UC prompt help?

[mkm888]

<p>so I'm trying to come up with an idea for the "world i come from" essay. I don't really want to write about my family ors community because neither is very interesting and it would be a pretty generic essay... I was thinking about describing my own room and sorta how its different components reflect my personality. Does this sound all right?</p>

[Te4mVygrin]

<p>Yes it does beacuase it’s the “world you come from” for that prompt I described going to the library in elementary school and reading various books realated to my interests</p>

[mikemac]

<p>

I was thinking about describing my own room and sorta how its different components reflect my personality. Does this sound all right?

It’s your choice. Realize, though, that the “holistic admissions” and these essays are ways for the UC system to do an end-run around the ban on affirmative action. They are not reading these essays with an eye to admiring how creative you can be. They are looking for claims that you suffered from an unfair society. As Cal says

What We Look For:
Any unusual circumstances or hardships you have faced and the ways in which you have overcome or responded to them. Having a hardship is no guarantee of admission. If you choose to write about difficulties you have experienced, you should describe: 1) How you confronted and overcame your challenges, rather than describing a hardship just for the sake of including it in your application 2) What you learned from or achieved in spite of these circumstances
<a href=“http://admissions.berkeley.edu/personalstatement[/quote]You”>http://admissions.berkeley.edu/personalstatement

You</a> might also be interested in an article from the NY Times written by a prof who worked as a reader for the UC system

To better understand stressors, I was trained to look for the “helpful” personal statement that elevates a candidate. Here I encountered through-the-looking-glass moments: an inspiring account of achievements may be less “helpful” than a report of the hardships that prevented the student from achieving better grades, test scores and honors.
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/education/edlife/lifting-the-veil-on-the-holistic-process-at-the-university-of-california-berkeley.html?pagewanted=all[/quote]If”>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/education/edlife/lifting-the-veil-on-the-holistic-process-at-the-university-of-california-berkeley.html?pagewanted=all

If</a> you think writing about your room is giving them what they look for in scoring it then go ahead and use that. </p>