the new personal insight questions...the new personal insight questions university of california...
TRANSCRIPT
The NEW Personal Insight Questions
University of California
2016
Why Are They Changing the Questions?● Lack of information with the Personal Statement
● Move toward direct questions which would result in less
guessing for the reader
● Give students the choice to select questions which are most
relevant to them
● Each question aligns to one or more of the comprehensive
review criteria.
What Are The Parameters For Responding to the Questions?
● 4 questions from 8 options.
● 350 word limit per response
● All questions have equal value
● Students can only respond to 4
What Are The Freshmen Questions?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.
● Doesn’t necessarily have to
be an academic/school
leadership role.
● This is really a 2 part
question: 1) How are you a
leader? 2) How has that
affected others?
Freshmen Questions Continued ...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.
● Think about things other
than art. How has your
creative side affected your
life?
● If art is your creative side,
then it’s perfectly fine to
write about it.
Freshmen Questions Continued...3) What would you say is your
greatest talent or skill? How have
you developed and demonstrated
that talent/skill over time?
● Talent and skill are two different
aspects.
● Talent = gymnast, great athlete
● Skill = translator for family
● Add context to the answer
○ progression over time
○ focus on the talent and skill
throughout high school.
Freshmen Questions Continued...4) Describe how you have taken
advantage of a significant
educational opportunity or worked
to overcome an educational barrier
you have faced.
● For example, maybe there was
something academically missing
at your high school (took away
honors classes, no more computer
classes). How did that limit you?
● This should not be a “feel sorry
for me” answer. Direct your
response to how you made it work
for you.
Freshmen Questions Continued...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?
● In this response, be a solution
student. Tell them what your
challenge was and how you
overcame it.
● For example, many suffer from
depression, anxiety, learning
disability, physical disability,
parent death etc...
Freshmen Questions Continued...6) Describe your favorite
academic subject and explain
how it has influenced you.
● What do you LOVE?
● If you don’t have a
favorite subject, then this
is not your question to
answer.
Freshmen Questions Continued...7) What have you done to
make your school or
community a better place?
● Community is open to the
student’s interpretation
(team, program on
campus, entire school,
church group, etc…)
● Elaborate what you have
done within the
community.
Freshmen Questions Continued...8) What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying
to UC?
● Do not assume you have to answer this question because of the content of it.
Remember that all questions hold equal value.
● Don’t answer this question if it can be answered in another one. For instance, if
you’ve faced a barrier in your life, then you should answer question #4 or #5.
● Think about what you have NOT shared yet.
● This is NOT an additional place to continue a response from another question.
● Maybe you’re an Undocumented Student. Maybe you translate for your family.
Those might be a reason to answer this question.
What Do The UCs Want?1) Greater authenticity - they want the student voice.
2) No more guessing. The personal statement lended itself to
writing structure, flowery sentences, grammar and more.
UCs just want the facts.
3) More information about the student. Who are they and the
content of their accomplishments. “My” and “I” statements
are encouraged.
4) More relevant information that best reflects individual
circumstances.
How Can We Help Our Students?1) Do not overly focus on style or structure. Admissions does NOT grade on
style (creativity, entertainment) nor grammar. They place value on
content.
2) Does the student make his/herself the focal point? “I” and “My”
3) Is the student providing clarity, depth and content?
4) If you are editing a student’s questions, read the responses with the
student’s transcript and brag sheet. Look at the whole picture as the UCs
would.
5) Encourage the student to stick to the facts and think, “Will a stranger
understand me and the context of my situation?”
6) Remind students that the freshmen review is comprehensive so these
responses are filling in the gaps of their application.