Thanks for tagging me. I just returned from vacation and am catching up.
I volunteer to read scholarship applications and many times students re-use or slightly modify their PIQs. I see essays that are an easy read and get to the point vs something that I need to read three times to try to see if the candidate might have danced around, or remotely touched upon what I am asked to look for.
In my opinion, the UCs aren’t trying to trick you. They are telling you what to include in your PIQ. I think the most important thing is to look at the PIQ and the description below it. Make sure you clearly answer those questions. A lot of times students read the first five words and don’t dissect the rest of the prompt. If you can go into details about as much of the prompt as possible and still be creative, more power to you. Would I take substance and details over creativity? Every day, all day.
Dissecting a prompt using PIQ 1 as an example. I’ve bolded phrases that you should do your best to answer.
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have
1. positively influenced others
2. helped resolve disputes
3. contributed to group efforts over time.
A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a
1. mentor to others
2. acting as the person in charge of a specific task
3. taking the lead role in organizing an event or project.
Think about
1. what you accomplished
2. what you learned from the experience.
3. What were your responsibilities?
How did your experience change your perspective on leading others?
Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization?
Explain what you did and then be reflective. Did the experience change how you think or view things? What did you learn from the experience? Has that impacted what you want to study in college or your future goals?
I see a lot of essays where students state that they held a title/role and then proceed to write about what we did. Make sure you use “I” statements and tell what you did.
Finally, you don’t need to be the president to make an impact. Think about activities where you took initiative to make a change or where there was lack of leadership and you stepped up to make a difference. It might not be your most prestigious title/role.
Edit to link to a previous post regarding PIQ: UC Personal Insight Question (PIQ) #8? - #5 by lkg4answers