An Unofficial Guide to the UC PIQs
As a high school student, the college application process was one that I dreaded. How was I supposed to summarize my achievements, extracurricular activities, academic fervor, passions, hardships, and general life story all in one application—without sounding like I’m bragging, of course? Well, as someone who has made it to the other side of this experience, I’m here to tell you that the level of stress I put onto myself was not totally necessary. Although I am not the person that will determine your admissions, I can offer advice as you embark on your college admissions journey.
Like most college applications, the University of California application has you list your volunteer hours, job experience, and any awards or scholarships that you may have received. While this is definitely an important aspect of the application, I believe that the most attention should be placed on the Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). If you are a senior, the portion where you list experiences/opportunities can practically fill itself out. The PIQs are a chance to show what your high school experiences meant to you.
For the PIQs, there are eight different prompts to choose from, but you only need to answer four. Each question has a 350-word limit, which is really not as much space as you might think. This is all the more reason not to procrastinate. If you have not even looked at the application yet, this is your sign to at least start brainstorming your PIQs. While fewer words may seem like you will be able to finish answering your questions in less time, you want to make sure that you are maximizing your space and ensuring every word works in service of your story.
When I was working on my PIQs, I found expanding on a previously mentioned volunteer experience or opportunity to be the most helpful. Since you already mention these experiences early in the application, the PIQs present the perfect opportunity to expand on them and show what you have learned. Although you do have a chance to briefly describe said opportunity when listing your volunteer hours and other opportunities, there really isn’t enough space to expand on these experiences. This is why exploring how these valued experiences might have impacted your way of thinking or opened your mind to a new idea in your PIQs is quite beneficial. Show what your commitments mean to you.
Don’t write about something just because you think your targeted schools will want to hear it. They can tell when you are passionate about something, and this passion will pay off. For example, I wrote about my yearbook class for the creativity prompt, and this essay turned out to be the one that I was the most proud of. Through expanding on an activity that I briefly mentioned earlier in the application, I showed how I put my love of storytelling into practice.
Lastly, I would highly recommend using the additional comments section to explain anything you couldn’t get to. While this portion of the application does not directly pertain to the PIQs, it can work in tandem with your essays to further strengthen your application. For example, I explained that a cross-country move prevented me from participating in an activity that I loved for all four years of high school. While I do not know if this really made a difference, it gave me peace of mind. You would rather share more on your application than regret not including information.
Hopefully, these tips offer some encouragement to start your PIQs. Remember that the sooner you start brainstorming, the more time you will have to ensure these essays tell your full story. I wish you the best during the application process and good luck to any future Anteaters out there!
If you need any additional help with your UC application, here are a few helpful resources:
- University of California Admissions-Contact Us
- UCI Office of Undergraduate Admissions-FAQs
Follow us on Instagram @uciadmissions for more tips!
