Hi there! I'm considering applying to UCLA, but I'm unsure about the essay requirement. Can anyone tell me if UCLA requires an essay for their application and, if so, what the prompts are like?
UCLA is part of the University of California (UC) system, and all UC schools share the same application portal, which includes the personal insight questions (PIQs) as their essay requirement. There is no separate UCLA-specific essay. For the UC application, you will have to choose four out of eight PIQ prompts to answer. Each response should be no more than 350 words.
The PIQ prompts cover a wide range of topics, such as leadership experience, personal growth, breaking barriers, favorite academic subjects, creative side, significant challenges, and community service. CollegeVine's blog has a post listing all 8 prompts, and providing detailed guidance on how to tackle each one: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays.
As you choose and respond to the prompts, make sure you showcase different aspects of your personality, interests, and experiences, while also highlighting key traits, such as passion, motivation, resilience, leadership, and creativity. Your goal is to help the admissions officers get a holistic view of who you are as a person and what you can contribute to the UC community. Best of luck with your application to UCLA!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.