So you’re applying to a University of California (UC) campus next year. Like many of your classmates, you’ve probably been studying hard to boost your grade 12 marks, juggling clubs and extracurriculars, and trying to keep up with university applications — all at once. It’s a lot! So what do you actually need to write for your UC application? What even is a PIQ, and how many are there?
Let’s take something off your plate and break down the UC PIQs — Personal Insight Questions. This blog post will cover what they are, how to choose which ones to answer, and some tips to help you get started. Let’s dive in!
What are the PIQs?
UC’s Personal Insight Questions are your opportunity to show who you are beyond your grades and test scores. UC wants to understand your accomplishments, talents, values, and experiences. Your answers to these questions are only part of your application, but they provide context for your grades and activities and let your personality and perspective shine through.
There are eight PIQs to choose from. Freshman applicants must respond to any four of them; transfer applicants answer three of their choice, plus one required question. Every UC undergraduate applicant submits a total of four responses.
Here are the PIQs for September 2026 admission:
- Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.
- Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
- What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
- Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
- Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
- What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?
How do I choose which four to write?
UC emphasizes that no question is better than another — there’s no strategic advantage to picking certain questions. Instead, you should choose the ones that genuinely resonate with you. If a couple immediately stand out as things you can confidently write about, start there! It’s completely okay if some questions don’t seem to apply to you: that’s why there are eight options.
For example, if you don’t consider yourself a particularly creative person, you might skip question 2. If you enjoy school but you’re too busy outside of the classroom to pursue academic interests, maybe question 6 isn’t the best fit. Don’t force an answer to a question that doesn’t speak to your experiences.
Some students instantly recognize questions they have strong answers for. If that’s not you, take an elimination approach: cross off the questions that don’t match your strengths or experiences. This can help narrow your focus and give you a shortlist to work from.
If you’re still having a hard time choosing, here are three further tips.
1. Brainstorm about yourself first and work backwards to select your questions.
Make a list of experiences, traits, interests, or accomplishments that are meaningful to you. Then, look at the PIQs and figure out which ones allow you to tell those stories. Once you’ve picked two or three, step back and ask: What’s missing from the picture I’m giving UC? Pick questions that allow you to tell important stories, instead of fitting your experiences to pre-picked questions.
2. Check out UC’s “Things to Consider” for each PIQ.
On their admissions website, UC provides additional guiding questions for each PIQ to help you dig deeper. Reading through these can spark new ideas or help you decide which prompts are more promising based on your personal experiences.
3. Think about balance and variety.
Try to select questions that highlight different parts of who you are. For instance, don’t talk about the same or similar academic experiences in multiple responses if you’re also a leader in your community or have overcome a personal challenge. A well-rounded selection of PIQs can help the admissions committee see multiple dimensions of your personality, values, and background.
And a final tip, straight from UC: start early! When it comes to university application writing, brainstorming is often a bigger piece of the puzzle than students expect, and you don’t want to cut short your time to proofread, edit, and polish. Give yourself plenty of space to consider the questions, revise, and get feedback on your responses. Good luck!
Stay tuned for Part Two, coming later this month, where we’ll dive deeper into each Personal Insight Question, provide detailed tips, and share sample essays to guide your responses. In the meantime, if you want personalized feedback, expert advice, and extra support, our educational consultants and writing coaches are ready to help. Book an appointment with us today and take your PIQs to the next level!
Admissions is a dynamic field and process. This post was written in August of 2025, and the information discussed was accurate at the time of writing, but that information may be different when you are reading this post. Please check each institution’s website for the most recent information.
