<p>I got an email yesterday with the discussion title in the subject line. In my UCI admissions portal I have two (optional), essay prompts. </p>
<p>A. ESSAY RESPONSE #1
In your application you may have mentioned an extraordinary talent/skill or academic achievement. This may include participation in Junior Olympics, national debate competitions, recognition for musical talent, etc. Please take this opportunity to share with us more detailed information about the level of your achievement, depth of participation, and passion for this particular area.</p>
<p>B. ESSAY RESPONSE #2
Please describe any special circumstances that you would like us to consider that may have affected your ability to achieve academically. This may include personal circumstances, family experiences, and opportunities that were or were not available at your school or home. If you participated in an educational preparation program (i.e., MESA, Puente, CC Honors Program, U-Link, etc.) please describe your level of involvement and how each program was beneficial to you.</p>
<p>The directions say that I can fill out one, both, or none of the above prompts. There is no specified word/character cap, though I have about a week deadline in which to fill this section out. </p>
<p>I can write pages for the second prompt, because I have a lot of different life circumstances (I'm gay, adopted, my parents are conservative Christians, I am a minority.... and I experienced a very emotionally crippling life circumstance). I just don't have very much on the subject of the first prompt. Would it be ill advised to leave this section blank? Or can my achievement be about overcoming obstacles? Since there is a lot to write about in the second section, I am thinking of framing the second prompt somewhat like a auto-biography. Would that be appropriate? Has anyone gone through this update and been successfully admitted? Any advice would be helpful. </p>
<p>Weird. It doesn’t sound like an audit, they aren’t asking you to provide proof of anything. What are your stats? Perhaps you’re borderline and they’re just asking for supplemental information. I would try to fill out both to maximize your chances. I wouldn’t make #2 an autobiography, because that’s not what the prompt asks for. I would write about what role your life circumstances or obstacles played in any low grades, W’s, gaps in attendance, etc. </p>
<p>I agree with @smlk1505h. It sounds like your application is boarder line and they’re giving you a chance to sway them to a yes. It sounds like you have things in your life that have been challenging, but you need to talk about how that may shove affected you academically , and how going forward it won’t be an issue. </p>
<p>UC GPA: 3.12
Major Pre-reqs Completed: All
Intended Major: Global Studies
TAG: No
IGETC: Yes</p>
<p>My GPA is very low. A couple of years ago I was accepted to UCLA and UCI with a 3.5 GPA, but failed all of my spring classes because of life and family issues. So it was a long grade recovery process to get it back to a 3.12.</p>
<p>I agree with what the others are saying. Don’t make it into an autobiography. Just focus on answering the question as succinctly and articulately as possible.</p>
<p>All the workshops I attended advised me to write with passion. I would write about your obstacles and how you overcame them for prompt 2. Talk about what you learned and how those obstacles have impacted your life and how you managed to get this far even with the difficult challenges you face while attendinf school. Make sure you let them know even with difficult circumstances, you will continue to persue your education. (If that’s true).</p>