Need help with a PIQ example

Hi guys, I got to write this PIQ (Personal Insight Question) for a UC application but I'm not quite sure where to start. Can anyone share some examples or resources that might help me get a sense of what a good PIQ looks like? I'm a little stuck and could really use some guidance.

Certainly! I'm familiar with how daunting the UC PIQs can seem at first, but rest assured that once you get started, they'll flow more easily - just like any other type of essay.

Remember, with the PIQs, UC schools like to hear about who you are as a person - your character, your personal or academic journey, how you've dealt with challenges, or what you're passionate about. Therefore, your response should focus on telling a story that demonstrates these qualities.

An example of a good PIQ can look like this:

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

"Joining our high school's Robotics Club as a timid freshman, I had only one aspiration: to learn more about a field I was fervently interested in. After a year, I found myself elected as vice president of the club. However, I quickly noticed that our members were thinly spread across many different projects with little overlap, which resulted in isolated work and a lack of collaboration. I thought, 'How can we reap the benefits of working as a team?'

Recognizing this problem, I pitched the idea of a major group project for our annual state robotics meet - a proposal initially met with resistance. However, I stood my ground and persuaded the club members of the benefits we could reap by pooling our talents and learning from each other.

Taking the lead, I helped the team design and prototype a fully autonomous drone. Over time, we learned to cooperate as a team, combining our respective strengths in coding, engineering, and design. Our project earned us a place in the top 5 at the state meet, but more importantly, it sparked a transformation in our club's collaborative spirit, with members now being more open to collective projects.

Through this experience, I not only learned how to inspire and coordinate a team, but I also realized the power of unity in turning an idea into reality."

In this example, we see that the student is a leader who took initiative and helped his/her team achieve success.

Remember, these are personal insight questions - the committee wants to get insight into who you are, so be sure to show more of your character, influence, and challenges in your response. Ideally, every PIQ response should reveal something new about you!

Take the time to brainstorm significant experiences, growth moments, and accomplishments, and how they have shaped you as a person. Then, connect them with the prompts. I hope this helps get you started and best of luck with your PIQs!