What happened to the personal statement?

We’ve replaced the personal statement with the new personal insight questions for the fall 2017 application. We hope this new format will give you clearer guidance and more flexibility in the kind of information you want to share with us.

Freshman: Personal insight questions 

•You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions. （8个题目选4个）

•Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words. （每篇回答不超过350字）

•Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you:  But you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind（自行决定选什么题目，不过你要选最和你经历相关，最能展示你个人背景的题目）

•All questions are equal:  All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others. （每个题目都是平等的，没有高下之分）

•There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions:  It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.  （答题没有对错之分，用你自己的声音展现你想让大学了解的特质、背景、爱好和成就）

Questions & guidance（文书题目及写作指导）

1.Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positivelyinfluenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group effortsover time.  （大意：描述你的领导力经历，你如何影响他人，在团队中的较长时间的贡献）

Things to consider: A leadership role canmean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting asthe person in charge of a specific task, or a taking lead role in organizing anevent or project. Think about your accomplishments and what you learned fromthe experience.  What were yourresponsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did yourexperience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolvean important dispute at your school, church in your community or an organization?And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to schoolactivities.  For example, do you help outor take care of your family?

2.Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problemsolving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few.Describe how you express your creative side. （大意：展现你有创造力的一面，可以体现在问题解决能力、创新思维、艺术创造等方面）

Things to consider:  What does creativity mean to you? Do you havea creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do withthat skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution?What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence yourdecisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to yourmajor or a future career?

3.What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed anddemonstrated that talent over time? （大意：描述你的天赋和能力，你是如何发展它们的）

Things to consider: If there’s a talent orskill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. You don’t necessarilyhave to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if youdid and you want to talk about, feel free to do so). Why is this talent orskill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have youworked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allowyou opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how dothey fit into your schedule?

4.Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunityor worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.（简要意思：描述如何利用好重要的教育机会或战胜教育相关的困难）

Things to consider: An educationalopportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experienceand better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors oracademic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that’s gearedtoward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you —just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educationalbarriers you’ve faced, how did you overcome or strived to overcome them? Whatpersonal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge?How did overcoming this barrier help shape who are you today?

5.Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you havetaken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academicachievement?（描述你遇到的最大挑战，你是如何战胜挑战的，对你的学业表现有何影响）

Things to consider: A challenge could bepersonal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was thechallenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about anyobstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did youhave support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you’re currently working your waythrough a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect differentaspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, “How has my life changed athome, at my school, with my friends, or with my family?”

6.  Describe your favorite academic subject andexplain how it has influenced you.（描述你最喜欢的学科、说明该学科对你的影响）

Things to consider: Discuss how yourinterest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have hadinside and outside the classroom — such as volunteer work, summer programs,participation in student organizations and/or activities — and what you havegained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influencedyou in choosing a major and/or career? Have you been able to pursue courseworkat a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)?

7.What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? （描述你做过对你的学校和社区有益的事情）

Things to consider: Think of community as aterm that can encompass a group, team or a place – like your high school,hometown, or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure youtalk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted tofix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act?  What did you learn from your effort? How didyour actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone orwith others to initiate change in your community?

8.What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidatesapplying to the University of California?（描述你与其他申请者相比更为突出的地方）

Things to consider: Don’t be afraid to braga little. Even if you don’t think you’re unique, you are — remember, there’sonly one of you in the world. From your point of view, what do you feel makesyou belong on one of UC’s campuses? When looking at your life, what does astranger need to understand in order to know you?

What have you not shared with us that willhighlight a skill, talent, challenge, or opportunity that you think will helpus know you better? We’re not necessarily looking for what makes you uniquecompared to others, but what makes you, YOU.