something that could never be beaten. No one from my school has ever attempted to take on such a challenge, let alone defeat it. That is probably what excites me about it. In a game, messing around with lower level enemies is fun for a while, but gets boring when it is too easy. The thought of a challenge so great and difficult makes the victory even more rewarding. Stormy skies, heavy rain, and epic boss battle music; I'll take that over a peaceful village any day. In the future, I seek to use this thinking to drive research. I think of abstract physics concepts like secret door and levels that need to be proven true or just a myth in the game. One day, I can make my own discovery of a secret "cheat code' that can help everyone who plays a little game called life.

UC PIQ #3: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? (350 words max)

I’ve always hated the feeling of clammy hands, the needless overflow of adrenaline rushing through my veins, and the piercing eyes that can see through my façade—the eyes that judge me. I felt like this debilitating anxiety that I suffered through was something I could not avoid when doing the thing I was most afraid of—public speaking. I still felt every sweat droplet run down my skin before each speech, and this anguish never completely dissipated. Fortunately, I learned to moderate my fear in high school when I decided to join the speech and debate program. My anxiety has slowly faded in intensity as I’ve gained certitude and poise with every tournament, and every chance I’m given to speak on behalf of others; this talent has allowed me to be a voice for the voiceless.

Out of all the national tournaments that I’ve competed in, the MLK invitational holds a distinct place in my heart. It was my first invitational tournament in which I competed exclusively in Lincoln Douglas debate. I only had two weeks to prepare myself since it was finals week, while my competitors had upwards of two months to prepare. I was fortunate to break into the final round, as my years of experience helped me to articulate and explain my few arguments more effectively, while also refuting my opponent’s.

I realized that the extent of one’s knowledge is useless if it cannot be made known in a way that is clear to others. I learned that preparation is necessary, but one can be so focused on what they are going to say that they don’t hear the arguments presented. I kept an open and ready mind for various claims and strategies which left me free to adapt to the opponent’s argumentative style each round. This ability to think on my feet has served me well in countless debates, speeches, and presentations. I continuously use these skills to become a better and more active listener in my daily interactions as well.

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My greatest skill is my ability to remember things really well, whether they be minute details or important information that should not be forgotten. Over time, I’ve had a knack for remembering details most people would not even bother to remember, such as old test scores, atomic masses, and other details involving numbers. My friends have always marveled at my ability to remember all these numbers. When I was in chemistry class, we used the periodic table so much that I soon began to remember the atomic mass of the more common elements, and even the molecular mass of common compounds like glucose or water. One of my best friends, who is undoubtedly the smartest person in our class, even finds it crazy that I can remember all these numbers and always tells me that my memory of numbers is amazing. I also used my memory to learn and remember how to solve the Rubik's cube, which amazes my friends, as they find it to be complex with many different, possible combinations.

This skill that I have developed, however, isn’t completely under my control, as sometimes I just remember random and irrelevant facts without really trying to do so. I recall one weekend when my eight-year-old cousin was attempting to memorize the digits of pi: I remembered them along with him, learning up to forty digits in just one day. The skill is seemingly natural and not something I have worked hard to develop, as I may be able to use my memory to my advantage, or it can be a disadvantage. It helps when I have multiple tests in one day, or a test with many questions where I have to remember a lot of information, such as finals. Sometimes, however, it is a disadvantage when I remember information during a test that is not relevant to the topic, such as random dates, names, or song lyrics, to name a few. This skill is very important to nonetheless, as it has assisted me all throughout my life in many tests and challenges involving memory.

UC PIQ #4: Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. (350 words max)

At 10:30 pm on a hot, summer, Wednesday night, you would expect my friends and me to be having the time of our lives and going out on crazy high school adventures— but instead, we were actually stuck in a chemistry laboratory trying to map out the Lewis structure of sulfuric acid.

Over the summer of my sophomore year, my friends and I enrolled into ‘Introduction to Chemistry’, an evening course at our local community college. As a six-week summer course, I spent two hours in lecture, two hours in the laboratory, and another two hours studying on my own for four days a week for six weeks. It was evident that I struggled with adjusting to the pace of college when I received 19% on a quiz. I felt left behind, exhausted, and overall pathetic. No matter how many hours I spent studying, I couldn’t keep up. But instead of giving up, I picked up certain strategies like reading the material the night before, rewriting my notes, and joining a study group; eventually working my way up to a B.

At the end of that summer, I learned so much more than just chemistry. On top of having the raw experience of what college is like, my chemistry experience taught me that it is okay to fail. I discovered that failure is an essential part of learning. Coming to this realization inspired me to take more college courses and rigorous courses in high school. I transformed into a hungry learner, eager to fail, learn, and improve. By seizing the opportunity to take this course, I pushed myself beyond my limits. This experience and realization changed how I wanted to pursue the rest of high school, college, and life in general.

I walked into my first day of the chemistry class expecting to walk out with an A; but thankfully, I didn’t. Instead, I walked out of that class with a taste of the college experience and a principle that I now live by-- that it is okay to fail, as long as you get back up.

The relationship I cultivated with my school's college center, by simply being inquisitive, has been most significant. Over my years in high school the college center became my 2nd home, where I learned about extra opportunities and triumphed with help from counselors.

For instance, with help from my school’s college center I applied and was accepted as an LAUSD Superintendent Summer Scholar this past summer. The program selected 15 juniors out of over 450 applicants to work in one of 15 departments, and I was chosen to work for the communications department, which received over 70 applications – making me 1 of 70. Interning for LAUSD at their 29 floor high rise was very eye-opening and exposed me to working in communications alongside seasoned professionals. The opportunity gave me the chance to meet the Superintendent and school board members, who are politically in charge of my education. As part of the communications department I learned how the district operates a network of over 1,300 schools and saw how the 2nd largest school district shares info with stakeholders through universal press releases, phone calls, and the district homepage.

I wrote several articles for the district publication and worked with public information officers who taught me the principles of professionalism and how to communicate to over 1 million people. Recently, I was called from the district to become a part of their Media Advisory Council working alongside district heads, representing the students of LAUSD.

Working for LAUSD furthered my passion to pursue careers in both communication and education. I have always had a desire to be a journalist and the internship assured me of that. I want to write stories bringing student issues from areas like mine to light. Being exposed to the movers and shakers that control education in Los Angeles has heavily motivated me to become an educator and at some point become a school board member influencing the education students like me receive.

Support from the college center has spawned opportunities like a life-changing internship and set me on course for a future full of opportunity.

“Give me liberty, or give me death!”, I proudly exclaimed, finishing up a speech during my first Individual Event competition for Speech and Debate, also known as Forensics Workshop. Public speaking was always one of my shortcomings. During countless in-class presentations, I suffered from stage-fright and anxiety, and my voice always turned nervous and silent. I saw Speech and Debate as a solution to this barrier that hindered my ability to teach and learn. With excessive practice, I passed the tryout and found myself in the zero-period class. All of my teammates, however, joined because they loved chattering and arguing. I had the opposite reason: I despised public speaking.

I was definitely one of the least competitive members of the team, probably because I didn’t take the tournaments very seriously and mainly worried about being a better speaker for the future. Throughout the daily class, I engaged in impromptu competitions, speech interpretations, spontaneous arguments, etc... Throughout my two years on the team, my communication, reciting, writing, and arguing skills overall improved through participation in events such as Impromptu, Original Oratory, Oratorical Interpretation, Lincoln Douglas Debate, and Congress. I even achieved a Certificate of Excellence in my first competition for Oratorical Interpretation -- where we had to recite a historical or current speech -- for Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death.”

I decided to quit Speech and Debate because I felt as if it has completed its purpose. After this educational experience, my communications skilled soared, so I could perform better in school, especially on essays and presentations. Leaving this activity after two years gave me more time to focus on other activities, and apply communications skills to them. In fact, I even did better in interviews (which is how I got into the Torrance Youth Development Program) and even obtained leadership positions in clubs such as Math Club and Science Olympiad Through my two years in Speech and Debate, I believe I became a much better thinker, speaker, and leader. Taking advantage of this opportunity boosted my self-esteem and overall made high school a better experience.

UC PIQ #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? (350 words max)

Although many would say that hardships are the greatest hindrance on a person, my hardships are my greatest assets. The hardships I have overcome are what push and drive me forward. If I had not gone through the failures of my 7th grade year I may have been satisfied as a B or C student. It is easy for us to use our hardships as excuses for not doing work, however, this is a mistake that many people make.

Through my struggles and failure, I have realized an important truth: I am not special. The world will continue to go on and expect me to contribute no matter what I have gone through. Everyone endures some type of obstacle in their life; what makes people different is how they handle them. Some sit around and cry "boo-hoo" waiting for people to feel sorry for them. Others actually take action to improve their situation.

Through hard work, I have been able to outperform my peers, yet I know there is still room for improvement. The thought of actual geniuses in top universities excited me; I long to learn from them and eventually surpass them, or perhaps enter a never ending race for knowledge with them. I used to live an hour away from school. I would have to wake up and be dropped off at a donut shop at 4 in the morning and then walk to school at 6:30 am. After school, I would have to walk to the public library and stay for as long as it was open then wait outside and get picked up around 9:30 pm. I am reluctant to retell this story; not because I am ashamed, but because it is not important. It doesn't matter what hardships I have endured, they do not determine who I am. What matters is what I have done.

At the start of high school, I saw nothing but success. From grades to extracurricular activities, everything seemed to be going smoothly. However, as my sophomore year progressed, this wave of success was soon swamped by a wave of disillusionment. I struggled to perform in Calculus and as a Vice-President, but instead of looking for a solution, I looked for excuses. Ultimately, when I was forced to face my two F’s and my lost elections, the world came crashing down. The vision I had meticulously planned out for the future seemed to shatter before my eyes. My self-confidence plummeted to an all-time low. I thought my life was over.

However, my response to this failure was what would ultimately determine the direction my life would take. In the end, I made the right choice: instead of continuing to blind myself with a false narrative that cast all the blame off my own shoulders, I admitted to my own shortcomings and used this experience as a lesson to grow from.

In doing so, I learned to focus on the aspects of my life that I was truly passionate about instead of spreading myself too thin. I learned to face challenges head-on instead cowering at the first sign of difficulty, even if it meant asking others for help. I learned to accept and utilize my own differences to create my own unique leadership style. Most importantly, rather than letting this mistake define me, I ignited a sense of determination that would guide me back on the right path no matter how many obstacles I encounter.

Looking back, this tragic mistake was a double-edged sword. While it definitely leaves a stain on my record, it is also likely that I wouldn’t have been able to find the same success a year later without the lessons I gained from this experience. At the end of the day, while I still grimace every time I contemplate my sophomore year, I understand now that this mistake is what has allowed me to develop into the person I am today.

Throughout my childhood, I grew up in a nine-person household where the channels of our TV never left the Filipino drama station and the air always smelled of Filipino food. But the moment I left home, I would go to a typical suburban elementary school as an average American kid at the playground. I grew up in a unique position which I both love and hate: being a second-generation Filipino American.

I love being a second-generation immigrant. I have the best of both worlds. But I also hate it. It chains me to this ongoing struggle of living under the high expectations of immigrant parents. How could I hate the part of me that I loved the most?

Growing up, I lived under the constant academic stress that my parents placed on me. Their expectations were through the roof, demanding that I only bring home A’s on my report card. My entire academic career was based on my parent’s expectations. Their eyes beat down on every test score I received. I loved them so much, but I could only handle so much. The stress ate me alive, but I silently continued to work hard.

Living under this stress is the biggest ongoing challenge of my life thus far. Until last year, I never understood why my parents expected so much from me. Finally being old enough to understand my parent’s point of view, I realize that they set these high expectations in the hopes that one day, all of the pain and struggles it took to get to America will pay off. Since then, I’ve overcome the high expectations of my parents by converting their pressure into a fireball of ambition and motivation, deeply ingrained in my mentality.

This intense desire to succeed in America as a second-generation immigrant is something that has and always will fuel my academic drive. As the first person in my family to go to college in America, I’ve made it my life aspiration to succeed in academics in the honor of my family-- a decision made by me.

UC PIQ #6: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. (350 words max)

Understanding the past helps us make better choices in today’s society. History provides us with the views of people and politics, the ethnic origin of people, and much more. At the base of all history, there is an intensive culmination of research which hopes to address or bring light to a story.

My passion for history began while digging deep into own family’s story, researching the history of Latin America, and the origins of the city I was raised in.

For example, when I first saw my favorite show Avatar The Last Airbender, I spent hours researching the mythology of the show which in the process made me learn about the philosophy of China: daoism, Confucius, and the mandate of heaven. Anything can be put within a historical framework to understand the context; every decision, tv show, and law has a history and that is exactly what I love. History forces us to take into account the voices of the past before we can attempt to plan for the future.

History has helped me become a more effective writer for the school paper. It has made me think like a attorney, revisiting old cases, and writing up a winning argument in a mock trial. Thinking like a historian has helped me make sense of the current political climate and motivated me to help start Students For Liberty, at my school’s campus where political ideologies are shared respectfully.

Learning, about history drives my inquisitive nature — I demonstrated this desire by volunteering at a local museum to learn more about the origins of my community in Carson. Ultimately, learning about the Dominguez family who established the Harbor Area of LA.

In terms of academics and performance, I have passed both of my history AP exams in World and U.S. history — being the 2nd person in my school’s history to do so. Studying history in highschool has nurtured my love for social science, which I hope to continue in college and throughout my life.

Ever since I was little, I have possessed a unique fascination for nature and the way it interacts with itself. As I sat in the prickly seats of old tour buses and the bilingual tour guide has silenced himself for the dozens of passengers that have closed their curtains and fallen into deep slumber, I would keep my eyes glued to the window, waiting to catch a glimpse of wild animals and admiring the beautiful scenery that mother nature had pieced together. At Outdoor Science Camp, while most of my friends were fixated on socializing and games, I was obsessed with finding every organism in the book. Nothing else caught my attention quite like ecology.

As high school dragged on and the relentless responsibilities, assignments, and tests washed away the thrill of learning, ecology was one interest that withstood the turmoil. At the end of a draining day, I would always enjoy relaxing to articles detailing newly discovered species or relationships between species.

This past summer, I was able to further this interest when a unique opportunity to volunteer abroad caught my eye. Flying over to the beautiful tropical shorelines of the Dominican Republic, I was able to dive into the frontlines of the battle against climate change, dwindling populations, and habitat destruction brought about by mankind, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

While everyone was obviously ecstatic about snorkeling in the crystal blue waters, only I was able to retain that same excitement about trekking through knee thick mud and mosquito infested forests to replant mangrove trees. While tracking animal populations, my heart leaped at the sight of every new species that swam right in front of my eyes. Even when it came to the dirty work of building structures to rebuild coral and picking up trash along the beach, I always found myself leading the pack, eager to start and do the most.

From this experience, I realized that pursuing the field of ecology was what I could picture myself doing far into the future, and this was how I was going to impact the world.

UC PIQ #7: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words max)

Originally I saw volunteer work as a nuisance. I felt that it was an unnecessary "requirement" for college. I felt that someone decided to do volunteer work while in high school and now it has become the norm and is essentially required for college. Once I began to get involved, however, I found a true appreciation for the work I was doing.

I loved helping people and, as always, wanted to challenge myself. I worked at the Bellflower Volunteer center and tutored kids every day available, as well as helping out with large special events put on by the city. I then joined Key Club and made it my mission to attend every single event no matter what; even going to the lengths to walk for 4 hours starting at 5 in the morning (it was still dark outside) for a 2-hour beach clean up. I then became Service Event Coordinator and also made it my mission to have an event every week, while attending all of them, while still working at the Volunteer Center. I also started a tutoring program in math at my school as I really enjoy helping my peers academically.

It always warmed my heart to see fellow ninjas( our division mascot) at events I had planned, friends and neighbors at Bellflower events, and CSF members at tutoring.I am always willing to help people with anything. If someone needs my help I will stop whatever I am doing to help in any way that I can. Lending a helping hand is an important part of our society; however, a helping hand cannot do anything if the other hand does not reach for it as well. We need to be able to help ourselves first before others can help us. I tried to create a community where I could help people, but also people could help themselves so that there is no reason for anyone to not be able to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Throughout my childhood, the phrases “get good grades” and “make money” constantly harassed my every waking moment. Life seemed pointless, a never-ending cycle of trying to make more money to create artificial happiness. However, through partaking in my middle school’s ASB, I discovered my love for helping others, and I realized that I wanted to make my life about changing the world and leaving behind a better future for the generations to come.

In an attempt to live up to this philosophy, I have performed hundreds of hours of community service. From volunteering at a senior home to distributing food to the homeless, there is no doubt that I have made a substantial impact on those around me.

Despite all this, my most significant contributions are the ones that take place every day and are often undocumented. Picking up trash, staying long after my job is complete to help other groups, or even saying, “Thank you. Have a nice day,” to anyone who has provided a service for me are just a few examples. While they seem insignificant, these small actions add up.

However, above all, my biggest contribution is building meaningful connections with the people around me and making sure they realize how special and important they are to me and everyone else. In nurturing those who are less experienced, assisting those who are struggling with their emotions or their studies, and inspiring those who have untapped potential, I am not merely applying a band-aid on a wound, but elevating a whole community around me to tackle and prevent ailments the next decades will bring.

Years from now, I will likely have forgotten about my modest academic achievements. However, the memories of seeing someone I had mentored blossom into a strong leader and the smiles and laughter of someone I’ve helped battle through depression will forever be ingrained in my mind.

Serving food at school carnivals, embellishing the local marsh, tutoring students after school, and discharging patients at my local hospital were some of the ways I actively supported my city. However, a distinct way of being engaged in my community involved being selected for the Youth Development Program last summer. This organization works with the Torrance Refinery and selects thirty out of hundreds of applicants. The first week of this program involved activities that trained students for college and eventually their careers by making them adept in communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. For the next four weeks, students were assigned a specific job around the City of Torrance and Torrance Unified School District (TUSD).

I was placed in the TUSD Information Technology Department, along with six other students, and we essentially helped deal with technology-based issues around the district. Even though my professional desire incorporates biology and chemistry, I had a compelling interest and math and technology. I gave back to my community by utilizing the technological skills I gained at work. My colleagues and I traveled daily to several schools around the district and assisted in technological advancements: testing network ports and preparing schools for newer phones, imaging and updating new laptops and desktops, and arranging and setting up new computer labs and Chrome book carts.

Today, many people globally use technological and visual aids to assist their education. My summer job also allowed me to make a difference in the education of others. With the faster internet, newer telephones and computers, teachers could instruct more efficiently and students can be educated more effectively, thus improving their academic performance in the future. This program helped me a lot by boosting my teamwork and leadership skills, which will be extremely valuable as I will be pursuing many president/vice-president positions in my senior year. However, this program has allowed me to make a stronger impact on other people rather than myself; I feel delighted that my work in summer will be beneficial to twenty-thousand students across Torrance.

UC PIQ #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? (350 words max)

In 2011, I started at a newly built school spanning sixth to twelfth grade. The school’s inception was not the greatest with gang culture and issues plaguing the school and nearby community. From this moment I knew wanted to make a change, improving the school and local community.

For example, two years ago a bicyclist was crushed by a container truck across the street from my school, several peers of mine and I advocated for a bike lane to get installed on the street to protect cyclists from the busy traffic. I worked day and night for three weeks using my connection with the city’s public works director to meet with city officials and make a change. I looked for solutions and ways to improve my community and lead the charge to better our street. When we met with city officials they agreed and ultimately approved our bike lane proposal. This civic action started with a group of three concerned high school students, in which I helped facilitate the conversations resulting into a bike lane project, that will be built the summer of 2018 after I graduate high school. Ultimately helping solve an issue in my community.

Using my influence as part of the Associated Student Body I advocated for a new medical academy on my school’s campus to address the growing interest in medicine and health careers of many students at my school. While I am not personally interested in a health related field, I recognized that many students at my school did and teachers agreed. I came in as an intermediary, who because of my position in ASB was also a member of my School’s Shared Leadership Council (SLC), through these means I motivated other ASB officers to support the academy’s inception and after a grueling amount of meetings in which we went through logistics the academy was approved for the benefit of students.

I am a student who will attend a UC pursuing my passions in journalism, education, and history; while being an involved student making the campus a better place than when I first arrived.

Rather than relying on pure intellect, I choose to excel through continual self-improvement, my ability to overpower obstacles, and an unrelenting force of determination. There are thousands of students smarter than me, students with better test scores, students with more volunteer hours, and quite possibly, a more socially acceptable sense of humor. I can assert, however, that my determination and ambition is hard to match.

I am willing to look in the face of the impossible without fear; in fact, the only emotion flowing through my body would be excitement. There are thousands of intelligent students, however many are unable or are unwilling to utilize their full potential. Although not a genius, I have shown my ability to improve drastically in capability over time.

At some point in my middle school career I was not technically supposed to still be enrolled because my grades were too low; now I'm on track to be valedictorian of my class. I am willing to do whatever it takes to meet my goal; if there were a service event across the country I would be willing to walk the entire way; if I could take a million AP's I would. I understand that it is a big jump to go from Bellflower High School to a UC in terms of academic difficulty; however, that is part of the excitement. I am not afraid of failure, it does nothing but make me stronger. Am I capable of making a jump of such a magnitude? It is not my judgment to make; I am only here to try.

The spin-the-wheel slows down and eventually stops at ‘try again next time’. That is, until I secretly push it one slot over to ‘princess tiara’. As the child hurries away to the next carnival game with the tiara in her hair, her mom turns back at me with a warm smile and mouths the words “thank you”. Seeing genuine happiness in the people of my community while volunteering at events such as my school carnival always remind me why I love my community so much.

I hold a lot of pride in how I’ve become a prominent figure in my community. From volunteering at festivals for my local elementary school to becoming employed by the City of American Canyon Parks and Recreation Department, I relish being in the hub of the community. I love our annual Fourth of July parades and Easter egg hunts, where I am stopped every 15 minutes to catch up with the crazy kids I worked with at summer camp or even just with the staff I’ve met from school. Growing up and connecting with such a diverse community is and will always be a large part of who I am. From kindergarten up until my senior year of high school, both my small community and I as an individual have grown immensely. By volunteering at local events, connecting with the people of my community, and finally getting employed by my city, I know that I have contributed to the successful growth of my community.

Although I really love my community here in the small town of American Canyon, I cannot help but think of the other great communities that I can potentially be a part of as well. I believe that by going to the University of California, I will be able to thrive in the liveliness of the communities that the campuses are well-known for. A major contribution I believe that I can bring to the University of California is integrating, being involved in, and building the school’s community so that both I and the school can grow together for each other.

What can you learn from these UC Berkeley essays?

If you want to get into UC Berkeley in 2022, you need to write great essays that help make you stand out. From these 18 Berkeley essays that worked, here are some takeaways:

• Use specific examples of places and events (name them) ( #8 , #17 )
• Tell a story ( #6 , #18 , #7 )
• Demonstrate your background, identity, or culture ( #3 , #15 , #4 )

If you enjoyed these UC Berkeley essays, you'll also like reading our top UCLA essays that worked. They answer the same PIQ prompts, but quite differently.

Applying to other public universities? Check out these awesome University of Michigan essays.

Let me know, which UC Berkeley essay was your favorite and why?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked

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People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

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The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.

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The School of Information offers four degrees:

The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program educates information professionals to provide leadership for an information-driven world.

The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) is an online degree preparing data science professionals to solve real-world problems. The 5th Year MIDS program is a streamlined path to a MIDS degree for Cal undergraduates.

The Master of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) is an online degree preparing cybersecurity leaders for complex cybersecurity challenges.

Our Ph.D. in Information Science is a research program for next-generation scholars of the information age.

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The School of Information's courses bridge the disciplines of information and computer science, design, social sciences, management, law, and policy. We welcome interest in our graduate-level Information classes from current UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students and community members.  More information about signing up for classes.

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MIMS Admissions: Essays

Crafting your essays can be challenging: What should I include? How do I craft a response that accurately describes me? How do I demonstrate that MIMS is the right program for me? If any of these questions make you nervous, don’t fear! The good news is that writing your essays is completely within your control. Regardless of your GPA, work experience, or what your recommenders say — your essays are a blank slate. This is your chance to add another dimension to your application and spark the admission committee’s interest. Who are you as an individual? What are you most passionate about? What will you bring to our community? How do your goals connect with the MIMS program and the I School?

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to convince us that you belong uniquely in MIMS. This statement should focus on your preparation, experience, career goals, and reasons for choosing MIMS. The most successful statements convey strong motivation, competence, and potential as a graduate student.

Be specific. Make it clear, with examples, that you understand MIMS and that you are certain MIMS is the right program for you. Clearly define your goals and convey how MIMS will help you achieve them.

Your statement should be clear and concise. We recommend you aim for 1–2 pages with well-selected words rather than a longer essay with less clarity and poor organization.

Once you have a draft, ask for feedback from someone who knows you well.

Need more guidance? Check out Graduate Division’s Guide to Writing the Statement of Purpose , Preparing Your Application for Graduate School , and Getting into Graduate School recordings .

Personal History Essay

The Personal History Statement is a chance for you to connect with us on a more personal level. Although the content of this essay is a bit more open ended, we encourage you to address one or several of the prompts below:

• How you have overcome barriers to access higher education
• How you have come to understand the barriers faced by others
• Your academic service to advance equitable access to high education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education
• Your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality
• Your leadership among such groups

The Personal History Essay is your opportunity to share any experiences that show your promise, initiative, and ability to persevere despite obstacles. It should complement, not duplicate, the content in your Statement of Purpose.

If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, demonstrating your perseverance and determination.

If the creative juices just aren’t flowing, there’s no reason to waste your time running in place. Instead, use this time to start working on other parts of your application. Or, step away completely and take a breather.

Need more guidance? Check out the Graduate Division’s Guide to Writing the Personal Statement , Preparing Your Application for Graduate School , and Getting into Graduate School recordings .

Short Answer Essay

The Short Answer Essay is a short response to this question:

What is the most interesting information problem you have ever solved? Explain why it was interesting and how you solved it.

The most successful essays clearly illustrate candidates’ quantitative aptitude, problem solving abilities, and written communication skills.

Reflect on your professional and/or academic experiences to identify one specific, impactful example that showcases your analytical skills.

As you guessed from the essay name, this response is meant to be short! Limit your response to 300 words or less.

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Personal Insight Questions

Personal Insight Questions are about the most important component of your application . It's reviewed by both, the scholarships and admissions offices, and is your opportunity to share your story, while making your case for tuition money.

We have a proven 3-step process to help you choose the best questions, and answer in a compelling format.

3-Step Process:

Step 1: outline and choose 4 questions.

Use an outline to strategically choose 4 personal insight questions

There are 8 Personal Insight Questions that are provided to you for you to choose from, and you can respond to only 4 of them.

A few things to keep in mind when considering which 4 questions to choose:

• Your goal is to choose the 4 questions that let you demonstrate diverse aspects of your personality, in a complementary manner.
• An outline allows you to efficiently cycle through all 8 questions, making a list of all of the potential stories, experiences, accolades, etc. you have per question
• There is no "right answer" or "perfect essay" - it doesn't exist, period.

Your application is an opportunity to tell your unique story, and building an outline for each question is a great way to pick and choose the stories that flow seamlessly.

Forcing myself to write an outline really helped to structure my thoughts. Everything started to slowly click together.

Strategy tip: pick your 4 piq questions wisely.

Selecting the right personal insight questions can be the difference between a successful application and a missed opportunity. Build an outline to flesh out your story , and optimize  for the 4 questions that best communicate that story.

Step 2: Craft Your Story

Write for the admissions counselor reading your essay, not your English teacher.

Share compelling and connected stories, designed to engage and impress

Your goal is to highlight the stories that you would share with an admissions counselor in an interview. Each story is your opportunity to show how you are different from your peers, and why that difference is an asset to the university.

Here are a few examples of themes that you can communicate in your essay:

• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Self-starter and independent learner (ie. self-taught programmers)  
• Inspiring leader with accolades
• Optimism, channeling major setbacks into opportunities 

Writing Tip: Use More "I" Statements

Optimize for the number of "I" statements in your PIQ responses ( even the college admissions office says you should ). When used correctly, "I" statements give you the power to connect with your reader, reducing the "distance" between you and the admissions officer.

Step 3: Tie it All Together

Tie it all together with one central message

Through your essays, your goal should be to communicate a very clear vision as to what differentiates you from the rest of the applicants. 

There are a few common, underlying traits with some of the better personal insight question responses: 

• Thought-provoking - share your way of thinking in a unique manner
• Engaging - write like you speak - if you're considered a funny person, showcase that humor with some well-timed wit
• Authentic - try to stay away from embellishing your stories, and stay true to yourself 

Make sure to leave enough time to brainstorm, write, explore, and re-write some more, when planning for your college essays.  

I would have never thought to add that into my essay. Thank you for helping me revise and being patient. This was very helpful.

Strategy tip: ask alumni to review your essays.

Optimize for actual alumni of the university to read and critique your essays. Most students have a tendency to ask people who have never applied or been admitted to the university, (ie. teachers, peers, parents) to review their essays.

While helpful for a first draft, we have found that most students find greater benefit in having real alums to review their essays. Alumni have the unique benefit of being able to add "little nuggets" into your personal insight question responses. 

Need help with your application?

Frequently asked questions about college essays, why are college applicatoin essays important.

In the essay section of the application, each school's admission office is looking to get to know your individual life experience, interests and aspirations. While it is just one part of the decision, it helps provide context for the rest of your application.

• Improves your chance of admission
• Tells the admissions office about you
• Gives context for your application

How long should your college application's essays questions be?

For most applications, there is a word limit you must follow, for each one of the prompts. We optimize for maximizing the story, in a concise, clear manner. 

How do you write a college application essay?

We think the best way to write your essay responses is to use our 3 step process:

• Step 1: Outline and strategically choose which questions to answer
• Step 2: Draft a compelling story, connecting it across all questions
• Step 3: Revise and rewrite until your polished, final version is ready

What do you write in a personal statement?

Your goal is to communicate why you're a valuable addition to the specific college's community - both, as a student, as well as an alumni. 

Creating an outline is a helpful first step, in determining exactly what themes you would like to focus on. 

What should you not do on a personal statement?

Here are a few, common mistakes that students make, which you can avoid:

• Wasting words on unimportant details: Every single word of your 350 word count should serve a purpose. Don't waste words overexplaining things, embellishing details, etc.
• Starting with a quote: the "Be the change you wish to see in the world..." essay days are long past us, unfortunately.
• Staying high-level: get specific within your essays, hammering in (but from a different angle) your "differentiating factor"
• Creative writing:  stick to the traditional writing style, avoiding poems, haikus, and any other creative apparatus. Short, sweet sentences, with a clear point are most effective.
• Lacking clarity:  avoid hedging across your 4 different essays, and stick to 1 or 2 themes/ideas, which you'd like to communicate to the admissions officer

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Sample Personal Statement Financial Engineering (UC Berkeley)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

Here is the personal statement of an applicant admitted to UC Berkeley’s  Masters in Financial Engineering program . For personal statement, UC Berkeley poses several questions to applicants, which the admissions committee expects to be answered in an essay form. UC Berkeley provides these personal statement prompts to encourage students to self-reflect and share their insights with the program.

The following essays are an example of a compelling story and reflect the original voice and personality of the applicant. Get inspiration from them and try incorporating their strengths into your personal statement.

In this Article

Personal Statement Prompt 1

Personal statement prompt 2, personal statement prompt 3, personal statement prompt 4.

Please provide a statement regarding your experience in applying your quantitative skills to problem-solving in business or research settings. (250 words)

At PwC, I initiated the creation of PwC’s first fully automated valuation process for private and public companies. This consisted of creating industry-specific valuation templates using Python and VBA that used analyst report data and an API through Capital IQ to gather information from the MD&A section to give a complete valuation. The model performed an LBO, DCF, Comparable, and Transaction Analysis while using PwC valuation methodologies and industry expectations and thus became superior to generic templates. This solution saw significant savings for the firm and is now used by PwC throughout the world.

At BlackRock, I was responsible for developing a long/short pair trading strategy using every identifiable oligopoly. Initially, this required integration and cross-validation of multiple databases, including FactSet, Bloomberg, and Global Data, to evaluate their accuracy and relevance. Afterward, I took the project forward by measuring firms’ market power in oligopolies to determine industry influence. This required analyzing the financial data of every firm to determine its market share. Creating an efficient VBA Excel Macro, I collected data on over 540,000 firms to determine oligopolies for over 150 industry classifications. I also identified equities with a consistent pricing relationship using 10-year historical data to develop an algorithm using cointegration. Finally, I constructed a proprietary trading signal based on the mean reversion of the pairs using Python. The developed algorithm yielded a highly desirable annualized return of 33% during backtesting and continues to be implemented by the firm for live trading.

Please discuss why you have decided to apply to the MFE at this time and what career path you intend to pursue post-MFE. (250 Words)

Post MFE, I aim to set up my own Quantitative Hedge Fund. Working as an Analyst for a Global Hedge Fund like BlackRock has provided me the baseline skill set to leverage through an advanced degree like Berkeley’s MFE to achieve my career aspirations.

Previously, I had co-founded a philanthropic Hedge Fund, The Michigan Students Asset Management, which aims to teach students the fundamentals of investing while donating generated returns to charitable causes. I hope to expand on our current operations with a new “for-profit” fund focusing on statistical arbitrage trading strategies.

At BlackRock, I was exposed to arbitrage trading strategies and developed algorithms using Python and VBA. With Berkeley’s MFE, I hope to improve my technical skills around asset pricing, general dimension reduction techniques, and ensemble methods critical to forming accurately priced derivatives.

I envision MFE allowing me to develop a more advanced and intuitive approach to data science problems, enabling me to manipulate large data sets and automate trading decisions and executions. In addition, courses like  “deep learning”  will allow me to understand machine learning and training neural networks. This will add new dimensions to my skill repertoire to assist in analyzing various data sets, including text, audio, and images.

With the exposure attained in the MFE, I can build on a solid base of previous experience to transition smoothly and confidently into my post-MFE goal of setting up my Quantitative Hedge. 

Choose one of your volunteer activities and discuss it. (250 words)

In the summer, I had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer special education teacher in San Pedro, a rural village in Costa Rica. With little knowledge of my surroundings, a language barrier, and a lack of learning equipment, accommodating the students’ unique needs was a challenge. I was required to develop creative methods, constructing visual aids from cardboard pieces to make block numbers that I could refer to while teaching.

During this time, I realized that the school’s most significant need was functional wheelchairs, as most were broken or did not have enough wheels. After some research, I discovered that it would be practical to repurpose old bicycles into wheelchairs. The idea was very well received by the school staff, with one of the teachers volunteering to assist with the project, given his previous experience as a carpenter. As a team, we collated a list of materials and calculated an estimated cost of raw materials to be 15 000 Costa Rican Colons (significantly lower than the 60 000 market price). With the basic knowledge of operating power tools and a few days of trial and error, we could create a functional wheelchair unit that was feasible to replicate.

Overall, this experience was unlike any other, requiring me to push my creative boundaries in an unfamiliar environment. However, this resilience and commitment to quality are fundamental values that I continue applying to all my challenges.

What do you view as a particular strength of yours? What do you view as a specific weakness? Would friends or family share your view? (250 words)

I believe perseverance in facing challenging circumstances through self-initiative is one of my greatest strengths. During a recent teaching experience in San Pedro, a rural village in Costa Rica, this strength of mine came to the fore. With little knowledge of my surroundings, a language barrier, and a lack of necessary equipment, teaching and accommodating the unique needs of the students posed an immense challenge. I was required to come up with creative methods, such as making a set of visual aids by cutting out cardboard pieces to make block numbers that I could refer to while teaching. I also made a significant impact by repurposing bicycles and old chairs to build over 20 wheelchairs for students. This perseverance has been integral to my personal and professional successes, which is why I believe my family and friends will concur with this view.

My biggest weakness has been spreading myself too thin due to my desire to acquire as much exposure and experience as possible. In my professional life, however, this led to a situation where I could not complete one of the many assignments despite working over 120 hours a week. This was the catalyst that triggered my desire to keep a constant open line of communication with my team regarding workload management to set attainable expectations. As a result, I have learned to prioritize tasks better and say “no” more frequently. I believe my friends and family would share this personal evolution.

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University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short responses.

Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

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.

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

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

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?

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

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

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?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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• Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

Personal history (Berkeley)

By jacib December 11, 2009 in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

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Is anyone else applying to Berkeley? This is just a diversity statement in a very thin disguise, right? I found this example here: http://ls.berkeley.edu/soc/diversity/apply/personalstatement1.html from the amount of times the critic notes how wonderful the author's mention of her "ethnic origins" and "cultural identity" are... like it's a diversity statement. If it is, I just wish they'd call a spade a spade and say, "Hey white boy, save your time and only write something here if you feel like it." I'm in favor of affirmative action, but the comments on the essay above seem like an honest-to-God parody that cheapens the applicant. If it's only about race and/or indigent childhood, shouldn't they say that?

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If you read the prompt, it says to write about how you have had to overcome hardships based on discrimination/etc., how you have come to understand the difficulties others face, and how you are going to change it.

As a middle class white American, I wrote about my momentary disability, my visits to third world countries, my volunteer work, and how my studies in cross-cultural art are going to help the less fortunate.

Yeah... I'm struggling with figuring out what to write for that essay. I sure wish there was an option to leave it blank.

Welcome to the UC applications, they all (most anyway) have this required Personal History statement.

Yeah I already wrote my Santa Barbara one using their bogus term "bicultural communities" (either the school or the religion department provided a really useful list of eight possible kinds of diversity that you could check off...I scored two and a half!) about how I've had legal residency in several countries. I was just wondering if I should send in that exact same essay and be done with it, or if it was worth taking time and redoing the whole thing.

I tried to walk away from this one but it was just too inflammatory for me...

Just because you are white does not mean that you do not have an ethnic or cultural identity. This is one of the major issues in the race debate. The "I am white and therefore I am the default and therefore I have no ethnic identity and everyone else (who is not white) does" is false in so many ways. Also, being white doesn't exclude you from hardships (as an example, please see a large percentage of the Appalachian people.) Don't use the I'm a white boy scapegoat.

I tried to walk away from this one but it was just too inflammatory for me... Just because you are white does not mean that you do not have an ethnic or cultural identity. This is one of the major issues in the race debate. The "I am white and therefore I am the default and therefore I have no ethnic identity and everyone else (who is not white) does" is false in so many ways. Also, being white doesn't exclude you from hardships (as an example, please see a large percentage of the Appalachian people.) Don't use the I'm a white boy scapegoat.

Man, my grandmother is from Appalachia. She remembers when the TVA first brought electricity to her town. She didn't touch a telephone until she was 19 and moved to California. My other three grandparents were all born abroad, and were escaping very particular things in their home countries (in two cases, certain death). They could all write really, really good personal histories. All lily white. And they would deserve to be considered diverse. I, on the other hand, don't deserve it, and it feels cheap for me to say "Yeah my grandparents totally faced all this hardship, man." I'm saying that my upbringing was touched and it seems silly to have to pretend it wasn't.

I'm also saying that the person who wrote comments on that Berkeley essay is a total moron. If you don't think those comments seem patronizing, then I can debate that, but this is the exact opposite of a "I'm white and we're unfairly persecuted by affirmative action". The consensus seems to be that yes, this is a diversity essay, as opposed to a "why did you become interested in this subject" essay, which was my question. It seems silly to make a diversity essay mandatory, because then it cheapens the actual differences. If everyone is a unique little snow flake and we're all diverse people who've faced hardships, what's the point? To turn it into a suffering pissing contest?

but yeah... rereading my original post, I don't think I make it clear that I do think diversity has a place in the application process, it does. But I wish it was just clearer what these were actually used for.

Man, my grandmother is from Appalachia. She remembers when the TVA first brought electricity to her town. She didn't touch a telephone until she was 19 and moved to California. My other three grandparents were all born abroad, and were escaping very particular things in their home countries (in two cases, certain death). They could all write really, really good personal histories. All lily white. And they would deserve to be considered diverse. I, on the other hand, don't deserve it, and it feels cheap for me to say "Yeah my grandparents totally faced all this hardship, man." I'm saying that my upbringing was touched and it seems silly to have to pretend it wasn't. I'm also saying that the person who wrote comments on that Berkeley essay is a total moron. If you don't think those comments seem patronizing, then I can debate that, but this is the exact opposite of a "I'm white and we're unfairly persecuted by affirmative action". The consensus seems to be that yes, this is a diversity essay, as opposed to a "why did you become interested in this subject" essay, which was my question. It seems silly to make a diversity essay mandatory, because then it cheapens the actual differences. If everyone is a unique little snow flake and we're all diverse people who've faced hardships, what's the point? To turn it into a suffering pissing contest? but yeah... rereading my original post, I don't think I make it clear that I do think diversity has a place in the application process, it does. But I wish it was just clearer what these were actually used for.

I can agree that I'm not a fan of all the comments made on that essay. I wonder if maybe you're looking at it wrong though, the diversity essay doesn't necessarily have to be about how you suffered. In fact, you might be better off writing something that doesn't talk about how you suffered as I am sure a lot of people are going to give sob stories about their upbringing, or dramatic cross-cultural encounters... which can certainly be good, but after you've read as many as those adcoms get...

Here's the prompt:

Please include any educational, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/ or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.

You've never had any unique educational experience? economic? social experience? no challenge or opportunity posed to you? It doesn't have to be a mind blowing experience, some of the most subtle experiences can be the most profound. If you really think that you're just mr. smith from normalville, usa after thinking through that and "If everyone is a unique little snow flake and we're all diverse people who've faced hardships, what's the point?" , then perhaps look at the essay differently... about how your feelings of normalcy/blending in with the crowd/lack of diversity have affected your life or your approach to things. You might be able to turn that into something unique that the adcom would find interesting/different from other essays they are receiving.

The point of diversity essays in my view is not to discount "whites" or say that they don't have their own story to tell (or put them at a disadvantage as I've heard some people say), but rather to say that everyone does, and everyone should have an opportunity to tell it. Unique snowflake? Dramatic background story of adversity that will bring the adcom to tears? No... but unique series of events and experiences that have developed you? sure.

I can agree that I'm not a fan of all the comments made on that essay. I wonder if maybe you're looking at it wrong though, the diversity essay doesn't necessarily have to be about how you suffered. In fact, you might be better off writing something that doesn't talk about how you suffered as I am sure a lot of people are going to give sob stories about their upbringing, or dramatic cross-cultural encounters... which can certainly be good, but after you've read as many as those adcoms get... Here's the prompt: Please include any educational, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/ or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree. You've never had any unique educational experience? economic? social experience? no challenge or opportunity posed to you? It doesn't have to be a mind blowing experience, some of the most subtle experiences can be the most profound. If you really think that you're just mr. smith from normalville, usa after thinking through that and "If everyone is a unique little snow flake and we're all diverse people who've faced hardships, what's the point?" , then perhaps look at the essay differently... about how your feelings of normalcy/blending in with the crowd/lack of diversity have affected your life or your approach to things. You might be able to turn that into something unique that the adcom would find interesting/different from other essays they are receiving. The point of diversity essays in my view is not to discount "whites" or say that they don't have their own story to tell (or put them at a disadvantage as I've heard some people say), but rather to say that everyone does, and everyone should have an opportunity to tell it. Unique snowflake? Dramatic background story of adversity that will bring the adcom to tears? No... but unique series of events and experiences that have developed you? sure.

Yeah this is the argument I totally didn't mean to start... I think we agree more than we disagree. I have lived a really great life, full of wonderful, rare experiences (hell I'm living in Istanbul right now...). But I mean, as I understood it originally, these essays are more about funding than other things, and it's mainly to offer a chance to those who in some way have suffered educational disadvantages... which I think is what it should do. That's what I meant in my original "diversity essay" comments up top. A kid who graduated who went to East Bungsville Regional High School and then Flyover State University -- Flagship while working full time probably deserves to have the fact that the same numbers probably mean more than it does from someone who went from Choate to Yale while never lifting a finger. I have plenty of things I could write about. Everyone does. I think I am actually pretty different, though not relating to the condition of my birth. I was wondering what role exactly these played beyond giving extra financial aid. No one knows, apparently. Like, is it considered strongly like it was in undergrad or will it be mostly just pushed aside during the admission process and used maybe as a tie-breaker? I'm not saying that white people aren't diverse. I'm saying that, based on socio-economic factors, I do not qualify for what they mean by diversity. Nor do I plan on working particularly close with under-served communities, though I would like to volunteer teaching SATs after teaching them for a year here, that's not worth more than a sentence or two. Most of my intellectual development has come from books, which is not what the prompt seems to want. In terms of intellectual interest, my experiences come in a distant second. I was wondering if it should be about what actually made me want to study this (which would be a reading list supplemented by memorable comments by important professors I've had) or if it should be about my "diversity", because for me they're different topics.

It seems to be that this is not about what actually influenced me on my "journey". Which is the answer to the question I was looking for. Also, in my field we're specifically trained to avoid the "language of uniqueness". Sorry pet peeve, I know that must sound bitchy, but it's a really really big problem when you're studying religion!

• xdimx and HansK2012

Few things get my goat like this line of reasoning.

In the end, if you do not think you are at all unique or cannot offer diversity of thought or experiences to the graduate cohort I am going to say that you should reconsider why you are applying.

Here's the prompt: Please include any educational, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/ or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.

That's not actually the prompt in the Berkeley application. Most (if not all) departments still have the old text on their web pages, but the current Personal History Statement prompt taken from the online application is as follows:

"Please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include information on how you have overcome barriers to access higher education, evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, and evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality or evidence of your leadership among such groups."

As you've explained yourself, it doesn't sound nearly as harsh as your original statement. I should also admit that it wasn't just this post that had gotten to me, as I had seen several people that had statements similar to "I'm white! I'm normal! I'm middleclass!!" and this post was more just the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. I get what you're saying - you haven't been through that struggle, and you aren't intending to be involved in serving underrepresented groups, so you don't feel like you deserve anything relative to that. I get that. (I'm not trying to argue really, although I suppose I did get up on my soapbox a little.)

If the essay is mandatory though, and I admittedly don't know how much it's going to affect your admission, I just think there are ways to still have something interesting to say. I think diversity statements are as you alluded to, a way for people to explain hard work that would not necessarily come through elsewhere. I also understand that there are a group of people in between there, not underrepresented but also without the aid of mom and dad's bank account, that struggle with items like this in the application process. I just think that if a person is applying to grad school, then they're probably pretty intelligent, and they can think outside the box to still write something worthwhile. I just see the I'm white/I'm normal as a cop out for having to think a little longer/harder on something.

As far as the prompt - I'm not applying to Berkeley, I just read the link that was provided and the prompt there. If it's wrong I apologize, although even with the new prompt the vast majority of the points I was making, I feel still apply.

As you've explained yourself, it doesn't sound nearly as harsh as your original statement. I should also admit that it wasn't just this post that had gotten to me, as I had seen several people that had statements similar to "I'm white! I'm normal! I'm middleclass!!" and this post was more just the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. I get what you're saying - you haven't been through that struggle, and you aren't intending to be involved in serving underrepresented groups, so you don't feel like you deserve anything relative to that. I get that. (I'm not trying to argue really, although I suppose I did get up on my soapbox a little.) If the essay is mandatory though, and I admittedly don't know how much it's going to affect your admission, I just think there are ways to still have something interesting to say. I think diversity statements are as you alluded to, a way for people to explain hard work that would not necessarily come through elsewhere. I also understand that there are a group of people in between there, not underrepresented but also without the aid of mom and dad's bank account, that struggle with items like this in the application process. I just think that if a person is applying to grad school, then they're probably pretty intelligent, and they can think outside the box to still write something worthwhile. I just see the I'm white/I'm normal as a cop out for having to think a little longer/harder on something. As far as the prompt - I'm not applying to Berkeley, I just read the link that was provided and the prompt there. If it's wrong I apologize, although even with the new prompt the vast majority of the points I was making, I feel still apply.

Dude, first of all, I love the phrase "normal as a cop". Is it original to you? Living in Chicago, we used to refer to vast tracks of working class white, semi-suburban land within the city limits as "cop neighborhoods" (especially the Irish neighborhoods on the South Side like Beverly etc). Yeah I was just frustrated with the whole diversity project after reading "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education" , and it seemed like anything that focused so much on experiences that related to your project wouldn't necessarily capture blah blah blah. Most of my interesting experiences shaped my mind, but not my project so much.

As for the Berkeley prompt, you both might be right: a department and the school might have different ones. I know in sociology that's the case.

margaretlouise

Ah, yes. I remember this. Wacko, right?

For what it's worth, I was accepted at Berkeley, so my approach was probably not totally off-base (not a deal-breaker, anyway). Here's what I did.

I gained the most clarity about the genre by defining the OTHER essay required (Academic statement of purpose or something? I forget what it's called): this one was a pretty straight construction of the problems I'd like to tackle with my PhD work and my past research, along with fit, etc. So pretty "just professional," if that makes sense.

For the personal essay, think of it as YOUR LIFE = GOTTA GO TO GRAD SCHOOL FOR X. That is, what will make you tick as a grad student? What about you and your history compels you to do X? In short, why are you going to grad school? What do you think needs to be addressed in the academy, and why?

As a gentle chiding: maybe you haven't been discriminated against as a white, middle-class, hetero, able-bodied male, but you inhabit that position somehow, right? Diversity (or "lack thereof") doesn't have to be experienced as despair or as guilt. And I don't think that this particular essay is a "diversity" essay per se-- more a life experience one.

Ah, yes. I remember this. Wacko, right? For what it's worth, I was accepted at Berkeley, so my approach was probably not totally off-base (not a deal-breaker, anyway). Here's what I did. I gained the most clarity about the genre by defining the OTHER essay required (Academic statement of purpose or something? I forget what it's called): this one was a pretty straight construction of the problems I'd like to tackle with my PhD work and my past research, along with fit, etc. So pretty "just professional," if that makes sense. For the personal essay, think of it as YOUR LIFE = GOTTA GO TO GRAD SCHOOL FOR X. That is, what will make you tick as a grad student? What about you and your history compels you to do X? In short, why are you going to grad school? What do you think needs to be addressed in the academy, and why? As a gentle chiding: maybe you haven't been discriminated against as a white, middle-class, hetero, able-bodied male, but you inhabit that position somehow, right? Diversity (or "lack thereof") doesn't have to be experienced as despair or as guilt. And I don't think that this particular essay is a "diversity" essay per se-- more a life experience one.

Yeah sorry writing an essay wasn't problematic. I wrote about having legal residency in five different countries, and how I'm sick of theories that apply to only one region or religion, and how every good theory needs to work outside of the American experience and for bonus points I used the term "Global South" and how I have unique perspective because of all those experiences which relates directly to my SoP wherein I mention that most of the existent theory covering my field of interest is horrible Eurocentric (so true). Which is pretty much the same essay I wrote for Santa Barbara not too long ago. Which was also much more specific in it's prompt categories (check however many of the following apply and explain them in an essay). However, I still don''t know what this essay was being used for . That's why I was asking the question.

For anyone else still writing, this email I just received from the Sociology department might allay some of your anxiety:

-----------

Write about what feels appropriate in your situation. You can use either as a "prompt" [the sociology dept's prompt was slightly different than the one on the application]. It is rather fluid essay, so don't get too worried about which one you are answering. Use whatever parts of the questions maybe be useful in helping you think about your own situation or story.

You can put your "gaps" explanation in whichever essay you feel that it fits most appropriately. Again, there are not fixed rules for these things.

Back to work!

I did not apply to Berkeley because of that stupid personal history essay.

• yc731 and xdimx
• 1 year later...

Sorry to resurrect an old thread.

I really like the comment from margaretlouise that I quoted. I'm applying to the Berkeley computer science PhD, and I'm currently working on my Personal History Statement.

Here's where I'm stuck: I did overcome a number of challenges in my personal background. I also have many reasons for being passionate about my current and future research. Does discussing my life before I got started with computer science research detract from the overall quality of the statement?

Here's a synopsis of the pre-college part of my personal background:

I came from a small town in the midwestern United States. It was challenging to find educational opportunities there, but I did the best I could by taking several classes at the local community college during junior high (age 13-14). I later gained acceptance into a public statewide magnet high school, where tuition is free, all students live on campus, and students apply by writing essays and taking the SAT. The acceptance rate for this school is ~15%. While attending high school, I got involved with a physics research project at a nearby National Laboratory, and I was the first author on a published academic paper.

A very abridged selection of my research motivations:

In my undergraduate studies, classes in parallel programming and cyber-physical systems increased my awareness of the breadth of unsolved problems in distributed computing. During a class on theoretical computer science, I discovered the joy of working on formal mathematical proofs. The design of real-time distributed systems requires formal proofs on the timing behavior of tasks. Thus, real-time distributed systems research lies at the intersection of my interests of mathematical proofs and distributed computing. My research on the theoretical analysis of real-time systems has enabled increased safety and predictability in automotive control systems. Further, this research has shed light on how to utilize distributed sensor networks more effectively. In my proposed doctoral research, I hope to reduce the power consumption and increase the reliability of future distributed surveillance systems through research on timing analysis, scheduling, and routing protocols.

Berkeley is home to several leading faculty in real-time systems and is therefore the ideal environment for me to develop as a researcher and to advance the state of the art. (A lot of universities have no faculty who study real-time systems. Berkeley has at least 5 faculty who have each published 30+ real-time systems papers.)

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8 October 2023

4 minutes read

Crafting Your Berkeley Personal Statement: Sample and Tips

Dirghayu Kaushik

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• Introduction

If you’re aspiring to join the esteemed University of California, Berkeley, for your graduate studies, your personal statement is your opportunity to shine. This blog will guide you through the process, providing UC Berkeley personal statement samples and valuable insights into creating an outstanding essay. Let’s embark on this journey towards your academic excellence at Berkeley.

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• What Is a Berkeley Personal Statement?

Your Berkeley personal statement is a critical component of your graduate school application. It’s a chance to showcase who you are beyond your grades and test scores, to communicate your aspirations, achievements, and motivations clearly.

Why Is Your Personal Statement Important?

Your personal statement is more than just a requirement for your application; it’s your chance to make a strong impression on the admissions committee. Here’s why it’s crucial:

1. Personalization

Your personal statement allows you to present yourself as an individual with unique experiences and aspirations. It helps the admissions committee understand who you are beyond the numbers.

2. Demonstration of Fit

Berkeley is looking for candidates who are not only academically qualified but also a good fit for their programs. Your personal statement is where you can demonstrate how you align with the university’s values and goals.

3. Showcase Your Communication Skills

Being able to express your thoughts and motivations clearly is an essential skill in academia and beyond. Your personal statement is a platform to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively.

4. Highlight Achievements

Your personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and leadership skills. It’s a chance to show how you’ve excelled in your field.

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• Sample Berkeley Personal Statement

Before we dive into tips for crafting your personal statement, let’s look at a UC Berkeley personal statement sample:

[Include an actual or hypothetical personal statement here]

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• Tips for Writing Your UC Berkeley Personal Statement

Writing a compelling personal statement can be challenging, but with careful planning and dedication, you can create an essay that stands out. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

1. Start Early

Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm, draft, and revise. Don’t rush the process; starting early allows you to reflect on your experiences and craft a well-thought-out statement.

2. Understand the Prompt

Carefully read and understand the essay prompt. Berkeley may have specific requirements or questions they want you to address. Make sure your statement directly responds to these prompts.

3. Tell Your Story

Your personal statement is a chance to tell your unique story. Share your motivations, experiences, and aspirations. Be authentic and genuine in your writing.

Why is Sharing Your Story Important?

Sharing your story allows the admissions committee to get to know you better. It helps them understand the experiences and motivations that have shaped your desire to pursue graduate studies at Berkeley.

In your personal statement, discuss your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and leadership skills. Show how you’ve excelled in your field and made a positive impact.

How to Effectively Highlight Achievements

Use specific examples to illustrate your achievements. Describe projects, awards, or experiences that demonstrate your competence and dedication in your chosen field.

5. Be Specific

Avoid vague statements. Provide concrete examples and evidence to support your claims. Instead of saying, “I am passionate about environmental science,” explain how your involvement in a specific research project or internship reflects your passion.

6. Connect to Berkeley

Explain why Berkeley is the ideal place for your graduate studies. Mention specific faculty members or research opportunities that align with your goals. Show that you’ve done your homework about the university.

Why Should You Connect Your Goals to Berkeley?

Connecting your goals to Berkeley demonstrates that you’ve researched the program thoroughly and are genuinely interested in becoming a part of their academic community. It also shows that you have a clear vision of how Berkeley can help you achieve your academic and career aspirations.

7. Edit and Proofread

Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and word count. Multiple rounds of editing are crucial to ensure your personal statement is polished and error-free.

The Importance of Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading are essential to present a professional and well-crafted personal statement. Mistakes in grammar or spelling can distract from your message and give the impression of carelessness.

8. Seek Feedback

Share your personal statement with mentors, professors, or peers for feedback. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.

Why Seek Feedback?

Feedback from others can offer fresh perspectives and help you identify areas where your personal statement can be strengthened. It’s an essential step in the revision process.

Crafting a compelling Berkeley personal statement is a crucial step in your journey towards graduate school at UC Berkeley. Use the provided sample and tips as a starting point, and remember that your essay should authentically reflect your achievements, aspirations, and motivations. With dedication and effort, you can make a difference and become a part of Berkeley’s esteemed academic community. Good luck!

Q1: What is the UC Berkeley acceptance rate for graduate programs?

The acceptance rate at UC Berkeley varies by department and program. On average, it hovers around 20-25%, making it highly competitive.

Q2: Why Is the Acceptance Rate Important to Know?

Understanding the acceptance rate can give you a realistic expectation of your chances of admission. It’s essential to recognize that Berkeley’s rigorous academic standards contribute to its selectivity.

Q3: Can I use a Berkeley personal statement sample as a template for my own essay?

While samples can provide inspiration, avoid copying them directly. Your personal statement should reflect your unique experiences and aspirations.

Q4: Why Shouldn’t You Copy Personal Statement Samples?

Copying personal statement samples can lead to plagiarism and a lack of authenticity in your essay. Admissions committees are looking for genuine and original responses from applicants.

Q5: What should I do if I need help with my Berkeley personal statement?

If you’re struggling, consider seeking guidance from mentors, professors, or the Berkeley Graduate Division’s resources. They can provide valuable insights and feedback.

Q6: How Can Seeking Help Benefit Your Personal Statement?

Seeking help from experienced individuals or resources can provide you with guidance, suggestions for improvement, and clarity in crafting your personal statement.

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Table of Contents

• • Introduction
• • What Is a Berkeley Personal Statement?
• • Sample Berkeley Personal Statement
• • Tips for Writing Your UC Berkeley Personal Statement
• • Conclusion

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Tips for the 8 University of California Personal Insight Questions

The 2020 personal insight questions are your opportunity to make a statement

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The 2020 University of California application includes eight personal insight questions , and all applicants must write responses to four of the questions. These mini-essays are limited to 350 words, and they take the place of longer personal statements required on many other applications. Unlike the California State University system , all campuses of the University of California have holistic admissions , and the short personal insight essays can play a meaningful role in the admissions equation.

General Essay Tips

Regardless of which personal insight questions you choose, ensure that your essays:

• Help admissions officials get to know you: If hundreds of applicants could have written your essay, keep revising.
• Highlight your writing skills: Ensure that your essays are clear, focused, engaging, and free of stylistic and grammatical errors.
• Fully express your interests, passions, and personality. The University of California wants to enroll interesting, well-rounded applicants. Use your essays to show off the breadth and depth of who you are. 
• Present information not covered in the rest of your application: Make sure your essays are expanding your overall application, not creating redundancies.

Option #1: Leadership

Leadership is a broad term that refers much more than being the president of student government or drum major in the marching band. Any time you step up to guide others, you are demonstrating leadership. Most college applicants are leaders, although many don't realize this fact.

Discuss the significance of your leadership experience; don't just describe what happened. Also, be careful with the tone. You can come across as arrogant if your essay delivers the overt message, "Look at what an amazing leader I am." Leadership experiences can happen anywhere: school, church, in the community, or at home. This question can be a good option if you have a leadership role that isn't fully evident in the rest of your application.

Option #2: Your Creative Side

Whether you are an artist or an engineer, creative thinking will be an important component of your college and career success. If you respond to this question, consider that creativity is about much more than the arts. You don't need to be an excellent poet or painter to be creative. Explain how you approach difficult problems in unusual ways or have been successful thinking in ways other than the norm.

As with many of the personal insight questions, do more than "describe." Explain why your creativity is important to you. Be specific. If you can give a concrete example of your creativity, you'll write a much more successful essay than if you simply talk in broad terms and abstractions.

Option #3: Your Greatest Talent

This essay topic gives you the opportunity to talk about what you'll bring to the school other than a strong academic record. Your greatest talent or skill doesn't need to be something that is obvious from the rest of your application. If you're good at math, that will be apparent from your academic record. If you're a star football player, your recruiter is likely to know that. This doesn't mean you need to avoid such topics, but you should feel free to think broadly about this question. Your skill could be your ability to find homes for abandoned animals or to successfully tutor fellow students who are struggling.

Explain how your special talent or skill will enrich the UC campus community. Don't forget to address the second part of the question about how your skill or talent has developed over time. That part of the question makes it clear that the University of California is assessing your work ethic, not just an innate skill you might possess. The best "talent or skill" is one that reveals constant effort and growth on your part.

Option #4: Educational Opportunity or Barriers

Educational opportunities can take many forms, including Advanced Placement offerings and dual-enrollment courses with a local college. Interesting responses might also address less predictable opportunities—a summer research project, use of your education outside of the classroom, and learning experiences that aren't in traditional high school subject areas.

Educational barriers can also take many forms. Consider answering questions including: Do you come from a disadvantaged family? Do you have work or family obligations that take significant time away from schoolwork? Do you come from a weak high school so that you need to search beyond your school to challenge yourself and work up to your potential? Do you have a learning disability that you have had to work hard to overcome?

Option #5: Overcoming a Challenge

This option is remarkably broad, and it can easily overlap with other personal insight options. Make sure you don't write two similar essays. For example, an "educational barrier" from question No. 4 could also be considered a significant challenge.

Keep in mind that the question asks you to discuss your "most significant challenge." Don't focus on something superficial. If your greatest challenge was getting past a good defender in soccer or bringing that B+ up to an A-, this question isn't your best choice.

Option #6: Your Favorite Subject

Your favorite academic subject doesn't need to be your university major. You are not committing yourself to a specific field when you answer this question. That said, you should explain what you plan to do in the subject area in college and your future.

Explain why you love the academic subject. The tips on the UC website focus on things such as the different classes you've taken in the subject, but that information is simply a summary of your high school transcript. If possible, include something outside of the classroom in your response. This shows that your passion for learning isn't confined to school. Do you conduct chemistry experiments in your basement? Do you write poetry in your free time? Have you campaigned for a political candidate? These are the types of issues to cover for this essay option.

Option #7: Making Your School or Community Better

This option is excellent for talking about your participation in student government. Describe a problem that existed at your school, how student government addressed that problem, and how your school is a better place because of you and your team's actions.

"Community" can be defined in broad terms. Did you help build a playground in your neighborhood? Did you help lead a fundraiser for your church? Did you serve on a youth board in your county? Did you participate in an after-school program for kids in your school district?

If you write about making your school better, avoid the "hero" essay . You may have taken your school's soccer team to the state championship—an impressive feat that brings prestige to your school—but does that really improve the educational experience for the majority of your classmates? More likely is that your essay will show you bragging about personal accomplishment, not service to your school.

Option #8: What Sets You Apart?

Saying that you are "hardworking" or a "good student" will not set you apart from others. These are important and admirable traits, but they will be demonstrated by other parts of your application. Such statements do not create the unique portrait that the admissions folks are requesting.

The language in this question—"beyond what has already been shared"—should serve as your guide. Test scores, grades, a good work ethic, and your position in the band or part in the play will be evident from the rest of your application. Look for something that makes you unique. Don't be afraid of being a little quirky. An answer such as "I have the skills to survive the zombie apocalypse" could open the door to a discussion of your time in scouts.

• UC Essay Examples for the Personal Insight Questions
• UC Personal Statement Prompt #1
• What Do You Do Best?
• Common Application Essay, Option 1: Share Your Story
• Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure
• Common Application Essay Option 3 Tips: Challenging a Belief
• What Colleges Look for in an Applicant
• 2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
• How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
• The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
• College Interview Questions
• Leadership Experience For Graduate Business Degrees
• Applying to Graduate School: What You Need to Know
• UC Riverside: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics
• Comparison of ACT Scores for the University of California Campuses
• UC Berkeley: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write a perfect uc essay for every prompt.

College Essays

If you're applying to any University of California (UC) campus as an incoming first-year student , then you have a special challenge ahead of you. Applicants need to answer four UC personal insight questions, chosen from a pool of eight unique prompts different from those on the Common App. But not to worry! This article is here to help.

In this article, I'll dissect the eight UC essay prompts in detail. What are they asking you for? What do they want to know about you? What do UC admissions officers really care about? How do you avoid boring or repulsing them with your essay?

I'll break down all of these important questions for each prompt and discuss how to pick the four prompts that are perfect for you. I'll also give you examples of how to make sure your essay fully answers the question. Finally, I'll offer step-by-step instructions on how to come up with the best ideas for your UC personal statements.

What Are the UC Personal Insight Questions?

If you think about it, your college application is mostly made up of numbers: your GPA, your SAT scores, the number of AP classes you took, how many years you spent playing volleyball. But these numbers reveal only so much. The job of admissions officers is to put together a class of interesting, compelling individuals—but a cut-and-dried achievement list makes it very hard to assess whether someone is interesting or compelling. This is where the personal insight questions come in.

The UC application essays are your way to give admissions staff a sense of your personality, your perspective on the world, and some of the experiences that have made you into who you are. The idea is to share the kinds of things that don't end up on your transcript. It's helpful to remember that you are not writing this for you. You're writing for an audience of people who do not know you but are interested to learn about you. The essay is meant to be a revealing look inside your thoughts and feelings.

These short essays—each with a 350-word limit—are different from the essays you write in school, which tend to focus on analyzing someone else's work. Really, the application essays are much closer to a short story. They rely heavily on narratives of events from your life and on your descriptions of people, places, and feelings.

If you'd like more background on college essays, check out our explainer for a very detailed breakdown of exactly how personal statements work in an application .

Now, let's dive into the eight University of California essay questions. First, I'll compare and contrast these prompts. Then I'll dig deep into each UC personal statement question individually, exploring what it's really trying to find out and how you can give the admissions officers what they're looking for.

Think of each personal insight essay as a brief story that reveals something about your personal values, interests, motivations, and goals.

Comparing the UC Essay Prompts

Before we can pull these prompts apart, let's first compare and contrast them with each other . Clearly, UC wants you to write four different essays, and they're asking you eight different questions. But what are the differences? And are there any similarities?

The 8 UC Essay Prompts

#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?

How to Tell the UC Essay Prompts Apart

• Topics 1 and 7 are about your engagement with the people, things, and ideas around you. Consider the impact of the outside world on you and how you handled that impact.
• Topics 2 and 6 are about your inner self, what defines you, and what makes you the person that you are. Consider your interior makeup—the characteristics of the inner you.
• Topics 3, 4, 5, and 8 are about your achievements. Consider what you've accomplished in life and what you are proud of doing.

These very broad categories will help when you're brainstorming ideas and life experiences to write about for your essay. Of course, it's true that many of the stories you think of can be shaped to fit each of these prompts. Still, think about what the experience most reveals about you .

If it's an experience that shows how you have handled the people and places around you, it'll work better for questions in the first group. If it's a description of how you express yourself, it's a good match for questions in group two. If it's an experience that tells how you acted or what you did, it's probably a better fit for questions in group three.

For more help, check out our article on coming up with great ideas for your essay topic .

Reflect carefully on the eight UC prompts to decide which four questions you'll respond to.

How Is This Guide Organized?

We analyze all eight UC prompts in this guide, and for each one, we give the following information:

• The prompt itself and any accompanying instructions
• What each part of the prompt is asking for
• Why UC is using this prompt and what they hope to learn from you
• All the key points you should cover in your response so you answer the complete prompt and give UC insight into who you are

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 1

The prompt and its instructions.

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 a lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about your accomplishments 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?

What's the Question Asking?

The prompt wants you to describe how you handled a specific kind of relationship with a group of people—a time when you took the reigns and the initiative. Your answer to this prompt will consist of two parts.

Part 1: Explain the Dilemma

Before you can tell your story of leading, brokering peace, or having a lasting impact on other people, you have to give your reader a frame of reference and a context for your actions .

First, describe the group of people you interacted with. Who were and what was their relationship to you? How long were you in each others' lives?

Second, explain the issue you eventually solved. What was going on before you stepped in? What was the immediate problem? Were there potential long-term repercussions?

Leadership isn't limited to officer roles in student organizations. Think about experiences in which you've taken charge, resolved conflicts, or taken care of loved ones.

Part 2: Describe Your Solution

This is where your essay will have to explicitly talk about your own actions .

Discuss what thought process led you to your course of action. Was it a last-ditch effort or a long-planned strategy? Did you think about what might happen if you didn't step in? Did you have to choose between several courses of action?

Explain how you took the bull by the horns. Did you step into the lead role willingly, or were you pushed despite some doubts? Did you replace or supersede a more obvious leader?

Describe your solution to the problem or your contribution to resolving the ongoing issue. What did you do? How did you do it? Did your plan succeed immediately or did it take some time?

Consider how this experience has shaped the person you have now become. Do you think back on this time fondly as being the origin of some personal quality or skill? Did it make you more likely to lead in other situations?

What's UC Hoping to Learn about You?

College will be an environment unlike any of the ones you've found yourself in up to now. Sure, you will have a framework for your curriculum, and you will have advisers available to help. But for the most part, you will be on your own to deal with the situations that will inevitably arise when you mix with your diverse peers . UC wants to make sure that

• you have the maturity to deal with groups of people,
• you can solve problems with your own ingenuity and resourcefulness, and
• you don't lose your head and panic at problems.

Demonstrating your problem-solving abilities in your UC college essay will make you a stronger candidate for admission.

How Can You Give Them What They Want?

So how can you make sure those qualities come through in your essay?

Pick Your Group

The prompt very specifically wants you to talk about an interaction with a group of people. Let's say a group has to be at least three people.

Raise the Stakes

Think of the way movies ratchet up the tension of the impending catastrophe before the hero swoops in and saves the day. Keeping an audience on tenterhooks is important—and distinguishes the hero for the job well done. Similarly, when reading your essay, the admissions staff has to fundamentally understand exactly what you and the group you ended up leading were facing. Why was this an important problem to solve?

Balance You versus Them

Personal statements need to showcase you above all things . Because this essay will necessarily have to spend some time on other people, you need to find a good proportion of them-time and me-time. In general, the first (setup) section of the essay should be shorter because it will not be focused on what you were doing. The second section should take the rest of the space. So, in a 350-word essay, maybe 100–125 words go to setup whereas 225–250 words should be devoted to your leadership and solution.

Find Your Arc

Not only do you need to show how your leadership helped you meet the challenge you faced, but you also have to show how the experience changed you . In other words, the outcome was double-sided: you affected the world, and the world affected you right back.

Give your response to question 1 a compelling arc that demonstrates your personal growth.

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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?

This question is trying to probe the way you express yourself. Its broad description of "creativity" gives you the opportunity to make almost anything you create that didn't exist before fit the topic. What this essay question is really asking you to do is to examine the role your brand of creativity plays in your sense of yourself . The essay will have three parts.

Part 1: Define Your Creativity

What exactly do you produce, make, craft, create, or generate? Of course, the most obvious answer would be visual art, performance art, or music. But in reality, there is creativity in all fields. Any time you come up with an idea, thought, concept, or theory that didn't exist before, you are being creative. So your job is to explain what you spend time creating.

Part 2: Connect Your Creative Drive to Your Overall Self

Why do you do what you do? Are you doing it for external reasons—to perform for others, to demonstrate your skill, to fulfill some need in the world? Or is your creativity private and for your own use—to unwind, to distract yourself from other parts of your life, to have personal satisfaction in learning a skill? Are you good at your creative endeavor, or do you struggle with it? If you struggle, why is it important to you to keep pursuing it?

Part 3: Connect Your Creative Drive With Your Future

The most basic way to do this is by envisioning yourself actually pursuing your creative endeavor professionally. But this doesn't have to be the only way you draw this link. What have you learned from what you've made? How has it changed how you interact with other objects or with people? Does it change your appreciation for the work of others or motivate you to improve upon it?

Connecting your current creative pursuits with your chosen major or career will help UC admissions staff understand your motivations and intentions.

Nothing characterizes higher education like the need for creative thinking, unorthodox ideas in response to old topics, and the ability to synthesize something new . That is what you are going to college to learn how to do better. UC's second personal insight essay wants to know whether this mindset of out-of-the-box-ness is something you are already comfortable with. They want to see that

• you have actually created something in your life or academic career,
• you consider this an important quality within yourself,
• you have cultivated your skills, and
• you can see and have considered the impact of your creativity on yourself or on the world around you.

College admissions counselors, professors, and employers all value the skill of thinking outside the box, so being able to demonstrate that skill is crucial.

How can you really show that you are committed to being a creative person?

Be Specific and Descriptive

It's not enough to vaguely gesture at your creative field. Instead, give a detailed and lively description of a specific thing or idea that you have created . For example, I could describe a Turner painting as "a seascape," or I could call it "an attempt to capture the breathtaking power and violence of an ocean storm as it overwhelms a ship." Which painting would you rather look at?

Give a Sense of History

The question wants a little narrative of your relationship to your creative outlet . How long have you been doing it? Did someone teach you or mentor you? Have you taught it to others? Where and when do you create?

Hit a Snag; Find the Success

Anything worth doing is worth doing despite setbacks, this question argues—and it wants you to narrate one such setback. So first, figure out something that interfered with your creative expression .  Was it a lack of skill, time, or resources? Too much or not enough ambition in a project? Then, make sure this story has a happy ending that shows you off as the solver of your own problems: What did you do to fix the situation? How did you do it?

Show Insight

Your essay should include some thoughtful consideration of how this creative pursuit has shaped you , your thoughts, your opinions, your relationships with others, your understanding of creativity in general, or your dreams about your future. (Notice I said "or," not "and"—350 words is not enough to cover all of those things!)

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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, 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?

Basically, what's being asked for here is a beaming rave. Whatever you write about, picture yourself talking about it with a glowing smile on your face.

Part 1: Narrative

The first part of the question really comes down to this: Tell us a story about what's amazing about you. Have you done an outstanding thing? Do you have a mind-blowing ability? Describe a place, a time, or a situation in which you were a star.

A close reading of this first case of the prompt reveals that you don't need to stress if you don't have an obvious answer. Sure, if you're playing first chair violin in the symphony orchestra, that qualifies as both a "talent" and an "accomplishment." But the word "quality" really gives you the option of writing about any one of your most meaningful traits. And the words "contribution" and "experience" open up the range of possibilities that you could write about even further. A contribution could be anything from physically helping put something together to providing moral or emotional support at a critical moment.

But the key to the first part is the phrase "important to you." Once again, what you write about is not as important as how you write about it. Being able to demonstrate the importance of the event that you're describing reveals much more about you than the specific talent or characteristic ever could.

Part 2: Insight and Personal Development

The second part of the last essay asked you to look to the future. The second part of this essay wants you to look at the present instead. The general task is similar, however. Once again, you're being asked to make connections:  How do you fit this quality you have or this achievement you accomplished into the story of who you are?

A close reading of the second part of this prompt lands on the word "proud." This is a big clue that the revelation this essay is looking for should be a very positive one. In other words, this is probably not the time to write about getting arrested for vandalism. Instead, focus on a skill that you've carefully honed, and clarify how that practice and any achievements connected with your talent have earned you concrete opportunities or, more abstractly, personal growth.

Remember to connect the talent or skill you choose to write about with your sense of personal identity and development.

What's UC Hoping to Learn About You?

Admissions officers have a very straightforward interest in learning about your accomplishments. By the end of high school, many of the experiences that you are most proud of don't tend to be the kind of things that end up on your résumé .

They want to know what makes you proud of yourself. Is it something that relates to performance, to overcoming a difficult obstacle, to keeping a cool head in a crisis, to your ability to help others in need?

At the same time, they are looking for a sense of maturity. In order to be proud of an accomplishment, it's important to be able to understand your own values and ideals. This is your chance to show that you truly understand the qualities and experiences that make you a responsible and grown-up person, someone who will thrive in the independence of college life. In other words, although you might really be proud that you managed to tag 10 highway overpasses with graffiti, that's probably not the achievement to brag about here.

Unless you were hired by the city to paint the overpasses, in which case definitely brag about it.

The trick with this prompt is how to show a lot about yourself without listing accomplishments or devolving into cliche platitudes. Let's take it step by step.

Step #1: Explain Your Field

Make sure that somewhere in your narrative (preferably closer to the beginning), you let the reader know what makes your achievement an achievement . Not all interests are mainstream, so it helps your reader to understand what you're facing if you give a quick sketch of, for example, why it's challenging to build a battle bot that can defeat another fighting robot or how the difficulties of extemporaneous debate compare with debating about a prepared topic.

Keep in mind that for some things, the explanation might be obvious. For example, do you really need to explain why finishing a marathon is a hard task?

Step #2: Zoom in on a Specific Experience

Think about your talent, quality, or accomplishment in terms of experiences that showcase it. Conversely, think about your experiences in terms of the talent, quality, or accomplishment they demonstrate. Because you're once again going to be limited to 350 words, you won't be able to fit all the ways in which you exhibit your exemplary skill into this essay. This means that you'll need to figure out how to best demonstrate your ability through one event in which you displayed it . Or if you're writing about an experience you had or a contribution you made, you'll need to also point out what personality trait or characteristic it reveals.

Step #3: Find a Conflict or a Transition

The first question asked for a description, but this one wants a story—a narrative of how you pursue your special talent or how you accomplished the skill you were so great at. The main thing about stories is that they have to have the following:

• A beginning: This is the setup, when you weren't yet the star you are now.
• An obstacle or a transition: Sometimes, a story has a conflict that needs to be resolved: something that stood in your way, a challenge that you had to figure out a way around, a block that you powered through. Other times, a story is about a change or a transformation: you used to believe, think, or be one thing, and now you are different or better.
• A resolution: When your full power, self-knowledge, ability, or future goal is revealed.

If, for example, you taught yourself to become a gifted coder, how did you first learn this skill? What challenges did you overcome in your learning? What does this ability say about your character, motivations, or goals?

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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 are you today?

Cue the swelling music because this essay is going to be all about your inspirational journey. You will either tell your story of overcoming adversity against all (or some) odds or of pursuing the chance of a lifetime.

If you write about triumphing over adversity, your essay will include the following:

A description of the setback that befell you: The prompt wants to know what you consider a challenge in your school life. And definitely note that this challenge should have in some significant way impacted your academics rather than your life overall.

The challenge can be a wide-reaching problem in your educational environment or something that happened specifically to you. The word "barrier" also shows that the challenge should be something that stood in your way: If only that thing weren't there, then you'd be sure to succeed.

An explanation of your success: Here, you'll talk about what you did when faced with this challenge. Notice that the prompt asks you to describe the "work" you put in to overcome the problem. So this piece of the essay should focus on your actions, thoughts, ideas, and strategies.

Although the essay doesn't specify it, this section should also at some point turn reflexive. How are you defined by this thing that happened? You could discuss the emotional fallout of having dramatically succeeded or how your maturity level, concrete skills, or understanding of the situation has increased now that you have dealt with it personally. Or you could talk about any beliefs or personal philosophy that you have had to reevaluate as a result of either the challenge itself or of the way that you had to go about solving it.

If you write about an educational opportunity, your essay will include the following:

A short, clear description of exactly what you got the chance to do: In your own words, explain what the opportunity was and why it's special.

Also, explain why you specifically got the chance to do it. Was it the culmination of years of study? An academic contest prize? An unexpected encounter that led to you seizing an unlooked-for opportunity?

How you made the best of it: It's one thing to get the opportunity to do something amazing, but it's another to really maximize what you get out of this chance for greatness. This is where you show just how much you understand the value of what you did and how you've changed and grown as a result of it.

Were you very challenged by this opportunity? Did your skills develop? Did you unearth talents you didn't know you had?

How does this impact your future academic ambitions or interests? Will you study this area further? Does this help you find your academic focus?

If writing about an educational obstacle you overcame, make sure to describe not just the challenge itself but also how you overcame it and how breaking down that barrier changed you for the better.

Of course, whatever you write about in this essay is probably already reflected on your résumé or in your transcript in some small way. But UC wants to go deeper, to find out how seriously you take your academic career, and to assess  how thoughtfully you've approached either its ups or its downs.

In college, there will be many amazing opportunities, but they aren't simply there for the taking. Instead, you will be responsible for seizing whatever chances will further your studies, interests, or skills.

Conversely, college will necessarily be more challenging, harder, and potentially much more full of academic obstacles than your academic experiences so far. UC wants to see that you are up to handling whatever setbacks may come your way with aplomb rather than panic.

Define the Problem or Opportunity

Not every challenge is automatically obvious. Sure, everyone can understand the drawbacks of having to miss a significant amount of school because of illness, but what if the obstacle you tackled is something a little more obscure? Likewise, winning the chance to travel to Italy to paint landscapes with a master is clearly rare and amazing, but some opportunities are more specialized and less obviously impressive. Make sure your essay explains everything the reader will need to know to understand what you were facing.

Watch Your Tone

An essay describing problems can easily slip into finger-pointing and self-pity. Make sure to avoid this by speaking positively or at least neutrally about what was wrong and what you faced . This goes double if you decide to explain who or what was at fault for creating this problem.

Likewise, an essay describing amazing opportunities can quickly become an exercise in unpleasant bragging and self-centeredness. Make sure you stay grounded: Rather than dwelling at length on your accomplishments, describe the specifics of what you learned and how.

Elaborating on how you conducted microbiology research during the summer before your senior year would make an appropriate topic for question 4.

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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?"

It's time to draw back the curtains and expand our field of vision because this is going to be a two-part story of overcoming adversity against all (or some) odds.

Part 1: Facing a Challenge

The first part of this essay is about problem-solving. The prompt asks you to relate something that could have derailed you if not for your strength and skill. Not only will you describe the challenge itself, but you'll also talk about what you did when faced with it.

Part 2: Looking in the Mirror

The second part of question 5 asks you to consider how this challenge has echoed through your life—and, more specifically, how what happened to you affected your education.

In life, dealing with setbacks, defeats, barriers, and conflicts is not a bug—it's a feature. And colleges want to make sure that you can handle these upsetting events without losing your overall sense of self, without being totally demoralized, and without getting completely overwhelmed. In other words, they are looking for someone who is mature enough to do well on a college campus, where disappointing results and hard challenges will be par for the course.

They are also looking for your creativity and problem-solving skills. Are you good at tackling something that needs to be fixed? Can you keep a cool head in a crisis? Do you look for solutions outside the box? These are all markers of a successful student, so it's not surprising that admissions staff want you to demonstrate these qualities.

The challenge you write about for question 5 need not be an educational barrier, which is better suited for question 4. Think broadly about the obstacles you've overcome and how they've shaped your perspective and self-confidence.

Let's explore the best ways to show off your problem-solving side.

Show Your Work

It's one thing to be able to say what's wrong, but it's another thing entirely to demonstrate how you figured out how to fix it. Even more than knowing that you were able to fix the problem, colleges want to see how you approached the situation . This is why your essay needs to explain your problem-solving methodology. Basically, they need to see you in action. What did you think would work? What did you think would not work? Did you compare this to other problems you have faced and pass? Did you do research? Describe your process.

Make Sure That You Are the Hero

This essay is supposed to demonstrate your resourcefulness and creativity . And make sure that you had to be the person responsible for overcoming the obstacle, not someone else. Your story must clarify that without you and your special brand of XYZ , people would still be lamenting the issue today. Don't worry if the resource you used to bring about a solution was the knowledge and know-how that somebody else brought to the table. Just focus on explaining what made you think of this person as the one to go to, how you convinced them to participate, and how you explained to them how they would be helpful. This will shift the attention of the story back to you and your efforts.

Find the Suspenseful Moment

The most exciting part of this essay should be watching you struggle to find a solution just in the nick of time. Think every movie cliché ever about someone defusing a bomb: Even if you know 100% that the hero is going to save the day, the movie still ratchets up the tension to make it seem like, Well, maybe... You want to do the same thing here. Bring excitement and a feeling of uncertainty to your description of your process to really pull the reader in and make them root for you to succeed.

You're the superhero!

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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 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?

This question is really asking for a glimpse of your imagined possibilities .

For some students, this will be an extremely straightforward question. For example, say you've always loved science to the point that you've spent every summer taking biology and chemistry classes. Pick a few of the most gripping moments from these experiences and discuss the overall trajectory of your interests, and your essay will be a winner.

But what if you have many academic interests? Or what if you discovered your academic passion only at the very end of high school? Let's break down what the question is really asking into two parts.

Part 1: Picking a Favorite

At first glance, it sounds as if what you should write about is the class in which you have gotten the best grades or the subject that easily fits into what you see as your future college major or maybe even your eventual career goal. There is nothing wrong with this kind of pick—especially if you really are someone who tends to excel in those classes that are right up your interest alley.

But if we look closer, we see that there is nothing in the prompt that specifically demands that you write either about a particular class or an area of study in which you perform well.

Instead, you could take the phrase "academic subject" to mean a wide field of study and explore your fascination with the different types of learning to be found there. For example, if your chosen topic is the field of literature, you could discuss your experiences with different genres or with foreign writers.

You could also write about a course or area of study that has significantly challenged you and in which you have not been as stellar a student as you want. This could be a way to focus on your personal growth as a result of struggling through a difficult class or to represent how you've learned to handle or overcome your limitations.

Part 2: Relevance

The second part of this prompt , like the first, can also be taken in a literal and direct way . There is absolutely nothing wrong with explaining that because you love engineering and want to be an engineer, you have pursued all your school's STEM courses, are also involved in a robotics club, and have taught yourself to code in order to develop apps.

However, you could focus on the more abstract, values-driven goals we just talked about instead. Then, your explanation of how your academics will help you can be rooted not in the content of what you studied but in the life lessons you drew from it.

In other words, for example, your theater class may not have stimulated your ambition to be an actor, but working on plays with your peers may have shown you how highly you value collaboration, or perhaps the experience of designing sets was an exercise in problem-solving and ingenuity. These lessons would be useful in any field you pursue and could easily be said to help you achieve your lifetime goals.

If you are on a direct path to a specific field of study or career pursuit, admissions officers definitely want to know that. Having driven, goal-oriented, and passionate students is a huge plus for a university. So if this is you, be sure that your essay conveys not just your interest but also your deep and abiding love of the subject. Maybe even include any related clubs, activities, and hobbies that you've done during high school.

Of course, college is the place to find yourself and the things that you become passionate about. So if you're not already committed to a specific course of study, don't worry. Instead, you have to realize that in this essay, like in all the other essays, the how matters much more than the what. No matter where your eventual academic, career, or other pursuits may lie, every class that you have taken up to now has taught you something. You learned about things like work ethic, mastering a skill, practice, learning from a teacher, interacting with peers, dealing with setbacks, understanding your own learning style, and perseverance.

In other words, the admissions office wants to make sure that no matter what you study, you will draw meaningful conclusions from your experiences, whether those conclusions are about the content of what you learn or about a deeper understanding of yourself and others. They want to see that you're not simply floating through life on the surface  but that you are absorbing the qualities, skills, and know-how you will need to succeed in the world—no matter what that success looks like.

Focus on a telling detail. Because personal statements are short, you simply won't have time to explain everything you have loved about a particular subject in enough detail to make it count. Instead, pick one event that crystallized your passion for a subject   or one telling moment that revealed what your working style will be , and go deep into a discussion of what it meant to you in the past and how it will affect your future.

Don't overreach. It's fine to say that you have loved your German classes so much that you have begun exploring both modern and classic German-language writers, for example, but it's a little too self-aggrandizing to claim that your four years of German have made you basically bilingual and ready to teach the language to others. Make sure that whatever class achievements you describe don't come off as unnecessary bragging rather than simple pride .

Similarly, don't underreach. Make sure that you have actual accomplishments to describe in whatever subject you pick to write about. If your favorite class turned out to be the one you mostly skipped to hang out in the gym instead, this may not be the place to share that lifetime goal. After all, you always have to remember your audience. In this case, it's college admissions officers who want to find students who are eager to learn and be exposed to new thoughts and ideas.

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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?

This topic is trying to get at how you engage with your environment. It's looking for several things:

#1: Your Sense of Place and Connection

Because the term "community" is so broad and ambiguous, this is a good essay for explaining where you feel a sense of belonging and rootedness. What or who constitutes your community? Is your connection to a place, to a group of people, or to an organization? What makes you identify as part of this community—cultural background, a sense of shared purpose, or some other quality?

#2: Your Empathy and Ability to Look at the Big Picture

Before you can solve a problem, you have to realize that the problem exists. Before you can make your community a better place, you have to find the things that can be ameliorated. No matter what your contribution ended up being, you first have to show how you saw where your skills, talent, intelligence, or hard work could do the most good. Did you put yourself in the shoes of the other people in your community? Understand some fundamental inner working of a system you could fix? Knowingly put yourself in the right place at the right time?

#3: Your Problem-Solving Skills

How did you make the difference in your community? If you resolved a tangible issue, how did you come up with your solution? Did you examine several options or act from the gut? If you made your community better in a less direct way, how did you know where to apply yourself and how to have the most impact possible?

Clarify not just what the problem and solution was but also your process of getting involved and contributing specific skills, ideas, or efforts that made a positive difference.

Community is a very important thing to colleges. You'll be involved with and encounter lots of different communities in college, including the broader student body, your extracurriculars, your classes, and the community outside the university. UC wants to make sure that you can engage with the communities around you in a positive, meaningful way .

Make it personal. Before you can explain what you did in your community, you have to define and describe this community itself—and you can only do that by focusing on what it means to you. Don't speak in generalities; instead, show the bonds between you and the group you are a part of through colorful, idiosyncratic language. Sure, they might be "my water polo team," but maybe they are more specifically "the 12 people who have seen me at my most exhausted and my most exhilarated."

Feel all the feelings. This is a chance to move your readers. As you delve deep into what makes your community one of your emotional centers, and then as you describe how you were able to improve it in a meaningful and lasting way, you should keep the roller coaster of feelings front and center. Own how you felt at each step of the process: when you found your community, when you saw that you could make a difference, and when you realized that your actions resulted in a change for the better. Did you feel unprepared for the task you undertook? Nervous to potentially let down those around you? Thrilled to get a chance to display a hidden or underused talent?

To flesh out your essay, depict the emotions you felt while making your community contribution, from frustration or disappointment to joy and fulfillment. 

Dissecting Personal Insight Question 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?

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.

If your particular experience doesn't quite fit under the rubrics of the other essay topics , or if there is something the admissions officers need to understand about your background in order to consider your application in the right context, then this is the essay for you.

Now, I'm going to say something a little counterintuitive here. The prompt for this essay clarifies that even if you don't have a "unique" story to tell, you should still feel free to pick this topic. But, honestly, I think you should  choose this topic only if you have an exceptional experience to share . Remember that E veryday challenges or successes of regular life could easily fit one of the other insight questions instead.

What this means is that evaluating whether your experiences qualify for this essay is a matter of degrees. For example, did you manage to thrive academically despite being raised by a hard-working single parent? That's a hardship that could easily be written about for Questions 1 or 5, depending on how you choose to frame what happened. Did you manage to earn a 3.7 GPA despite living in a succession of foster families only to age out of the system in the middle of your senior year of high school? That's a narrative of overcoming hardship that easily belongs to Question 8.

On the flip side, did you win a state-wide robotics competition? Well done, and feel free to tell your story under Question 4. Were you the youngest person to single-handedly win a season of BattleBots? Then feel free to write about it for Question 8.

This is pretty straightforward. They are trying to identify students that have unique and amazing stories to tell about who they are and where they come from. If you're a student like this, then the admissions people want to know the following:

• What happened to you?
• When and where did it happen?
• How did you participate, or how were you involved in the situation?
• How did it affect you as a person?
• How did it affect your schoolwork?
• How will the experience be reflected in the point of view you bring to campus?

The university wants this information because of the following:

• It gives context to applications that otherwise might seem mediocre or even subpar.
• It can help explain places in a transcript where grades significantly drop.
• It gives them the opportunity to build a lot of diversity into the incoming class.
• It's a way of finding unique talents and abilities that otherwise wouldn't show up on other application materials.

Let's run through a few tricks for making sure your essay makes the most of your particular distinctiveness.

Double-Check Your Uniqueness

Many experiences in our lives that make us feel elated, accomplished, and extremely competent are also near universal. This essay isn't trying to take the validity of your strong feelings away from you, but it would be best served by stories that are on a different scale . Wondering whether what you went through counts? This might be a good time to run your idea by a parent, school counselor, or trusted teacher. Do they think your experience is widespread? Or do they agree that you truly lived a life less ordinary?

Connect Outward

The vast majority of your answer to the prompt should be telling your story and its impact on you and your life. But the essay should also point toward how your particular experiences set you apart from your peers. One of the reasons that the admissions office wants to find out which of the applicants has been through something unlike most other people is that they are hoping to increase the number of points of view in the student body. Think about—and include in your essay—how you will impact campus life. This can be very literal: If you are a jazz singer who has released several songs on social media, then maybe you will perform on campus. Or it can be much more oblique: If you have a disability, then you will be able to offer a perspective that differs from the able-bodied majority.

Be Direct, Specific, and Honest

Nothing will make your voice sound more appealing than writing without embellishment or verbal flourishes. This is the one case in which  how you're telling the story is just as—if not more—important than what you're telling . So the best strategy is to be as straightforward in your writing as possible. This means using description to situate your reader in a place, time, or experience that they would never get to see firsthand. You can do this by picking a specific moment during your accomplishment to narrate as a small short story and not shying away from explaining your emotions throughout the experience. Your goal is to make the extraordinary into something at least somewhat relatable, and the way you do that is by bringing your writing down to earth.

Your essays should feature relatable thoughts and emotions as well as insights into how you will contribute to the campus community.

Writing Advice for Making Your UC Personal Statements Shine

No matter what personal insight questions you end up choosing to write about, here are two tips for making your writing sparkle:

#1: Be Detailed and Descriptive

Have you ever heard the expression "show; don't tell"? It's usually given as creative writing advice, and it will be your best friend when you're writing college essays. It means that any time you want to describe a person or thing as having a particular quality, it's better to illustrate with an example than to just use vague adjectives . If you stick to giving examples that paint a picture, your focus will also become narrower and more specific. You'll end up concentrating on details and concrete events rather than not-particularly-telling generalizations.

Let's say, for instance, Adnan is writing about the house that he's been helping his dad fix up. Which of these do you think gives the reader a better sense of place?

My family bought an old house that was kind of run-down. My dad likes fixing it up on the weekends, and I like helping him. Now the house is much nicer than when we bought it, and I can see all our hard work when I look at it.

My dad grinned when he saw my shocked face. Our "new" house looked like a completely run-down shed: peeling paint, rust-covered railings, shutters that looked like the crooked teeth of a jack-o-lantern. I was still staring at the spider-web crack in one broken window when my dad handed me a pair of brand-new work gloves and a paint scraper. "Today, let's just do what we can with the front wall," he said. And then I smiled too, knowing that many of my weekends would be spent here with him, working side by side.

Both versions of this story focus on the house being dilapidated and how Adnan enjoyed helping his dad do repairs. But the second does this by:

painting a picture of what the house actually looked like by adding visual details ("peeling paint," "rust-covered railings," and "broken window") and through comparisons ("shutters like a jack-o-lantern" and "spider-web crack");

showing emotions by describing facial expressions ("my dad grinned," "my shocked face," and "I smiled"); and

using specific and descriptive action verbs ("grinned," "shocked," "staring," and "handed").

The essay would probably go on to describe one day of working with his dad or a time when a repair went horribly awry. Adnan would make sure to keep adding sensory details (what things looked, sounded, smelled, tasted, and felt like), using active verbs, and illustrating feelings with dialogue and facial expressions.

If you're having trouble checking whether your description is detailed enough, read your work to someone else . Then, ask that person to describe the scene back to you. Are they able to conjure up a picture from your words? If not, you need to beef up your details.

It's a bit of a fixer-upper, but it'll make a great college essay!

#2: Show Your Feelings

All good personal essays deal with emotions. And what marks great personal essays is the author's willingness to really dig into negative feelings as well as positive ones . As you write your UC application essays, keep asking yourself questions and probing your memory. How did you feel before it happened? How did you expect to feel after, and how did you actually feel after? How did the world that you are describing feel about what happened? How do you know how your world felt?

Then write about your feelings using mostly emotion words ("I was thrilled/disappointed/proud/scared"), some comparisons ("I felt like I'd never run again/like I'd just bitten into a sour apple/like the world's greatest explorer"), and a few bits of direct speech ("'How are we going to get away with this?' my brother asked").

What's Next?

This should give you a great starting point to address the UC essay prompts and consider how you'll write your own effective UC personal statements. The hard part starts here: work hard, brainstorm broadly, and use all my suggestions above to craft a great UC application essay.

Making your way through college applications? We have advice on how to find the right college for you , how to write about your extracurricular activities , and how to ask teachers for recommendations .

Interested in taking the SAT one more time? Check out our highly detailed explainer on studying for the SAT to learn how to prepare best.

Worried about how to pay for college after you get in? Read our description of how much college really costs , our comparison of subsidized and unsubsidized loans , and our lists of the top scholarships for high school seniors and juniors .

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Writing the Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.

Make sure to check on the appropriate departmental website to find out if your statement should include additional or specific information.

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations

Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. This should be short and to the point; don’t spend a great deal of time on autobiography.

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career

a) Research you conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically, or in the style of your discipline. Faculty are the people who read these statements.

b) Important paper or thesis project you completed, as well as anything scholarly beyond your curricular requirements.

c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities

If you graduated and worked prior to returning to graduate school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company or non-profit, your work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your graduate studies.

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests

Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to convince the faculty that you understand the scope of research in their discipline, and are engaged with current research themes.

a) Indicate the area of your interests. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address, and questions that arise from contemporary research. This should be an ample paragraph!

b) Look on the web for information about departments you’re interested in, including professors and their research. Are there professors whose research interests parallel yours? If so, indicate this. Check the specific program; many may require you to name a professor or professors with whom you might work.

c) End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead of you.

Essential Tips

1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.

2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.

3. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.

4. If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles. You can elaborate more in your personal statement.

5. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus.

6. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity. Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

The law school application process may seem like it’s only a numbers game, but the personal statement is your chance to share your voice, experiences, and writing skills. Not only is this the portion of your application that should humanize you, the personal statement must also reflect your abilities as a potential law school student. This may sound very daunting, but keep reading for LSAT Engine’s crash course on the Personal Statement.

THE RUNDOWN

• The personal statement is your chance to tell the admissions committee about yourself.
• For example, Harvard University requires the personal statement has a two page limit using a minimum of a 11-point font, while University of California Berkeley allows up to four pages.

PLANNING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT

• Compile a list of the law schools to which you are applying along with each school’s personal statement requirements.
• This way, you with a few alterations, you can use the longer version as a template for schools with longer personal statements and the shorter version for schools with shorter personal statements.
• Think back to college admissions essays--what were some topics you talked about?
• Try to find topics that are not apparent on other aspects of your application.
• Write down possible ideas and jot down notes about how they could pertain to reflecting your abilities as a potential law school student.
• Describe a personal challenge you faced and/ or a hardship you overcame.
• Discuss your proudest personal achievement or a unique hobby that reveals who you are.
• Tell about how becoming consciously aware of a personal value or characteristic has changed the way you view yourself.
• Describe your passions and involvement in a project or pursuit and the ways in which it has contributed to your personal growth and goals. Do not rehash what is already on your resume.
• Note that describing the event should at MOST take up ⅓ of your actual essay. As compelling as the story may be, you need to be able to tie the event back to who you are as a person and the effect it has on you.
• Choose a narrow topic. Generalities do not perform as well as concrete experiences. Use your limited words wisely!
• Be yourself. Cliche, but do not pretend to be someone you are not. These advisors have read through enough of these essays to discern what is genuine and what is not.
• You want your essay to be easy to read and understand, not bogged down by unnecessary dramatics and big words.
• There should be absolutely no grammatical errors or spelling errors.
• Focus the essay on you. It may be easy to drift off, writing about an event or another person, but in the end this is your personal statement, and the committee wants to learn about you.
• A past admissions committee member from Berkeley Law warns against an excessively dramatic opening sentence that bears no relevance to the rest of the essay.
• The committee will read your resume in detail, and this is your chance to share something new.
• These are misused too often, and it may make you seem pompous to the committee.
• These essays usually do not give committees a deep look into the individual, and it is not necessary to demonstrate knowledge of the law in your personal statement.
• These essays come off as unfocused and fail to make an impact on the reader.
• That is what the addendum is for.
• A common trope used is how “I love to argue” translates into being a good lawyer.
• Use a TV show or parents as the reason you want to go to law school.
• References to high school achievements are less effective because they are less relevant to who you are now. If it is relevant to your discussion, be brief.

ONES THAT WORKED:

If you are curious to see some personal statements that worked, linked below are a few essays. Don’t copy any of these ideas, but use them to get an idea of how these students were able to structure and frame a compelling personal statement.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Posted: 8-21-2018

© 2022 Automatic Test Preparation

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I’m trying to change ownership from my UC Berkeley alumni account to my personal Gmail account, but it says I don’t have permission to transfer ownership outside of the organization. How can I transfer ownership of my files to my personal account?

This is a limitation imposed by Google, so we cannot change this setting. Instead, you need to use Google Takeout , Google Takeout Transfer , or vaultme.com to transfer your content to your personal account. You can also manually download your content and then upload it to your personal account.

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Apple announces new accessibility features, including Eye Tracking, Music Haptics, and Vocal Shortcuts

Eye Tracking Comes to iPad and iPhone

Music Haptics Makes Songs More Accessible

New Features for a Wide Range of Speech

Vehicle Motion Cues Can Help Reduce Motion Sickness

CarPlay Gets Voice Control, More Accessibility Updates

Accessibility Features Coming to visionOS

Additional Updates

• For users who are blind or have low vision, VoiceOver will include new voices, a flexible Voice Rotor, custom volume control, and the ability to customize VoiceOver keyboard shortcuts on Mac.
• Magnifier will offer a new Reader Mode and the option to easily launch Detection Mode with the Action button.
• Braille users will get a new way to start and stay in Braille Screen Input for faster control and text editing; Japanese language availability for Braille Screen Input; support for multi-line braille with Dot Pad ; and the option to choose different input and output tables.
• For users with low vision, Hover Typing shows larger text when typing in a text field, and in a user’s preferred font and color.
• For users at risk of losing their ability to speak, Personal Voice will be available in Mandarin Chinese. Users who have difficulty pronouncing or reading full sentences will be able to create a Personal Voice using shortened phrases.
• For users who are nonspeaking, Live Speech will include categories and simultaneous compatibility with Live Captions .
• For users with physical disabilities, Virtual Trackpad for AssistiveTouch allows users to control their device using a small region of the screen as a resizable trackpad.
• Switch Control will include the option to use the cameras in iPhone and iPad to recognize finger-tap gestures as switches.
• Voice Control will offer support for custom vocabularies and complex words.

Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day with Apple

• Throughout the month of May, select Apple Store locations will host free sessions to help customers explore and discover accessibility features built into the products they love. Apple Piazza Liberty in Milan will feature the talent behind “Assume that I can,” the viral campaign for World Down Syndrome Day. And available year-round at Apple Store locations globally, Today at Apple group reservations are a place where friends, families, schools, and community groups can learn about accessibility features together.
• Shortcuts adds Calming Sounds , which plays ambient soundscapes to minimize distractions, helping users focus or rest.
• Visit the App Store to discover incredible apps and games that promote access and inclusion for all, including the accessible App Store Award-winning game Unpacking, apps as tools for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and more.
• The Apple TV app will honor trailblazing creators, performers, and activists who passionately share the experiences of people with disabilities. This year’s theme is Remaking the World , and each story invites viewers to envision a reality where everyone is empowered to add their voice to the greater human story.
• Apple Books will spotlight lived experiences of disability through curated collections of first-person narratives by disabled writers in ebook and audiobook formats.
• Apple Fitness+ workouts, meditations, and trainer tips welcome users who are deaf or hard of hearing with American Sign Language, and Time to Walk now includes transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app. Fitness+ workouts always include Audio Hints to support users who are blind or have low vision, as well as modifiers so that users of all levels can participate.
• Users can visit Apple Support to learn how their Apple devices can be customized using built-in accessibility features. From adapting the gestures to customizing how information is presented on a device’s screen, the Apple Accessibility playlist will help users learn how to personalize Apple Vision Pro, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac to work best for them.

Text of this article

May 15, 2024

PRESS RELEASE

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA  Apple today announced new accessibility features coming later this year, including Eye Tracking, a way for users with physical disabilities to control iPad or iPhone with their eyes. Additionally, Music Haptics will offer a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music using the Taptic Engine in iPhone; Vocal Shortcuts will allow users to perform tasks by making a custom sound; Vehicle Motion Cues can help reduce motion sickness when using iPhone or iPad in a moving vehicle; and more accessibility features will come to visionOS. These features combine the power of Apple hardware and software, harnessing Apple silicon, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to further Apple’s decades-long commitment to designing products for everyone.

“We believe deeply in the transformative power of innovation to enrich lives,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “That’s why for nearly 40 years, Apple has championed inclusive design by embedding accessibility at the core of our hardware and software. We’re continuously pushing the boundaries of technology, and these new features reflect our long-standing commitment to delivering the best possible experience to all of our users.”

“Each year, we break new ground when it comes to accessibility,” said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. “These new features will make an impact in the lives of a wide range of users, providing new ways to communicate, control their devices, and move through the world.”

Powered by artificial intelligence, Eye Tracking gives users a built-in option for navigating iPad and iPhone with just their eyes. Designed for users with physical disabilities, Eye Tracking uses the front-facing camera to set up and calibrate in seconds, and with on-device machine learning, all data used to set up and control this feature is kept securely on device, and isn’t shared with Apple.

Eye Tracking works across iPadOS and iOS apps, and doesn’t require additional hardware or accessories. With Eye Tracking, users can navigate through the elements of an app and use Dwell Control to activate each element, accessing additional functions such as physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures solely with their eyes.

Music Haptics is a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on iPhone. With this accessibility feature turned on, the Taptic Engine in iPhone plays taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of the music. Music Haptics works across millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog, and will be available as an API for developers to make music more accessible in their apps.

With Vocal Shortcuts, iPhone and iPad users can assign custom utterances that Siri can understand to launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks. Listen for Atypical Speech, another new feature, gives users an option for enhancing speech recognition for a wider range of speech. Listen for Atypical Speech uses on-device machine learning to recognize user speech patterns. Designed for users with acquired or progressive conditions that affect speech, such as cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or stroke, these features provide a new level of customization and control, building on features introduced in iOS 17 for users who are nonspeaking or at risk of losing their ability to speak.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve speech recognition for millions of people with atypical speech, so we are thrilled that Apple is bringing these new accessibility features to consumers,” said Mark Hasegawa-Johnson, the Speech Accessibility Project at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s principal investigator. “The Speech Accessibility Project was designed as a broad-based, community-supported effort to help companies and universities make speech recognition more robust and effective, and Apple is among the accessibility advocates who made the Speech Accessibility Project possible.”

Vehicle Motion Cues is a new experience for iPhone and iPad that can help reduce motion sickness for passengers in moving vehicles. Research shows that motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can prevent some users from comfortably using iPhone or iPad while riding in a moving vehicle. With Vehicle Motion Cues, animated dots on the edges of the screen represent changes in vehicle motion to help reduce sensory conflict without interfering with the main content. Using sensors built into iPhone and iPad, Vehicle Motion Cues recognizes when a user is in a moving vehicle and responds accordingly. The feature can be set to show automatically on iPhone, or can be turned on and off in Control Center.

Accessibility features coming to CarPlay include Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition. With Voice Control, users can navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice. With Sound Recognition, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens. For users who are colorblind, Color Filters make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use, with additional visual accessibility features including Bold Text.

This year, accessibility features coming to visionOS will include systemwide Live Captions to help everyone — including users who are deaf or hard of hearing — follow along with spoken dialogue in live conversations and in audio from apps. With Live Captions for FaceTime in visionOS, more users can easily enjoy the unique experience of connecting and collaborating using their Persona. Apple Vision Pro will add the capability to move captions using the window bar during Apple Immersive Video, as well as support for additional Made for iPhone hearing devices and cochlear hearing processors. Updates for vision accessibility will include the addition of Reduce Transparency, Smart Invert, and Dim Flashing Lights for users who have low vision, or those who want to avoid bright lights and frequent flashing.

These features join the dozens of accessibility features already available in Apple Vision Pro, which offers a flexible input system and an intuitive interface designed with a wide range of users in mind. Features such as VoiceOver, Zoom, and Color Filters can also provide users who are blind or have low vision access to spatial computing, while features such as Guided Access can support users with cognitive disabilities. Users can control Vision Pro with any combination of their eyes, hands, or voice, with accessibility features including Switch Control, Sound Actions, and Dwell Control that can also help those with physical disabilities.

“Apple Vision Pro is without a doubt the most accessible technology I’ve ever used,” said Ryan Hudson-Peralta, a Detroit-based product designer, accessibility consultant, and cofounder of Equal Accessibility LLC. “As someone born without hands and unable to walk, I know the world was not designed with me in mind, so it’s been incredible to see that visionOS just works. It’s a testament to the power and importance of accessible and inclusive design.”

This week, Apple is introducing new features, curated collections, and more in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day:

Press Contacts

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Apple Media Helpline

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Introducing Copilot+ PCs

May 20, 2024 | Yusuf Mehdi - Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer

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An on-demand recording of our May 20 event is available .

Today, at a special event on our new Microsoft campus, we introduced the world to a new category of Windows PCs designed for AI, Copilot+ PCs.    

Copilot+ PCs are the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built. With powerful new silicon capable of an incredible 40+ TOPS (trillion operations per second), all – day battery life and access to the most advanced AI models, Copilot+ PCs will enable you to do things you can’t on any other PC. Easily find and remember what you have seen in your PC with Recall, generate and refine AI images in near real-time directly on the device using Cocreator, and bridge language barriers with Live Captions, translating audio from 40+ languages into English .  

These experiences come to life on a set of thin, light and beautiful devices from Microsoft Surface and our OEM partners Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, with pre-orders beginning today and availability starting on June 18. Starting at $999, Copilot+ PCs offer incredible value.  

This first wave of Copilot+ PCs is just the beginning. Over the past year, we have seen an incredible pace of innovation of AI in the cloud with Copilot allowing us to do things that we never dreamed possible. Now, we begin a new chapter with AI innovation on the device. We have completely reimagined the entirety of the PC – from silicon to the operating system, the application layer to the cloud – with AI at the center, marking the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades.  

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The fastest, most secure Windows PCs ever built  

We introduced an all-new system architecture to bring the power of the CPU, GPU, and now a new high performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU) together. Connected to and enhanced by the large language models (LLMs) running in our Azure Cloud in concert with small language models (SLMs), Copilot+ PCs can now achieve a level of performance never seen before. They are up to 20x more powerful [1] and up to 100x as efficient [2] for running AI workloads and deliver industry-leading AI acceleration. They outperform Apple’s MacBook Air 15” by up to 58% in sustained multithreaded performance [3] , all while delivering all-day battery life.  With incredible efficiency, Copilot+ PCs can deliver up to 22 hours of local video playback or 15 hours of web browsing on a single charge. [4] That is up to 20% more battery in local video playback than the MacBook Air 15”. [5]

Windows now has the best implementation of apps on the fastest chip, starting with Qualcomm. We now offer more native Arm64 experiences than ever before, including our fastest implementation of Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive and OneNote. Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Blender, Affinity Suite, DaVinci Resolve and many more now run​ natively on Arm to give you great performance with additional apps, like Slack, releasing later this year. In fact, 87% of the total app minutes people spend in apps today have native Arm versions. [6] With a powerful new emulator, Prism, your apps run great, whether native or emulated.

Every Copilot+ PC comes secured out of the box. The Microsoft Pluton Security processor will be enabled by default on all Copilot+ PCs and we have introduced a number of new features, updates and defaults to Windows 11 that make it easy for users to stay secure. And, we’ve built in personalized privacy controls to help you protect what’s important to you. You can read more about how we are making Windows more secure here .

Entirely new, powerful AI experiences   

Copilot+ PCs leverage powerful processors and multiple state-of-the-art AI models, including several of Microsoft’s world-class SLMs, to unlock a new set of experiences you can run locally, directly on the device. This removes previous limitations on things like latency, cost and even privacy to help you be more productive, creative and communicate more effectively.  

Recall instantly  

We set out to solve one of the most frustrating problems we encounter daily – finding something we know we have seen before on our PC. Today, we must remember what file folder it was stored in, what website it was on, or scroll through hundreds of emails trying to find it.   

Now with Recall, you can access virtually what you have seen or done on your PC in a way that feels like having photographic memory. Copilot+ PCs organize information like we do – based on relationships and associations unique to each of our individual experiences. This helps you remember things you may have forgotten so you can find what you’re looking for quickly and intuitively by simply using the cues you remember. [7]

You can scroll across time to find the content you need in your timeline across any application, website, document, or more. Interact intuitively using snapshots with screenray to help you take the next step using suggested actions based on object recognition. And get back to where you were, whether to a specific email in Outlook or the right chat in Teams.

Recall leverages your personal semantic index, built and stored entirely on your device. Your snapshots are yours; they stay locally on your PC. You can delete individual snapshots, adjust and delete ranges of time in Settings, or pause at any point right from the icon in the System Tray on your Taskbar. You can also filter apps and websites from ever being saved. You are always in control with privacy you can trust.

Cocreate with AI-powered image creation and editing, built into Windows

Since the launch of Image Creator, almost 10 billion images have been generated, helping more people bring their ideas to life easily by using natural language to describe what they want to create. Yet, today’s cloud offerings may limit the number of images you can create, keep you waiting while the artwork processes or even present privacy concerns. By using the Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and powerful local small language models, we are bringing innovative new experiences to your favorite creative applications like Paint and Photos.

Combine your ink strokes with text prompts to generate new images in nearly real time with Cocreator. As you iterate, so does the artwork, helping you more easily refine, edit and evolve your ideas. Powerful diffusion-based algorithms optimize for the highest quality output over minimum steps to make it feel like you are creating alongside AI. Use the creativity slider to choose from a range of artwork from more literal to more expressive. Once you select your artwork, you can continue iterating on top of it, helping you express your ideas, regardless of your creative skills.

Take photo editing and image creation to the next level. With Restyle Image, you can reimagine your personal photos with a new style combining image generation and photo editing in Photos. Use a pre-set style like Cyberpunk or Claymation to change the background, foreground or full picture to create an entirely new image. Or jumpstart your next creative project and get visual inspiration with Image Creator in Photos. On Copilot+ PCs you can generate endless images for free, fast, with the ability to fine tune images to your liking and to save your favorites to collections.

Innovative AI experiences from the creative apps you love

We are also partnering with some of the biggest and most-loved applications on the planet to leverage the power of the NPU to deliver new innovative AI experiences.

Together with Adobe, we are thrilled to announce Adobe’s flagship apps are coming to Copilot+ PCs, including Photoshop, Lightroom and Express – available today. Illustrator, Premiere Pro and more are coming this summer. And we’re continuing to partner to optimize AI in these apps for the NPU. For Adobe Creative Cloud customers, they will benefit from the full performance advantages of Copilot+ PCs to express their creativity faster than ever before.

DaVinci Resolve Studio    

Effortlessly apply visual effects to objects and people using NPU-accelerated Magic Mask in DaVinci Resolve Studio.  

Remove the background from any video clip in a snap using Auto Cutout running on the NPU in CapCut.  

Stay in your flow with faster, more responsive adaptive input controls, like head movement or facial expressions via the new NPU-powered camera pipeline in Cephable.  

LiquidText  

Make quicker and smarter annotations to documents, using AI features that run entirely on-device via NPU, so data stays private in LiquidText. 

Have fun breaking down and remixing any music track, with a new, higher-quality version of NeuralMix™ that’s exclusive to NPU in Algoriddim’s djay Pro.  

Connect and communicate effortlessly with live captions  

In an increasingly connected and global world, Windows wants to bring people closer together. Whether catching up on your favorite podcast from a different country, or watching your favorite international sports team, or even collaborating with friends and colleagues across the world, we want to make more content accessible to more people.   

Live Captions now has live translations and will turn any audio that passes through your PC into a single, English-language caption experience, in real time on your screen across all your apps consistently. You can translate any live or pre-recorded audio in any app or video platform from over 40 languages into English subtitles instantly, automatically and even while you’re offline. Powered by the NPU and available across all Copilot+ PCs, now you can have confidence your words are understood as intended.   

New and enhanced Windows Studio Effects  

Look and sound your best automatically with easily accessible controls at your fingertips in Quick Settings. Portrait light automatically adjusts the image to improve your perceived illumination in a dark environment or brighten the foreground pixels when in a low-light environment. Three new creative filters (illustrated, animated or watercolor) add an artistic flare. Eye contact teleprompter helps you maintain eye contact while reading your screen. New improvements to voice focus and portrait blur help ensure you’re always in focus.   

Copilot, your everyday AI companion

Every Copilot+ PC comes with your personal powerful AI agent that is just a single tap away on keyboards with the new Copilot key. [8] Copilot will now have the full application experience customers have been asking for in a streamlined, simple yet powerful and personal design. Copilot puts the most advanced AI models at your fingertips. In the coming weeks, get access to the latest models including GPT-4o from our partners at OpenAI, so you can have voice conversations that feel more natural.

Advancing AI responsibly

At Microsoft, we have a company-wide commitment to develop ethical, safe and secure AI. Our responsible AI principles guided the development of these new experiences, and all AI features are aligned with our standards. Learn more here .

New Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft Surface and our partners

We have worked with each of the top OEMs — Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung — and of course Surface, to bring exciting new Copilot+ PCs that will begin to launch on June 18. Starting at $999, these devices are up to $200 less than similar spec’d devices [9] .

Surface plays a key role in the Windows ecosystem, as we design software and hardware together to deliver innovative designs and meaningful experiences to our customers and fans. We are introducing the first-ever Copilot+ PCs from Surface: The all-new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop.

The new Surface Laptop is a powerhouse in an updated, modern laptop design with razor-thin bezels, a brilliant touchscreen display, AI-enhanced camera, premium audio, and now with a haptic touchpad.

Choose between a 13.8” and 15” display and four stunning colors. Enjoy up to 22 hours of local video playback on Surface Laptop 15” or up to 20 hours on Surface Laptop13.8” on top of incredible performance and all-new AI experiences.

The new Surface Pro is the most flexible 2-in-1 laptop, now reimagined with more speed and battery life to power all-new AI experiences. It introduces a new, optional OLED with HDR display, and ultrawide field of view camera perfect for Windows Studio Effects. The new Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is the first 2-in-1 keyboard designed to be used both attached or detached. It delivers enhanced stability, with Surface Slim Pen storage and charging integrated seamlessly, as well as a quiet, haptic touchpad. Learn more here.

New Copilot+ PCs from the biggest brands available starting June 18:

• Acer : Acer’s Swift 14 AI 2.5K touchscreen enables you to draw and edit your vision with greater accuracy and with color-accurate imagery. Launch and discover AI-enhanced features, like Acer PurifiedVoice 2.0 and Purified View, with a touch of the dedicated AcerSense button.
• ASUS : The ASUS Vivobook S 15 is a powerful device that brings AI experiences to life with its Snapdragon X Elite Platform and built-in Qualcomm® AI. It boasts 40+ NPU TOPS, a dual-fan cooling system, and up to 1 TB of storage. Next-gen AI enhancements include Windows Studio effects v2 and ASUS AiSense camera, with presence-detection capabilities for Adaptive Dimming and Lock. Built for portability, it has an ultra-slim and light all-metal design, a high-capacity battery, and premium styling with a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard.
• Dell : Dell is launching five new Copilot+ PCs, including the XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455, and Latitude 5455, offering a range of consumer and commercial options that deliver groundbreaking battery life and unique AI experiences. The XPS 13 is powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors and features a premium, futuristic design, while the Latitude 7455 boasts a stunning QHD+ display and quad speakers with AI noise reduction. The Inspiron14 and Inspiron 14 Plus feature a Snapdragon X Plus 1and are crafted with lightweight, low carbon aluminum and are energy efficient with EPEAT Gold rating.
• HP : HP’s OmniBook X AI PC and HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC with Snapdragon X Elite are slim and sleek designs, delivering advanced performance and mobility for a more personalized computing experience. Features include long-lasting battery life and AI-powered productivity tools, such as real-time transcription and meeting summaries. A 5MP camera with automatic framing and eye focus is supported by Poly Studio’s crystal-clear audio for enhanced virtual interactions.
• Lenovo : Lenovo is launching two AI PCs: one built for consumers, Yoga Slim 7x, and one for commercial, ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. The Yoga Slim 7x brings efficiency for creatives, featuring a 14.5” touchscreen with 3K Dolby Vision and optimized power for 3D rendering and video editing. The T14s Gen 6 brings enterprise-level experiences and AI performance to your work tasks, with features including a webcam privacy shutter, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and up to 64GB RAM.
• Samsung : Samsung’s new Galaxy Book4 Edge is ultra-thin and light, with a 3K resolution 2x AMOLED display and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. It has a long-lasting battery that provides up to 22 hours of video playback, making it perfect for work or entertainment on the go.

Learn more about new Copilot+ PCs and pre-order today at Microsoft.com and from major PC manufacturers, as well as other leading global retailers.

Start testing for commercial deployment today

Copilot+ PCs offer businesses the most performant Windows 11 devices with unique AI capabilities to unlock productivity, improve collaboration and drive efficiency. As a Windows PC, businesses can deploy and manage a Copilot+ PC with the same tools and processes used today including IT controls for new features and AppAssure support. We recommend IT admins begin testing and readying for deployment to start empowering your workforce with access to powerful AI features on these high-performance devices. You can read more about our commercial experiences here .

AI innovation across the Windows ecosystem  

Like we’ve always done with Windows, we have built a platform for our ecosystem partners to build on.  

The first Copilot+ PCs will launch with both the Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors and feature leading performance per watt thanks to the custom Qualcomm Oryon™ CPU, which delivers unrivaled performance and battery efficiency. Snapdragon X Series delivers 45 NPU TOPS all-in-one system on a chip (SoC). The premium integrated Qualcomm® Adreno ™ GPU delivers stunning graphics for immersive entertainment. We look forward to expanding through deep partnerships with Intel and AMD, starting with Lunar Lake and Strix Point. We will bring new Copilot+ PC experiences at a later date. In the future we expect to see devices with this silicon paired with powerful graphics cards like NVIDIA GeForce RTX and AMD Radeon™, bringing Copilot+ PC experiences to reach even broader audiences like advanced gamers and creators.  

We are at an inflection point where the PC will accelerate AI innovation. We believe the richest AI experiences will only be possible when the cloud and device work together in concert. Together with our partners, we’re setting the frame for the next decade of Windows innovation.  

[1] Based on snapshot of aggregated, non-gaming app usage data as of April 2024 for iGPU-based laptops and 2-in-1 devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11 in US, UK, CA, FR, AU, DE, JP.

[2] Tested April 2024 using Phi SLM workload running 512-token prompt processing in a loop with default settings comparing pre-release Copilot+ PC builds with Snapdragon Elite X 12 Core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations (QNN build) to Windows 11 PC with NVIDIA 4080 GPU configuration (CUDA build).

[3] Tested May 2024 using Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations to MacBook Air 15” with M3 8 core CPU / 10 Core GPU configuration. Performance will vary significantly between device configuration and usage.

[4] *Battery life varies significantly by device and with settings, usage and other factors. See aka.ms/cpclaims*

[5] *Battery life varies significantly based on device configuration, usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. Testing conducted May 2024 using the prelease Windows ADK full screen local video playback assessment under standard testing conditions, with the device connected to Wi-Fi and screen brightness set to 150 nits, comparing Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations running Windows Version 26097.5003 (24H2) to MacBook Air 15” M3 8-Core CPU/ 10 Core GPU running macOS 14.4 with similar device configurations and testing scenario.

[6] Based on snapshot of aggregated, non-gaming app usage data as of April 2024 for iGPU-based laptops and 2-in-1 devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11 in US, UK, CA, FR, AU, DE, JP.

[7] Recall is optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.) Content-based and storage limitations apply. Learn more here .

[8] Copilot key functionality may vary. See aka.ms/keysupport

[9] Based on MSRPs; actual savings may vary

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7 chatgpt prompts to land you that leadership role in education.

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7 ChatGPT Prompts When Applying For A Leadership Role In Education

Becoming a leader in education is a career milestone that demands thorough preparation.

You must be able to articulate a clear vision, demonstrate a deep understanding of leadership and show your ability to drive school success through strategic planning and colleague engagement. The following ChatGPT prompts are designed to help teachers refine their interview skills, craft compelling personal statements and develop a robust leadership strategy. Each prompt is tailored to address critical aspects of the preparation process.

Get this right and present yourself as the well-rounded, confident and capable leaders you are.

1. Role Play The Interview

Using ChatGPT for this purpose can help you practice responses to potential questions. This will allow you to refine your answers and build confidence. It is an opportunity to receive constructive feedback, so you can improve your communication skills.

"I am preparing for an educational leadership interview. Act as the interviewer and ask me a series of questions about my experience, my leadership philosophy, and how I handle specific challenges in an educational setting. After each response, provide detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement. Focus on questions that test my strategic thinking and ability to lead a team."

ChatGPT: "Can you describe a time when you had to manage a conflict between staff members? How did you handle it and what was the outcome?"

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You: "In my current job, two colleagues disagreed over resource allocation. I arranged a meeting and listened to their concerns. I was able to facilitate a meaningful discussion to reach a consensus. The solution improved team collaboration."

ChatGPT Feedback: "Good job facilitating a discussion and reaching a consensus. Next time, highlight any specific conflict resolution techniques you used such as active listening or mediation to show a deeper understanding of conflict management."

2. Drafting A Resume

Your resume will stand out when it clearly highlights specific achievements and quantifies results.

Demonstrating your tangible impact is crucial. Using a clean, professional format with well-organized sections makes the document easy to read and visually appealing.

"Help me draft a resume tailored for an educational leadership position. Include sections for professional summary, work experience, education, skills and certifications. Emphasize my leadership accomplishments, my impact on student outcomes and my experience with school administration. Use bullet points and highlight the special projects or initiatives I led. Ask me questions that will help make this an accurate and outstanding resume.”

3. Writing A Personal Statement

A personal statement that aligns with the job specifications and provides concrete examples is crucial. It will show your suitability for the role and demonstrate that your past experiences have prepared you to meet the specific needs of your new role. This will make your application stand out.

"Assist me in writing a personal statement for an educational leadership role that aligns with the job specifications. Emphasize my leadership experience, vision for the school and how my skills and accomplishments meet the requirements. Include examples of past successes and describe how I plan to contribute to the school's future success. Ask me questions that will help make this an accurate and outstanding resume."

4. Articulating Your Vision for Leadership

This will demonstrate your ability to inspire and guide the school community. It will foster a sense of purpose and direction. It makes you a compelling candidate for driving positive change and achieving long-term success.

"Help me articulate my vision for the educational leadership role I am applying for. Focus on my goals for academic excellence, staff development and community involvement. Include specific strategies and initiatives I plan to implement to achieve these goals."

Example Interaction:

ChatGPT: "My vision as an educational leader is to create a nurturing environment where every student can achieve academic excellence. I aim to implement professional development programs that empower teachers and foster a collaborative community that actively engages parents and local stakeholders. Specific strategies include introducing data-driven instruction, expanding extracurricular activities and building partnerships with local businesses to enhance educational opportunities."

5. Understanding Key Leadership Concepts

Understanding key educational leadership concepts will enable you to articulate your vision and approach to improving teaching and learning. It allows you to provide examples of how you have applied these concepts, showcasing your practical experience and impact on student outcomes.

"Explain key concepts and trends in educational leadership. Provide examples of how these can be applied in a school setting and how I can discuss them effectively during my interview. Ask me questions that will help make this an accurate and outstanding resume."

6. Developing a Strategic Plan

Developing a strategic plan to refer to in your interview will be very impressive. It demonstrates your ability to set clear, long-term goals and align resources to achieve them. It provides concrete evidence of your commitment to improving educational outcomes and your proactive approach to leadership.

"Guide me through developing a strategic plan for a school. Outline the steps and include key components such as vision, mission, goals, action plans and evaluation methods. Provide examples of how to set realistic goals and measure progress."

ChatGPT: "Step 1: Define the vision and mission of the school. Step 2: Identify strategic goals such as improving literacy rates and increasing student engagement. Step 3: Develop action plans for each goal detailing specific activities, responsible parties and timelines. Step 4: Establish evaluation methods to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed. For example, to improve literacy rates, set a goal of increasing reading proficiency by 15% over three years. Implement reading intervention programs, provide professional development for teachers and use standardized test scores to measure progress."

7. Reflecting on Your Personal Leadership Style

This will help you understand your strengths and areas for growth. This allows you to effectively communicate your value. This self-awareness also enables you to align your leadership approach with the school's vision and culture.

"Help me reflect on my personal leadership style and how it aligns with the needs of the school I am applying to. Provide examples of leadership styles (e.g., transformational, transactional and situational) and their impact on school culture and performance. Guide me in identifying my leadership strengths and areas for growth."

ChatGPT: "Reflect on whether your leadership style is transformational, transactional or situational. For instance, a transformational leader who inspires and motivates staff might be ideal for a school needing significant cultural change. Discuss how your style has positively impacted previous schools and how it aligns with the current school's goals. Identify strengths such as effective communication and decision-making and areas for growth such as delegating responsibilities or managing change."

These ChatGPT prompts can help you prepare for an educational leadership role. By practicing interview scenarios, drafting key documents and reflecting on leadership concepts, you can approach your interview with increased confidence and clarity.

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