UCSB Essay Prompts and Recommendations?

Hi everyone! I'm working on my UCSB application and wanted to know if you could share the essay prompts and any recommendations for writing a great essay? Thanks a lot!

Hi! The UCSB personal insight essay prompts are the same as those for all University of California (UC) schools. You'll pick four out of eight prompts to respond to, with a 350-word limit for each response. Here are the eight 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?

To write a great essay, you should check out this post that details how to write each essay: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays. They also provide tips and things to avoid which will be helpful as well.

Good luck with your UCSB application! Just remember to be true to yourself and represent your experiences and aspirations thoughtfully.