Writing the UC Transfer Essays, Exercises of Technical Writing

Download Writing the UC Transfer Essays and more Exercises Technical Writing in PDF only on Docsity! Writing the UC Transfer Essays Kylie LaFrenais - Naveed Pour *Revised by Vincent Tran and Frank Ralph UC Transfer Essay Overview ● Required question: 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. ● Select three out of the seven remaining prompts ● University of California website has a nice breakdown ● Word count: 350 UC Transfer Essay Overview ● Required question: 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. ● Why are you interested in your major? Where did this interest come from? ● It can come from anywhere. What matters is that it’s genuine. ● Pick times in your life when you felt that interest develop, then write about like a short story. ● Specifically describe what happened, how you felt, and how it made you interested in studying this. How has this interest changed you? Where do you want to take this in the future? Additional Prompts 1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. ● Tell a story. Think about a time[s] you were a leader, no matter how big or small. Specifically describe what you did and what you did to accomplish it, very specifically. ● What did you feel? How did it change you? 2. 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. ● How are you creative? It can be as simple as making a meal, drawing, or being able to talk your way out of situations. ● Write about how you express it, like you’re telling a story about yourself. Describe your process, what it looks like, what it feels like, from start to finish. Then write how has it changed you as a person. Prompts Continued 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? ● What are you good at? It can sewing, basketball, being really good at resolving arguments, etc. ● Describe how you’ve developed it. Explain how through your life, using specific examples, you’ve used and improved it. What is your process? Then reflect, why is it important to you, and how has it changed you? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. ● Different for everyone. What matters is that it is something impacted your education, and something you had to act on. ● Describe it. Be specific. What you did to overcome/take advantage of it? That’s where we learn about you. How has this changed you? General Strategies 1. It can look hard... 2. Cheat code? Choose a personality trait/characteristic about yourself you want to convey a. ex. I am someone who never gives up, kind, hard worker, ambitious, empathetic, etc. 3. Make a list of examples of events in your life/things that best show this trait. Then narrow the list to one or two specific things that really capture you. 4. Connect the desired personality trait + the example to one prompt. When looking back at your essay for revision, ask yourself: does this essay convey the personality trait I want to show? 5. Repeat this process for all four of the essays. Talking fonts, Accomelishments: | ER Neluntaeship a eneneny th Uno Teething. book copnittt Eonchans ond, wantiy 49 Krav the deeper Scere eek ins beh hum frompr al required Research Prsenbatons Pecsanal ity - bases: sue Desist Garey Pein Talent/Skll Classroom 70 CF Ehocatenal Orzechny Tamer ef econ RT X_Gon' Give tk 40% (whet)? How geting fit etek my werk ethcc an cesponSt to Challenge Tips for Writing ● Action shows character ● Show, don’t tell ● After saying what happened, say how it changed you. ● Nothing is off limits ● Doesn’t have to be dramatic; has to be true Appeals ● Universities are often not very explicit in giving direction for this ○ Check the university’s website ○ Look at online examples of successful appeals ● What are they looking for? ○ New academic and personal information ○ Extenuating circumstances What Makes a Good Personal Insight Essay? 3 Components: “3 I’s” stand out in a good UC essay ● Informative: answers the prompt providing clear and concise information with descriptive examples. [external stuff] ● Insightful: provides insight into the motivations, goals, and character of the applicant. [internal stuff] ● Individual: is written in a way that conveys the applicant’s personality, creating a unique sense of individuality. F | PL ral stent