One surprise many students and parents get when it comes to applications is how many essays there are to write. Here in California, where many students apply to one or more of the University of California schools, there are four short prompts, then there’s the traditional college essay used for the Common Application, the Coalition Application joined the party a few years ago, and finally there are often multiple supplemental essays for individual schools.

The key takeaway: START EARLY!

THE COMMON APP

• The Personal Statement (essay) prompts are the same as last year. You choose one.

• The Common Application has added a new optional question about your experience during Covid. Here it is:

  1. Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep
     and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.
     1. Do you wish to share anything on this topic? Y/N
     2. Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.

The Covid Question vs. the Personal Statement: 

Let’s address the difference between the Covid question and the Common App’s personal statement. A personal statement shows reflection and/or a new understanding of yourself or others. You want to show your characteristics through a confirmation of change. For example, you saw a fight break out in school, know it was because of a misunderstanding, joined a peer counseling group, helped to grow its membership and are proud of the reduced conflict at school. The actions taken confirm that a change has happened, and you’ve had time to reflect on it and what it means to you.

 Whereas, the Covid question helps you acknowledge happenings without a great deal of reflection. You probably haven’t had time to absorb all of how the new normal has affected you, done something about it (proof of change) and been able to say what it means to you. Instead, for this question, you really just want to answer: What have you done? I made dinner once a week. What has the impact been? I learned how to use a pressure cooker and we sat down more as a family. What were you not able to do? I was going to be the trial attorney for Mock Trial.  How do you feel about it? I’m sad I missed out, but I’ve learned to move on.

If the quarantine didn’t impact you at all (really, at all), then maybe you should not answer this question. It is optional, and if you didn’t gain or loose through this crisis, there’s no need to mention that.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

• The four Personal Insight Questions (PIQ’s) are the same as last year. 

• There continues to be an Additional Information section at the end of this application to add anything not yet said or accounted for in your application.

Amanda’s Suggestion: If you’re not addressing how Covid affected you in one of the 4 PIQ’s, use what you write for the C App’s Covid question in the Additional Information section.

THE APPROACH

June/ July

1. Work through the UC’s PIQ’s-- 4, 350 word essays -- if you’re applying

2. The Common App Personal Statement/ Adjust it for the Coalition App, if needed

3.  Covid Statement/ UC Additional Information section

August

1. Pull all available supplemental essays (often released/ confirmed in August and September)

2.  Identify overlapping questions that can be reused or slightly modified

3.  Create a schedule for completion…there are 12 weeks between September 1st and the end of November. Shooting for closure on one school a week in the fall to complete your applications will maintain your sanity and preserve your winter break!

READY, SET, GET WRITING!