In this blog post, I’m sharing two UC PIQ examples from my actual application that helped me get accepted into UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego.
As a first-generation college student, I remember how hard it was to start writing my PIQs — I didn’t know where to begin or what a strong response even looked like. I wish I had access to real UC PIQ examples back then, which is why I’m sharing mine with you now.
These UC PIQ examples aren’t about saving the world — they’re honest, personal, and most importantly, they answer the prompt directly while highlighting my authentic passion.
I’ll be showing you two of my responses and breaking them down, so you can understand how I structured them and why they worked. If you’re applying to the UC undergraduate program, I hope this post gives you a clearer idea of what a strong PIQ looks like and inspires you to write your own with confidence.
This blog post is all about breaking down the UC PIQ examples from my application to help fellow applicants that are applying for the UC undergraduate program.
Before we dive in—here’s a quick note.
The UC PIQ examples I’m about to share were written during my time as a community college student back in Fall 2019. I had no guidance, was doing everything last minute, and honestly, these are NOT my best work. But despite all of that, I got into every UC I applied to. As a first-gen student navigating this process alone, I’m incredibly proud of that.
Now, with years of experience under my belt, I’m revisiting my old essays to break down what worked, where I excelled, and what I could have done to make them even stronger. My goal? To help you learn from both my wins and my missed opportunities.
UC PIQ Example #1:
“Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university.”
“As I study sociology at my current community college in my hometown that I grew up in, I am also a student ambassador for a student support program at Hartnell College named the Office of Equity Programs. Under the office, there are various programs where I assist underrepresented students such as undocumented, formerly incarcerated, first-generation and other circumstances that result in them struggling in higher education. Observing at work about how someone’s social identity molds their life is way different than learning about it in the classroom. Before I was working in the Office of Equity Program, I thought everyone had the same social identities at my community college like being first-generation hispanic students, but there is more to it for others. My job as a student ambassador has taught me more about sociology outside the classroom and to be completely honest, it has made me feel angry. Angry that people have disadvantages due to something they can not control, but inspires me to advocate for them as they are still trying despite the challenges. The underrepresented class are constantly on my mind since an individual’s social identity revolves around them everywhere they go. The sociology classes I have taken so far have transformed how I look at people and made me realize how little I know about others. This has led me to want to work with underrepresented people at the Office of Equity Program by assisting students on how to be the best student that they can be at Hartnell Community College. As a student ambassador, I advertise as much as I can about our program to encourage others to seek the help they need, work with the programs’ coordinators to set up events, share my own tips on how to be a successful student at Hartnell ,and provide a welcoming environment. This experience gave me the comprehension of sociology and how I can help those who lack representation in institutions like in education by planning to be a high school teacher” (Villicana 2019).
UC PIQ Example #1: Breakdown
When I was writing this UC PIQ for the transfer application, I focused on making sure I directly answered the prompt. The UC wants to know how you’ve prepared for your intended major — both in and out of the classroom — and if you’re ready to take on upper-division coursework.
Here’s how I approached and structured my response:
1. Started with My Major and Academic Background
I opened the essay by mentioning that I’m a sociology major at my community college. I briefly mentioned the courses I’ve taken and how they’ve helped me understand key sociological concepts.
2. Tied My Experience to My Major
I talked about my role as a student ambassador for the Office of Equity Programs. This experience allowed me to apply what I was learning in sociology to real-life situations and work with underrepresented students facing barriers in higher education.
3. Reflected on What I Learned About Social Identity
This part was important to me. I explained how my understanding of social identity evolved — I realized that people carry multiple identities that deeply affect their experience in college and beyond. This wasn’t something I fully grasped until I stepped into that role.
4. Identified Social Injustices and Took Action
I shared the emotional impact this work had on me — the frustration I felt seeing inequity up close — and how it pushed me to advocate for students who continue to show up and try despite systemic barriers.
5. Explained Why This Major Matters to Me
I connected my academic and real-world experience to a bigger purpose: helping underrepresented communities succeed. Sociology became more than a subject — it became a path to change.
6. Highlighted the Skills I Gained
Through this experience, I developed critical skills like communication, cross-cultural collaboration, leadership, and public speaking — all things that will support me in upper-division sociology courses.
7. Ended With My Future Goals
I closed the essay by sharing what I hope to do next: become a high school teacher to uplift students in my community. At the time I wrote this, it’s what I truly wanted — and it aligned perfectly with everything I had shared in my essay.
What I Could’ve Done Better in My UC PIQ Response
Even though my PIQ got me into UCLA and other top UCs, looking back now, there are definitely a few things I would’ve done differently to make it even stronger. If you’re writing your own UC PIQs, these are some lessons I learned that might help you avoid the same mistakes.
1. Be More Specific About My Coursework
I mentioned that I took sociology classes, but I didn’t name any specific ones or talk in detail about what I learned. Looking back, I could’ve mentioned the titles of key courses or described one concept that really stuck with me — this would’ve shown the admissions reader exactly how I connected theory to real life.
2. Add a Clearer Link to Upper-Division Readiness
I talked about what I learned and the skills I gained, but I could’ve been more direct about how those skills will help me succeed at the UC level. Saying something like, “These experiences have helped me develop critical thinking and analytical writing skills that I know will be essential in upper-division sociology courses” would’ve been a simple yet effective addition.
3. Break Up Long Sentences
My original draft had a few run-on sentences that made it a little hard to follow. Shorter, clearer sentences would’ve made the writing stronger and helped each idea stand out more. Sometimes less really is more.
4. Show a Unique Perspective
While my passion came through, I think I could’ve shared a more unique or personal moment — like a specific story or situation I witnessed while working in the Office of Equity Programs — to make the essay even more memorable.
5. Tie My Past and Future Together More Strongly
I ended by talking about wanting to become a teacher, which was honest, but I could’ve explained why that goal mattered to me more deeply — and how my experiences so far are preparing me to get there.
UC PIQ Example #2:
“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?”
“No one tells you the harsh truth of being a first-generation college student; being on your own to figure the whole college thing out. I was able to find a program on campus to help me navigate towards higher education and that program is named Student Support Services. This program targets first-generation or low-income students who pursue to transfer to obtain a bachelor’s degree, I was lucky that this program takes either or and does not require to be both for I wouldn’t qualify to be considered low-income. There are so many things that I used and learned from Student Support Services. Through the program, I get to use the free printing access, receive priority registration, the textbook lending library, calculator lending library, and also easier access to counselors compared to general counselors. I can honestly say that Student Support Services did affect me as a student, especially since all the staff members are first-generation college graduates. Seeing them gave me hope that I will be a first-generation college graduate, so I started to give it my all during my first fall semester at Hartnell by participating in clubs and maintaining a 4.0 gpa. I couldn’t believe it when I first saw that 4.0 on my transcript, I have never ever had a 4.0 before and I owe it all to the program with the resources and support that they gave me to be the best student I can be. The 4.0 meant a lot to me and gave me the boost of confidence that I needed, but I was only one A away from a 4.0 for spring semester. I learned so much from Student Support Services from understanding the pathway to transfer and how to succeed as a student at Hartnell college that I spread my knowledge to my peers who were not in the program. Giving my friends pointers felt rewarding because I felt like the staff of Student Support Services, the people who I look up to and support me on my journey to higher education” (Villicana 2019).
UC PIQ Example #2: Breakdown
How I Structured My Response
To make sure I fully answered the prompt, here’s how I approached this PIQ:
1. Named the Challenge Clearly
I opened up about the real and common challenge of being a first-generation college student — the lack of guidance and how isolating it can feel.
2. Explained the Steps I Took to Overcome It
I didn’t just say I struggled — I showed how I took action by finding and joining a support program (SSS), using its resources, and building new habits.
3. Connected It to My Academic Success
I highlighted how this support directly led to a 4.0 GPA, stronger confidence, and even made me a better peer by helping others.
What I Could’ve Done Better
Even though this response is true to my story, here’s what I might revise to make it even stronger:
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Be more specific about how the program helped me grow academically (e.g. Did it teach me study habits? Time management?)
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Mention one or two personal obstacles I faced before joining the program to really show the before and after
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Tie the story to long-term goals, like how this experience made me want to pursue a specific career or continue helping other first-gen students
Final thoughts
So those were my UC PIQ examples that got me into UCLA! I had to dig deep into my old emails to find these prompts and responses to share with you — and honestly, I totally thought I did way better back then. But looking back, these are 100% my story, and I think 19-year-old me did a great job showing my passion and potential.
I hope this blog post helped you feel more confident about writing your own UC PIQs and showed you that you don’t need a BIG story. What matters most is that you answer the prompt, share your truth, and show what makes you YOU.
Remember — UC admission readers only get a short amount of time to review each application, and you only get a max of 350 words per response. So make every word count, but don’t overthink it. Authenticity goes a long way.
Best of luck to everyone applying! And remember: any college would be lucky to have a student as resourceful and driven as you.
Don’t forget to check out my blog post on how to structure each UC PIQ response if you haven’t already — I break it down step-by-step to make the writing process a little easier.
P.S.: If you’re working on your UC apps (or just feeling unsure about which UC to apply to), check out my College List Tracker! It’s a simple way to stay organized and figure out which schools actually make sense for you.