<p>OK basically I am really at a loss for what to do for the first question for the UC personal statement. It asks something along the lines of "How have you taken advantage of the educational opportunities available to prepare for college?". I've gotten mixed input from friends and other people I have asked. Some say it's just a very straightforward question and you should just discuss the honrs/AP/IB classes you have taken and how they have adequately prepared you. Some tell me that the colleges can see that in your application, so you should tell them other things you have done. But obviously a big part of the preparation comes from the classes you take. I'm lost...how can such a simple question create so much confusion? Anyways, I'm assuming a balance of both is the way to go, but my question is how much of each should I discuss. Should the majority of the response cover things I've done in school or things outside of school, even if they are not "official" things (for example, I thought about talking about how I often look up and learn new things on my own)? Oh and also I know many colleges essays encourage you to write creatively and make an interesting essay, but these questions seem to lack real depth...should I just answer these straightforward, or try to make it as interesting/creative as possible? Any help would be appreciated.</p>
<p>What is the word limit? </p>
<p>In general I would agree with the people who say you should leave your classes on your transcript and present outside-of-school involvement here. Personally I would mention the official data like AP/honors, but only in the context of the other activities. Do not make AP/honors the main focus of the essay.</p>
<p>What you write, though, is going to depend on the situation you are trying to convey. What kind of person are you? Some people view classes as something separate from their main, extracurricular interests, while for others classwork becomes the context in which those interests are pursued. If your AP class was your life for that year - you argued course concepts over lunch with your AP classmates, you took up outside readings based on class lectures, you undertook your own fieldtrips, etc. - then by all means make that the center of your essay. Make this essay go to the heart of who you are as a person.</p>
<p>Merely listing your awards/honors/AP classes in laudry-list format is less compelling and redundant.</p>
<p>The UC persoal statement is actually three essays, two must be 200 words and one must be 600 words, for a total of no more than 1000. The other questions are very straightforward, I'm just having trouble with this one. I've already written a draft of this essay that is 600 words, but I'm trying to decide if I need to refocus it. I only talk about AP's and school in the opening paragraph, how I enjoy the challenge they present and the higher level of learning you are exposed to. My main focus is how I pursue my education outside of school, in which I talk about how I took a class at my community college and how I often follow up on class discussions or my own curiosity to learn new things. Is this a good angle to take?</p>
<p>It is a good angle to take if that's the truth (that is, if it's the most significant example of your taking advantage of opportunities). However, I'd also like to know what you do with your free time. Many students fall into the trap of limiting their consideration to things done inside the high school or inside official classes. So yes, that is a very good angle to take, but without knowing what else you do it is hard to say whether it is the best option available.</p>
<p>You should include the transcript for the community college class with the application, so they will be aware of that accomplishment whether or not you focus this essay on it. </p>
<p>You might find it rewarding to put the focus of the essay on what you did with the classes (if that's the topic you choose) rather than simply the fact that you took the class.</p>
<p>For example,</p>
<p>Like many classmates I took advantage of the official educational opportunities handed us in school, enthusiastically taking on the challenge of four AP, one IB, and one community college course - all of which not only allowed me to delve more deeply into the class subject matter but also enriched my experience in my regular high school classes and proved to be the catalyst for outside-the-classroom friendship and intellectual conversation with highly-involved fellow students. The energy I drew from these classes went far beyond the classes themselves, though, with the resulting momentum inspiring me to interests well outside the walls of the high school. These interests include....</p>
<p>It completely depends on your situation, though.</p>
<p>Is it true that creativity does not really matter on the UC essays but instead, should be more fact based?</p>
<p>They probably don't have time to read all the essays if the're spending 2 minutes on each application.</p>
<p>A UCI admission officer came to our school today. He said it didn't matter if your essay is creative or not, they look at the contents. He also said that they don't have time to read each essay one by one so make things concise.</p>
<p>MaryCeleste, your response was very helpful. I wrote pretty much what you did for your sample/example or whatever you want to call it (though I'd have to say you said it better). I'm not much of a writer myself. I feel much better about it now though. Thanks for the help everyone.</p>
<p>What do you think about something about being encouraged by a history teacher to enter in the National History Day contest and advancing from school -> county -> state finals, then placing third? My topic was based on Asian history and how I learned about my past and heritage and whatever...</p>
<p>To kelli: that sounds like a very good topic. Though teachers may be involved in their student's NHD projects, in most situations it's the student's own initiative and ideas driving the endeavor, so this subject would be perfect. Coming in third might not sound as impressive as it should to readers unfamiliar with the event, so you might dig through the website and find their statistic about the original number of participants (at the local level that is, not just national attendees). </p>
<p>Again, though, it might be best to focus the essay on what you learned (the project itself, discovering your heritage, organizing and carrying out a multi-step project etc.) and what you experienced (the thrill of pushing yourself to the limits of your ability, perhaps connecting to your relatives through what you learned about your heritage, the energy and excitement of the convention and the fellow students you met there, experiencing the big city if you are from a small town, etc.) rather than focusing on the contest aspect of the event.</p>
<p>Should i focus on one experience or should i focus on several? I have done may activities outside of school: internships, college classes, science fair, etc. Will it be bland to merely mention all of them? Or should i focus on one experience?</p>
<p>i think you should find one thing that connects them altogether and mention them all - so that you have a focus rather than a laundry list</p>
<p>Thanks a lot Mary! :)</p>