Consumer Culture Is Central to Understanding Contemporary Identities Essay

As the title proposes, this paper will examine, how much does customer culture influence contemporary personalities. In today’s society purchaser culture is all over the place and we would presumably not have the option to get by without it. It turned out to be such a significant piece of our carries on with that a few people even form their bearer around it. Most organizations in present day social orders, all around the globe function as effectively as they do, essentially on the grounds that individuals became customers and they purchase their items. This paper is first going to take a gander at why this difference in demeanor happened and how precisely it achieved buyer culture. This will lead us onto how precisely customer culture functions and how it influences purchasers. To respond to the inquiry completely, we will likewise take a gander at the two view focuses on this issue. First we will talk about contentions which bolster the view that purchaser culture makes present day characters. Besides, contentions supporting the view that customer culture is far less significant than in the improvement of one’s character. Before the inquiry itself is tended to, some foundation should be drawn about this issue. To be objective about this issue, it ought to be brought up straight away that customer culture isn't the key viewpoint influencing contemporary personalities. There is one straightforward clarification to why this is valid. People have been around for an any longer timeframe than purchaser culture and were effectively building up their characters even before shopper culture came to fruition. In this manner it is certainly obvious that previously, there were different things making our personalities adequately enough. The meaning of personality which Jodi Davis finds the most fitting is â€Å"My character is dictated by a perplexing blend of thingsâ€Å". The inquiry anyway focuses on contemporary characters. So is it conceivable that shopper culture figured out how to assume control over the intensity of the various parts of the making of personality in the previous 200 years? Some accept that the response to that question is yes. Actually, Bauman contends that â€Å"The streets to self-personality, to a spot in the public eye, to a real existence in a structure conspicuous as that of significant living, all require every day visits to the market place†. Essentially, Featherstone states that â€Å"criteria for easy street rotate around the longing to broaden one’s self, the journeys for new tastes, and sensations, to investigate increasingly more possibilities†. (Featherstone, pg 67) Therefore numerous individuals would be glad to state that in today’s society, purchaser culture enormously affects our characters. Somewhat, this is valid. Jagger even accepts that â€Å"we become what we consume†. (Jagger, pg 45) To clarify why this is valid, the term â€Å"floating signifiers† should be clarified. It alludes to the way that nowadays, all items and brands have a specific significance/story behind them. Individuals get them as a result of these pictures they convey with them, as opposed to the genuine utilization of the item. This leads us to the utilization versus trade esteem question. It could be contended this was one of the fundamental changes which made industrialism extend to such an extent. Fundamentally Use versus Trade strife alludes to the way that at one point, individuals quit purchasing products for their utilization esteem and began getting them for their trade esteem. Material products are utilized as communicators, not utilities. (Featherstone, pg 84) Today, commercialization has arrived at such degree of progress, that individuals no longer purchase things since they need them, but since they like this picture items give them. â€Å"Consumption, at that point, must not be comprehended as the utilization of utilization esteems, a material utility however fundamentally as utilization of signs. †(Featherstone, pg 85) This way, the things we purchase, make our character, since individuals judge us dependent on what the items we use say about us. In today’s society of outsiders, it is the best way to pass judgment on an individual at the primary sight. So for instance if somebody somehow managed to drive a Ferrari, individuals would consider him an effective person. This presumption would be founded on the way that to have the option to bear the cost of this sort of vehicle, the individual must be exceptionally rich. Likewise the brand itself gives him the picture of a youthful effective man. This shows consequently, without addressing individuals or becoming acquainted with them, they as of now judge us dependent on our appearance. Clearly we as a whole need to be enjoyed and acknowledged by others so we attempt to satisfy their desires for us. We endeavor to â€Å"live up to (however not over) the norms appended to the ‘social category’ into which we were born†. (Bauman, pg 27) These principles are additionally anyway controlled by the media. Excellence standards are set by TV, ads and famous people. They decide what’s â€Å"cool† and what isn’t. For instance VIPs regularly go about as excellence symbols, such huge numbers of ladies endeavor to seem as though them. This internal need to ulfil society’s desire drives them to purchase items which guarantee to make them resemble a big name. Whoever doesn't at any rate endeavor to fit in inside these gauges, or much more terrible, attempts to do the inverse, may be slandered for it. For instance in the course of recent years, it turned out to be exceptionally well known for ladies to shave their legs. It turned out to be mainstream to the point that these days, ladies who don’t do it are generally profoundly defamed. This all roots in industrialism, on the grounds that the underlying motivation behind why it became well known was to constrain individuals to burn through cash on razors-which were up to that point superfluous. Attempting to satisfy these desires makes our character as it were. As a rule utilization of merchandise just influences our outer character yet in some outrageous cases it might even begin to influence one’s inner personality. For instance certain brands depict certain gatherings of individuals. So if one somehow happened to shop at Gucci or Chanel, one is relied upon to act a specific way. These brands convey the picture of a conventional, respectful and high society person. So anybody wearing Gucci or Chanel endeavors to satisfy the principles of these brands. That way one is as of now is changing his conduct just as his appearance, which is influencing his/hers outer, yet additionally inside character. So truly, when we consider it, the character others think we have, in light of our appearance, is fake and phony. This is on the grounds that it is just made by the items we use, not by us ourselves. Be that as it may, on the other hand, we pick which items to purchase and it is us who concludes what to look like for others so whatever we wear or appear as though, it is somewhat customized by our taste and different decisions we make. Campbell raises an intriguing point with regards to his book. He says that purchaser culture builds up our personality in light of the fact that since there is presently such a huge selection of items, it gives buyers chance to characterize their taste. They can choose what they like and so forth. Likewise, since shopping centers are so mysterious, clients can take a stab at anything they like, just to perceive how that â€Å"role† would fit them. This likewise causes them to discover the picture of themselves which they need to depict to others. (Campbell, pg 159) However others accept that shopper culture is far less significant than different components in the improvement of one’s personality. Jodi Davis isolates character into outer and inward. Outside is â€Å"cultural groupings (nationality, race, religion and sex) just as cultural portrayals (family, profession, and position or title)†. Though inside is â€Å"natural blessings, qualities, capacities; the erudite person, passionate, physical and profound attributes that include our uniqueness and natural gifts and capacities; our fundamental direction toward our general surroundings, our learning styles, how we process and sort out data, and other inclined propensities and characteristicsâ€Å". Davis, pg 7) As we can see, there are a great deal of things which characterize a person’s personality. Also, we were to take a gander at them exclusively; we would see that we were quite brought into the world with the majority of the significant parts of our character and in this manner can't transform them. Our appearance is one of the not many parts of our character, which one can exchange. In this manner if an individual isn't content with his general character, one of only a handful barely any manners by which he can transform it is through commercialization. Truth be told commercialization and publicizing regularly intend to cause the client to feel this way. As the promotions scared that anything characteristic about the client was useless or miserable, and attempted to make him schizophrenically hesitant about that idea, they offered weapons by which individuals could overshadow themselves†. (Ewen, pg 48) If an individual dresses a specific way and utilizations certain items, he might have the option to persuade a few people that he fits the guidelines set by media. As referenced previously, this is because of the way that each item we purchase educates individuals something concerning us. The picture the item depicts probably won't be valid, yet simply the way that an individual uses that item causes individuals to trust it. Despite the fact that the second piece of this paper endeavors to help the possibility that there are different variables influencing contemporary personalities more than buyer culture, we ought not overlook its significance. The way that buyer culture encourages us to change the main alterable piece of our personality makes it, as I would like to think, significantly increasingly urgent. Customer culture is in reality noteworthy with regards to understanding contemporary characters. It is its items, which make the picture we attempt to depict to others and that path fit into society.

Charles Dickens create sympathy for Pip in the novel Great Expectations Essay Example For Students

Charles Dickens make compassion toward Pip in the novel Great Expectations Essay In this exposition I will investigate the a wide range of manners by which Charles Dickens makes compassion toward his character of Pip; the setting of the story, the connection with different characters, the language utilized, the disposition made and the impact given. I will likewise be thinking about Dickens life and drawing correlations with that and his accounts. Charles Dickens composed Great Expectations in the nineteenth century, when Victorian England was struck by an enormous class division. There were numerous individuals living in neediness, starving, and numerous individuals who were rich and affluent. Dickens experienced childhood in the destitution stricken side. At twelve years of age he left school to work, as his dad had been sent away to an account holders jail, a spot that is every now and again alluded to in his books. In investigating Charles Dickens life it turns out to be evident that his books reflect individual encounters. The vast majority of his works are based around class, society, cash and particularly kids (Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, A Christmas Carol and obviously Great Expectations). Incredible Expectations is an ideal case of how Dickens was endeavoring to advise his perusers on the battle a few people looked to be acknowledged into another class. He made a story that made the complexity among rich and poor clear and succinct. It was his trustworthiness and depiction that made him an exceptionally effective Victorian creator. There are two messages that go over in the story. The more vile being, high society individuals are dealt with better the lower class individuals. Dickens aim wasnt to cause the high society to feel liable, particularly as they would have been the individuals well on the way to peruse his book, it was absolutely to make them increasingly mindful of the manner in which others live and how enthusiastically a few people attempt just to fit in. Incredible Expectations is the narrative of Pip, and his excursion from a smithies assistant to a refined man. He lives with his sister and her better half as the remainder of Pips family have all kicked the bucket. He is constrained, by his sister, into a relationship with Miss Havisham, an extremely affluent yet inaccessible family member, to attempt to put a case on the legacy. While investing energy with Miss Havisham in her barren manor Pip meets Estella, an ideal duplicate of Miss Havisham, and begins to look all starry eyed. Pip is then educated regarding a mystery promoter who needs to make Pip a man of his word. Pip expect this is Miss Havisham, and she permits him to think so. As an honorable man Pip thinks that its difficult to adhere to his recompense and ends up in the red, and in an indebted individuals jail. Pip at that point finds that his genuine supporter is infact Magwitch, the convict whom he helped when he was more youthful. Pip is significantly humiliated by this yet feels he needs to reimburse Magwitch by getting him out of the nation and away from the unavoidable demise he faces on the off chance that he is to be gotten. During the break they are gotten and Magwitch is executed. Pip at that point understands that he doesn't have a place in that class and gets back where he keeps on working with Joe at the metal forgers. Indeed, even in only a short rundown of the story clearly Pip is going to assemble a great deal of compassion. A large portion of the compassion toward Pip is made in the start of the novel. This is on the grounds that the perusers typically structure their sentiments on a character from the characters first appearance. Charles Dickens utilizes his settings as state of mind enhancers. In both concentrate one (where Pip is in the burial ground) and concentrate two (where Pip goes into Miss Havishams house just because) Pip is put in exceptionally discouraging conditions. In remove one Pip meets Magwitch, a got away from convict, in the memorial park where Pips family is covered. .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .postImageUrl , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .focused content region { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:hover , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:visited , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:active { border:0!important; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd { show: square; change: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-progress: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; murkiness: 1; change: obscurity 250ms; webkit-progress: darkness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:active , .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:hover { mistiness: 1; change: haziness 250ms; webkit-progress: haziness 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .focused content territory { width: 100%; position: relat ive; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .ctaText { fringe base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: striking; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; text-improvement: underline; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; text style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; outskirt: none; outskirt range: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; text style weight: intense; line-tallness: 26px; moz-fringe span: 3px; text-adjust: focus; text-design: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-stature: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: total; right: 0; top: 0; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548 d51a0b6bd .focused content { show: table; stature: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u73919c68829f4a58f5ac548d51a0b6bd:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: Oedipus the ruler EssayMagwitch then has Pip accumulate him things to take back to him. Concentrate one beginnings with Pip presenting himself in a non-individual way. He doesnt address the perusers legitimately however it is as yet written in the main individual, So, I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip at that point proceeds to discuss his family. At the point when he is discussing his mom as, Also Georgina Wife of the Above it makes the peruser need to secure Pip and mother him since you understand that, Also Georgina Wife of the Above is the main way Pip has known his mom. He has never referred to his dad either as Pip says that, The state of the letters on my dads, gave me an odd thought that he was a square, strong, dim man with wavy dark hair. The manner in which Pip depicts his siblings being dead is exceptionally downplayed yet it gets the message over, and the peruser starts to think how horrendous this young men life probably been if all his family being dead isnt influencing him. To five little capsules, each about a foot and a half long, which we orchestrated in a slick column close to their grave, and were sacrosanct to the memory of five younger siblings of mine.

Swallows and Amazons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Swallows and Amazons - Essay Example The majority of these works examine the delicate and questionable subjects, for example, drugs, adolescent pregnancy, political occasions and physical assault and deserted youngsters. â€Å"An inescapable outcome of the way that children’s writing came in to being was that a specific restriction has been forced on children’s authors in the pragmatist condition with regards to points, for example, fear, governmental issues and sex† ( Hunt, 1990). Center of the nineteenth century is regularly respected the brilliant time of children’s writing in English. During this period the majority of the children’s scholarly works offered accentuation to children’s bliss and creative mind. Kid undertakings and wanderings were an inescapable piece of kid life in the greater part of the European nations during eighteenth and nineteenth hundreds of years. In this paper the scientist makes a relative report about the utilization of authenticity and fabulous in three books. Swallows and Amazons is the primary book in a progression of children’s books composed by Arthur Ransom. In his novel Arthur Ransom shows the universe of experience by the Walker and Blacket kids. Examining the novel Swallows and Amazons a peruser can find that the creator portrays the most reasonable untruthfulness of adolescence and the contention between energetic creative mind and reality. Pundits notice that a peruser can see the broad highlights of both the characters and the occasions can be followed back to the occasions in the author’s life. A large portion of the spots referenced in the novel are where Ransom spent his youth. The author has prevailing with regards to making a feeling of the real world and genuineness in his work. Center piece of the novel author gives the picture of an obscure island and furthermore a progression of experiences which represents the land investigations which occurred in fifteenth and sixteenth century. The youngsters arrive at an obscure island and they call it Wild Cat Island. Occasions of cruising, outdoors, angling,

Macbeth Witches Essays (1393 words) - Characters In Macbeth

Macbeth Witches In Macbeth, the witches appear to be confounding figures, they are depicted as dull, flighty, and unusually diverting animals. It doesn't appear that they have that a lot of a significance from the get-go, however subsequent to completing the story and really grasping, we see that the witches have done a great deal. Through certain models, and unobtrusive pieces of information showed in the story, we can securely reason that theweird sisters were explicitly intended to embed thoughts in Macbeth's cerebrum, which later impact him by giving him a wide range of data that in the long run influence his way of dealing with avarice, blame, and different feelings that put him for all intents and purposes on the edge of mental stability. We see that the witches show a sharp enthusiasm for Macbeth, explanations behind the intrigue aren't actually given, yet delineations of intrigue can be appeared. As Berryman proposes, the witches have ulterior thought processes in Macbeth. We see this through Berryman's model, which states that from the start, Macbeth is hailed as an extraordinary saint, yet in his coming, he is hailed by the pricking of a witch's thumb. Which fundamentally implies that he is welcomed on a kind of sign, not depicted as something that could be of a few great. Berryman raises the way that the witches realize that Macbeth will be awful, it isn't expressed now of the story why, however it is simply ingrained that he is (321). This model shows the way that the witches don't have the job of Macbeth's guides, yet rather as Macbeth's terrible impacts. Which is likewise bolstered by Shwister in his line Their hunger for wickedness is infinite(Shwister 60). Which reveals to us that the characteristic plan of the witches is to do detestable, of which they can never be fulfilled, which is shown by the word boundless in the statement, and by then being normally inclined to fiendish, they follow up on Macbeth in a negative kind of impact. Impact is once more delineated when we see that the Macbeth meets the witches just because. The witches wish to get total consideration from Macbeth, we see that they utilize wily methods of going about it. As Shwister states When the Witches let him know that he will be Thane of Cawdor, and afterward King, they feed the mystery dream he had imparted uniquely to his Lady(59). This statement shows the way that the witches realize what is Macbeth's dull want. By them realizing this we see the certainty that don't simply have some knowledge into Macbeth's internal knowing, however we additionally get the way that they have an enthusiasm for Macbeth that can be appeared by them giving Macbeth data that would energize his extravagant. We can take a gander at the above articulation that Macbeth, in the wake of hearing this, starts to take on a change that Bloom greatly analyzes to the account of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Guests as we may (or may not) be, we dread that Macbeth, out Mr. Hyde, has the ability to understand our own potential for dynamic malicious, poor Jeckyll in the end transforms into Mr. Hyde and can't get back; Shakespeare's specialty is to propose we could have such a fate(523). What this statement implies is that Macbeth, in the wake of hearing what the witches have let him know, has changed from the blameless also, kind Dr. Jeckyll, into the insidious Mr. Hyde. Likewise, the last piece of the statement states that Macbeth more than likely would not have the option to turn around and change his perspective. Macbeth has changed, change in a way that has left him in the domain among blamelessness and fiendishness. De Quincey represents what Macbeth has transformed into in view of the thoughts embedded by the witches, in his entry that states With Macbeth and Lady Macbeth we are caused to feel, by exchange and talk, that their human instinct, the nature of adoration and leniency, has disappeared, and the evil nature has taken it's place(167). In this quote De Quincey brings into light the possibility that Macbeth has changed, and put aside sympathy and love, and supplanted it with insidious. Berryman likewise concurs on this reality, by his express This is differently shined by the analysts as Superhuman, subhuman, shrewd; yet the importance is clear, that there is a likelihood that the human Macbeth-the demonic(321). In his statement Berryman states that Macbeth has changed into the most malicious; wicked. By utilizing the word wicked, we get articulate and unadulterated malevolent, fiendish without sympathy, and wickedness without challenge. Detestable that can't by denied. Underhanded is once more shown

Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Talk about the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index. Answer: Presentation: This paper looks at about the simplicity of working together record (EODB). World Bank built up this record to gauge the guidelines influencing the organizations. High-positioning nations in the EODB record means that nature is increasingly appropriate for beginning and working a neighborhood association (Doing Business in Australia-World Bank Group, 2018). Australia is chosen to comprehend its EODB record and the difficulties looked by recently settled business association. Australia is presently positioned 14 out of 190 nations in the EODB file (Acs, Szerb Lloyd, 2017). The EODB record is clarified with 10 distinct themes. The first and most significant advance of any business association is to arrangement the business, as indicated by the EODB list of Australia the beginning of business is extremely easy. Managing development business assists with understanding the techniques, cost and time requires in building a distribution center, which likewise incorporates licenses and allows. In managing development licenses Australia positions sixth in DB positioning. The following subject of EODB file is getting power. This point characterizes the time and cost requires acquiring lasting power flexibly for an association. Australia positions 47, which is a major issue for a recently settled association. Enrolling property clarifies the time, cost and steps, which is expected to enlist a property. In this subject, Australias DB rank is 51, which implies it is very difficult to enroll a property in Australia than the majority of the nation. Getting credit is the following subject in EODB list, which investigates two distinct issues insolvency laws in loaning and the quality of credit announcing frameworks. Australias DB rank is six in getting credit. Australias quality of securing minority financial specialists is poor and positioned in 57. The ensuring minority point clarifies the quality of the minority or new investors against an inappropriate utilization of corporate resources by the top managerial staff. The following theme in the EODB list is making good on charges. In this theme, Australias DB rank is 26, which is relatively lower. The following subject in EODB file is exchanging across outskirts, which clarify the expense, and time requires in trading and bringing in merchandise. In exchanging across fringes, Aust ralias DB rank is 95, which shows that Australias calculated framework is very tedious and costly. Implementing contracts gauges the expense and time taken to determine a corporate question and the nature of legal strategy. In this pointer, Australias DB positions third, which implies the questions are understood rapidly and the nature of legal framework is superior to the greater part of the nation. The last marker or subject is settling indebtedness; this clarifies the cost, time and result of liquidation procedures, which includes lawful household elements. Australias DB rank is 18 in settling bankruptcy (Besley, 2015). Difficulties in working together in Australia: Getting power: Getting a steady power association is a significant issue in working together in Australia. It takes around 75 days to get a power association in Australia. Development grants: Australia may rank higher in this subject than the majority of the nation yet it is exceptionally hard to get a development license, it includes 11 distinct methods. Imports and fares: The strategic procedure in Australia is costly and tedious which seriously influences a business association (Choudhuri, Ehsan Hakura, 2015). Australia is a nation with great condition support for new associations. The beginning of new firm and credit offices will help the business association. Nonetheless, there are a few issues identified with getting power and calculated procedure over the fringes, which is relied upon to diminish later on. References: Acs, Z. J., Szerb, L., Lloyd, A. (2017). The worldwide business enterprise and advancement file. InGlobal Entrepreneurship and Development Index 2017(pp. 29-53). Springer, Cham. Besley, T. (2015). Law, guideline, and the business atmosphere: The nature and impact of the World Bank Doing Business project.Journal of Economic Perspectives,29(3), 99-120. Choudhri, E. U., Hakura, D. S. (2015). The conversion scale go through to import and fare costs: The job of ostensible rigidities and cash choice.Journal of International Money and Finance,51, 1-25. Working together in Australia - World Bank Group. (2018).Doingbusiness.org. Recovered 19 March 2018, from https://www.doingbusiness.org/information/exploreeconomies/australia

How to Improve Behavior in Preschoolers With ADHD

How to Improve Behavior in Preschoolers With ADHD ADHD Parenting Print Improve the Behavior of Preschoolers With ADHD By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Updated on September 19, 2019 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images Raising a child with ADHD is tough, especially when symptoms are already obvious at a young age. If you learn to recognize the signs of ADHD early, you will know what you are dealing with and can get interventions in place.   Environmental Changes Whenever there is an abrupt change in a child’s behavior, the first question to consider is whether or not there have been any recent changes that may create more stress in a child’s life such as a move, a loss, a new baby, changes in the routine, or lack of sleep. Kids with ADHD often have a difficult time adapting to changes or new situations, so you’re likely to see escalating behaviors including increased defiance and tantrums. Need for More Intense Interventions Your child may initially respond to your interventions  but may  subsequently need more intense interventions. This might include more frequent redirection and feedback and more immediate and more powerful rewards. It also helps to be aware of triggers and plan for problem situations including roleplaying and teaching appropriate skills. Continue to be consistent, as well. Proactive Parenting Strategies Kids who are impulsive have a really hard time controlling and inhibiting their behaviors and responses. They react without considering consequences. They also often don’t connect their actions to the consequences that will follow, especially at this young age. That’s why proactive strategies like redirecting, frequent reminders, preparing for transitions, keeping the day very structured, channeling extra energy with physical movement, offering choices to give him a sense of control, giving one-step directions, and teaching calming strategies, can really help. Close Supervision and Monitoring Continue to monitor your child closely. He will need constant supervision around younger siblings.  Try to identify triggers to your childs outbursts so you can intervene and redirect in positive ways before the behavior becomes destructive and aggressive. Do meltdowns seem to occur at a particular time? Around transitional times? When the child is overstimulated? Overtired? Frustrated with a task or in trying to verbalize or communicate desires? Remain Calm, Get Support and Don’t Forget Self-Care It is hard, but try to remain as calm as possible. Sometimes what happens with kids with ADHD is their behaviors can become so difficult and exasperating that the parents may begin to respond in ways that may not be quite as effective (perhaps responding with inconsistency or disapproval and anger). This, in turn, escalates the child’s acting out. It cannot be reiterated enough that parenting a child with ADHD is tough. It requires even more patience and supervision and creative interventions on the part of the parent. It can be draining, so work with your partner or network of family and friends to figure ways to take care of yourself. That way, you have the energy to parent calmly and productively. Make sure you are consistent  and if in a two-parent household, make sure you are on the same page parenting-wise. It often helps to connect with a professional for parent support and training. You can look for a CHADD Support Group in your area. Communicate Openly With Your Child’s Doctor Share your concerns with your child’s pediatrician. A low dose of stimulant medication may be recommended if environmental changes and behavioral approaches are not enough to significantly improve symptoms. If your child is placed on medication, it will be important to monitor closely and communicate frequently with the doctor to make sure side effects are minimized and your child’s health is good. If your child is already on medication, an adjustment may be recommended. Either way, open communication with the doctor is essential.

Tips for Answering the University of California System Personal Insight Questions [2019 - 2020]

The University of California System or UC’s, as they are commonly known, consist of 9 campuses that utilize the same application. They are: UC Berkeley (Cal), UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Los Angeles (UCLA), UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. You will use the same responses for all the campuses to which you select to apply. Take a look at what each campus has to offer—academic programs, clubs, activities, location, internships, intramural options, career services, research opportunities, professors and anything else that attracts you to a particular school and consider how you might showcase your fit. UC Admissions asks you to write several short essays in order to gain insight into who you are on a more person level and how you might contribute to the school to which you are applying. As a freshman applicant, you must respond to 4 of the 8 essay prompts. Each of your 4 responses is limited to 350-words. Read through the prompts and address the 4 that resonate with your life experience. Some of the questions have some overlap in the topics you might discuss so select the options that all you to demonstrate specific attributes. No single question is better to answer than the other; it’s just a matter of which questions are a better match for you. Consider the combination of prompts that will allow you to communicate different aspects of your identity. Get a free consultation: Click here to schedule a call to find out how our admissions experts can help YOU ace your  University of California application! The University of California System Personal Insight Questions UC Personal Insight Question #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. This can be an intimidating question if you approach it too broadly. Instead, think about a specific example of your leadership in action. Consider instances where you can trace a tangible positive outcome back to a specific conflict resolution/action/decision/negotiation/collaboration. This effort could have been within your family, school, community, job, peer group, religious organization, athletic/academic team, or anything along these lines. What did you learn about leadership from this experience? What did you learn about yourself as a leader? How did this experience change your perspective and the way you interact with others? Make sure you address all parts of these questions and the additional implied question—what kind a leader might you be in the UC community? hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'b11ab1f4-ea16-477a-b602-88f511f102cc', {}); UC Personal Insight Question #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. This prompt provides an opportunity to express your creative passion and your thought process. Do you have a particularly creative skill? Do you think about issues in inventive ways? Was there an issue or problem you approached in a creative or novel manner? Remember this can be something school related or otherwise. Select a specific example and express your enthusiasm. What was the outcome? How did your creativity, problem solving, innovative thinking, or artistic ability impact others? How does your creativity impact the way you learn, how you interact with others, your lifestyle or your intended area of study and/or career? How does this example reflect something significant about you? And why is that important? How might you embrace your creativity while you are in college? UC Personal Insight Question #3 What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? This prompt allows you to detail something you have done for an extended time though which you can demonstrate growth and deeper understanding. It can be something that came naturally or something you worked hard to develop over time. Be cautious not to let your response to this prompt overlap with what you discussed for question #2 regarding creativity—you want to tell the Admissions Committee something that represents a different facet of your abilities. This could be anything from playing a particular instrument to playing a specific sport or any other activity that demonstrates development through an extensive process. What sparked your interest? Why is this meaningful to you? How did you explore and develop this talent or skill? Did you have to sacrifice anything to pursue this talent or skill? What were the challenges and rewards? What did you learn about yourself in the process? How might you continue to nurture/utilize this talent or skill in the future, possibly even on campus? UC Personal Insight Question #4 Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. In broad strokes, this is about how you make things happen regardless of the cards you are dealt. It also speaks to your resilience and ability to adapt to different circumstances. Your response to this prompt really gets at the question of how you use what you have to succeed—whether you are fortunate enough to have had many educational opportunities or have had to work to overcome great challenges, what have you achieved and learned about yourself in the process? If you embraced an opportunity to experience something new (culture, activity, volunteer experience, academic enrichment opportunity, etcetera), how did the experience change the way you look at the world? How did it influence how you think about yourself? If you overcame significant challenges (learning disability, difficult family situation/relationship, financial challenges, particular hardship, etcetera), what motivated you to do more? What steps did you take to improve the situation? How did overcoming this bar rier make you stronger? How did it change your perspective or attitude? Whether you are addressing an opportunity or barrier, how does what you shared inspire you for the future? UC Personal Insight Question #5 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? This question is similar to the second part of question #4 about the barriers you faced. This is the place to reveal reasons why your extracurricular involvement, test scores or grades might not be as competitive as other applicants—just make sure it does not come off as making excuses. Your most significant challenge could relate to a personal loss, disability, conflicts within your community or family, or coming to terms with a non-conventional identity. It is also possible that you are still working to overcome this challenge. The important thing is to identify the challenge, discuss what you have done to try to overcome it and then explain its impact on your academic achievement. If you select this prompt, your story is likely to be very personal. You don’t have to shy away from this one, but you will need to give it a great deal of thought so you can convey its significance. It is also important to consider how the lessons you learned through this process prepares you for academic success in college. UC Personal Insight Question #6 Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. This prompt asks you to convey your passion and enthusiasm for a specific academic subject. It not only reveals the topic you find interesting but also how you explore your interests and how you engage with learning on various levels—inside and/or outside of the classroom. Think about what you did to dive deeper in to the subject—volunteer activities, internships, research, clubs, advanced classes, and whatever else you did to further your interests. What makes this subject so exciting for you? How has the knowledge you acquired impacted your perception of the world? What have you learned about yourself in your pursuit of the subject? This is also a great place to discuss your potential major or other areas you are interested in studying in college. If it applies, you can also link this to your future career. As they read your response, the admissions committee will be thinking about how you might explore this and other topics at their school. UC Personal Insight Question #7 What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? This question is pretty straightforward. It addresses how you, as an individual, make a positive impact on those around you. Identify something you did to help others. Many applicants use a specific volunteer experience as an example. Others discuss a team or group. Identify your role within the school, group, or community. What was the issue/problem/deficiency/need? How did you help address it? Why was this important to you? How do you know you had a positive effect? What was your motivation to help? Did you work with others or alone? What did you learn about yourself in the process? Is this something you might continue while in college? UC Personal Insight Question #8 Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Yes, this is a wide open question! Before you decide how you want to answer this prompt, make a quick list of the characteristics you feel make you an outstanding fit with the University of California System. Then look over your application and the other questions you already responded to and see if there is anything missing. This is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee anything you feel is significant that you were not able to discuss within the context of the other prompts. Although the advice the University of California Admissions online portal gives for this essay includes that you shouldn’t â€Å"be afraid to brag a little,† this prompt is not the only part of the application to highlight your clearest strengths. You could skip this essay and still represent yourself and your talents effectively by choosing four of the other seven prompts. If you didn’t already answer prompt #3 and want to close on a strong note, this essay can be a useful time to highlight something singular about yourself. Admissions Committees tend to read essays in chronological order, so if you do select prompt #8, make sure you end on a strong and interesting note. This is a good opportunity to link what you discuss to the University of California System in some way. Maybe you have already been involved in a pre-college program at a particular UC campus–a creative writing program for high school students, for example–and formed meaningful connections with faculty members in the process. Mentioning details like this can help demonstrate you want to be part of the social fabric of a UC campus and are more likely to attend a UC school if accepted, which can certainly help sway an Admissions Committee. Final thoughts on applying to the UC System Competition for admission to the UC System is highly competitive and continues to increase each year. This is especially true if you are an out-of-state candidate. You must work to set yourself apart from other applicants. As you address the essay prompts, keep the 350-word limit for each response in mind and do not overlap information you discussed in other essays. Strive to use each response to tell the admissions committee something that demonstrates a different aspect of who you are. Remember, the admissions officers already have the numbers associated with your application (test scores, GPA, etcetera). Plan out your responses and make sure to allow adequate time to write and revise your essays. The short essays are your opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Consider your motivation, inspiration, values, learning style, character, personal history, and goals for the future. If you’re applying to the University of California System, you already know you’re up against tight competition. Don’t be overwhelmed. Get the guidance of an experienced admissions specialist who will help you stand out from the highly competitive applicant pool so you can apply with confidence, and get accepted! Click here to get started! ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'd81c5687-dd01-4648-93b4-33d2ae163735', {}); Marie Todd has been involved in college admissions for over twenty years. Marie has both counseled applicants to top colleges and evaluated 5000+ applications for the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts; College of Engineering; School of Kinesiology; School of Nursing; and Taubman College of Architecture.  Want Marie to help you get accepted?  Click here to get in touch with Marie Todd. Related Resources: †¢ 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your College Application Essays, a free guide †¢ Different Dimensions of Diversity, a podcast episode †¢Ã‚  School-Specific Supplemental Application Essay Tips Tips for Answering the University of California System Personal Insight Questions [2019 - 2020] The University of California System or UC’s, as they are commonly known, consist of 9 campuses that utilize the same application. They are: UC Berkeley (Cal), UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Los Angeles (UCLA), UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. You will use the same responses for all the campuses to which you select to apply. Take a look at what each campus has to offer—academic programs, clubs, activities, location, internships, intramural options, career services, research opportunities, professors and anything else that attracts you to a particular school and consider how you might showcase your fit. UC Admissions asks you to write several short essays in order to gain insight into who you are on a more person level and how you might contribute to the school to which you are applying. As a freshman applicant, you must respond to 4 of the 8 essay prompts. Each of your 4 responses is limited to 350-words. Read through the prompts and address the 4 that resonate with your life experience. Some of the questions have some overlap in the topics you might discuss so select the options that all you to demonstrate specific attributes. No single question is better to answer than the other; it’s just a matter of which questions are a better match for you. Consider the combination of prompts that will allow you to communicate different aspects of your identity. Get a free consultation: Click here to schedule a call to find out how our admissions experts can help YOU ace your  University of California application! The University of California System Personal Insight Questions UC Personal Insight Question #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. This can be an intimidating question if you approach it too broadly. Instead, think about a specific example of your leadership in action. Consider instances where you can trace a tangible positive outcome back to a specific conflict resolution/action/decision/negotiation/collaboration. This effort could have been within your family, school, community, job, peer group, religious organization, athletic/academic team, or anything along these lines. What did you learn about leadership from this experience? What did you learn about yourself as a leader? How did this experience change your perspective and the way you interact with others? Make sure you address all parts of these questions and the additional implied question—what kind a leader might you be in the UC community? hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'b11ab1f4-ea16-477a-b602-88f511f102cc', {}); UC Personal Insight Question #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. This prompt provides an opportunity to express your creative passion and your thought process. Do you have a particularly creative skill? Do you think about issues in inventive ways? Was there an issue or problem you approached in a creative or novel manner? Remember this can be something school related or otherwise. Select a specific example and express your enthusiasm. What was the outcome? How did your creativity, problem solving, innovative thinking, or artistic ability impact others? How does your creativity impact the way you learn, how you interact with others, your lifestyle or your intended area of study and/or career? How does this example reflect something significant about you? And why is that important? How might you embrace your creativity while you are in college? UC Personal Insight Question #3 What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? This prompt allows you to detail something you have done for an extended time though which you can demonstrate growth and deeper understanding. It can be something that came naturally or something you worked hard to develop over time. Be cautious not to let your response to this prompt overlap with what you discussed for question #2 regarding creativity—you want to tell the Admissions Committee something that represents a different facet of your abilities. This could be anything from playing a particular instrument to playing a specific sport or any other activity that demonstrates development through an extensive process. What sparked your interest? Why is this meaningful to you? How did you explore and develop this talent or skill? Did you have to sacrifice anything to pursue this talent or skill? What were the challenges and rewards? What did you learn about yourself in the process? How might you continue to nurture/utilize this talent or skill in the future, possibly even on campus? UC Personal Insight Question #4 Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. In broad strokes, this is about how you make things happen regardless of the cards you are dealt. It also speaks to your resilience and ability to adapt to different circumstances. Your response to this prompt really gets at the question of how you use what you have to succeed—whether you are fortunate enough to have had many educational opportunities or have had to work to overcome great challenges, what have you achieved and learned about yourself in the process? If you embraced an opportunity to experience something new (culture, activity, volunteer experience, academic enrichment opportunity, etcetera), how did the experience change the way you look at the world? How did it influence how you think about yourself? If you overcame significant challenges (learning disability, difficult family situation/relationship, financial challenges, particular hardship, etcetera), what motivated you to do more? What steps did you take to improve the situation? How did overcoming this bar rier make you stronger? How did it change your perspective or attitude? Whether you are addressing an opportunity or barrier, how does what you shared inspire you for the future? UC Personal Insight Question #5 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? This question is similar to the second part of question #4 about the barriers you faced. This is the place to reveal reasons why your extracurricular involvement, test scores or grades might not be as competitive as other applicants—just make sure it does not come off as making excuses. Your most significant challenge could relate to a personal loss, disability, conflicts within your community or family, or coming to terms with a non-conventional identity. It is also possible that you are still working to overcome this challenge. The important thing is to identify the challenge, discuss what you have done to try to overcome it and then explain its impact on your academic achievement. If you select this prompt, your story is likely to be very personal. You don’t have to shy away from this one, but you will need to give it a great deal of thought so you can convey its significance. It is also important to consider how the lessons you learned through this process prepares you for academic success in college. UC Personal Insight Question #6 Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. This prompt asks you to convey your passion and enthusiasm for a specific academic subject. It not only reveals the topic you find interesting but also how you explore your interests and how you engage with learning on various levels—inside and/or outside of the classroom. Think about what you did to dive deeper in to the subject—volunteer activities, internships, research, clubs, advanced classes, and whatever else you did to further your interests. What makes this subject so exciting for you? How has the knowledge you acquired impacted your perception of the world? What have you learned about yourself in your pursuit of the subject? This is also a great place to discuss your potential major or other areas you are interested in studying in college. If it applies, you can also link this to your future career. As they read your response, the admissions committee will be thinking about how you might explore this and other topics at their school. UC Personal Insight Question #7 What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? This question is pretty straightforward. It addresses how you, as an individual, make a positive impact on those around you. Identify something you did to help others. Many applicants use a specific volunteer experience as an example. Others discuss a team or group. Identify your role within the school, group, or community. What was the issue/problem/deficiency/need? How did you help address it? Why was this important to you? How do you know you had a positive effect? What was your motivation to help? Did you work with others or alone? What did you learn about yourself in the process? Is this something you might continue while in college? UC Personal Insight Question #8 Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Yes, this is a wide open question! Before you decide how you want to answer this prompt, make a quick list of the characteristics you feel make you an outstanding fit with the University of California System. Then look over your application and the other questions you already responded to and see if there is anything missing. This is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee anything you feel is significant that you were not able to discuss within the context of the other prompts. Although the advice the University of California Admissions online portal gives for this essay includes that you shouldn’t â€Å"be afraid to brag a little,† this prompt is not the only part of the application to highlight your clearest strengths. You could skip this essay and still represent yourself and your talents effectively by choosing four of the other seven prompts. If you didn’t already answer prompt #3 and want to close on a strong note, this essay can be a useful time to highlight something singular about yourself. Admissions Committees tend to read essays in chronological order, so if you do select prompt #8, make sure you end on a strong and interesting note. This is a good opportunity to link what you discuss to the University of California System in some way. Maybe you have already been involved in a pre-college program at a particular UC campus–a creative writing program for high school students, for example–and formed meaningful connections with faculty members in the process. Mentioning details like this can help demonstrate you want to be part of the social fabric of a UC campus and are more likely to attend a UC school if accepted, which can certainly help sway an Admissions Committee. Final thoughts on applying to the UC System Competition for admission to the UC System is highly competitive and continues to increase each year. This is especially true if you are an out-of-state candidate. You must work to set yourself apart from other applicants. As you address the essay prompts, keep the 350-word limit for each response in mind and do not overlap information you discussed in other essays. Strive to use each response to tell the admissions committee something that demonstrates a different aspect of who you are. Remember, the admissions officers already have the numbers associated with your application (test scores, GPA, etcetera). Plan out your responses and make sure to allow adequate time to write and revise your essays. The short essays are your opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Consider your motivation, inspiration, values, learning style, character, personal history, and goals for the future. If you’re applying to the University of California System, you already know you’re up against tight competition. Don’t be overwhelmed. Get the guidance of an experienced admissions specialist who will help you stand out from the highly competitive applicant pool so you can apply with confidence, and get accepted! Click here to get started! ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'd81c5687-dd01-4648-93b4-33d2ae163735', {}); Marie Todd has been involved in college admissions for over twenty years. Marie has both counseled applicants to top colleges and evaluated 5000+ applications for the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts; College of Engineering; School of Kinesiology; School of Nursing; and Taubman College of Architecture.  Want Marie to help you get accepted?  Click here to get in touch with Marie Todd. Related Resources: †¢ 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your College Application Essays, a free guide †¢ Different Dimensions of Diversity, a podcast episode †¢Ã‚  School-Specific Supplemental Application Essay Tips Tips for Answering the University of California System Personal Insight Questions [2019 - 2020] The University of California System or UC’s, as they are commonly known, consist of 9 campuses that utilize the same application. They are: UC Berkeley (Cal), UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Los Angeles (UCLA), UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. You will use the same responses for all the campuses to which you select to apply. Take a look at what each campus has to offer—academic programs, clubs, activities, location, internships, intramural options, career services, research opportunities, professors and anything else that attracts you to a particular school and consider how you might showcase your fit. UC Admissions asks you to write several short essays in order to gain insight into who you are on a more person level and how you might contribute to the school to which you are applying. As a freshman applicant, you must respond to 4 of the 8 essay prompts. Each of your 4 responses is limited to 350-words. Read through the prompts and address the 4 that resonate with your life experience. Some of the questions have some overlap in the topics you might discuss so select the options that all you to demonstrate specific attributes. No single question is better to answer than the other; it’s just a matter of which questions are a better match for you. Consider the combination of prompts that will allow you to communicate different aspects of your identity. Get a free consultation: Click here to schedule a call to find out how our admissions experts can help YOU ace your  University of California application! The University of California System Personal Insight Questions UC Personal Insight Question #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. This can be an intimidating question if you approach it too broadly. Instead, think about a specific example of your leadership in action. Consider instances where you can trace a tangible positive outcome back to a specific conflict resolution/action/decision/negotiation/collaboration. This effort could have been within your family, school, community, job, peer group, religious organization, athletic/academic team, or anything along these lines. What did you learn about leadership from this experience? What did you learn about yourself as a leader? How did this experience change your perspective and the way you interact with others? Make sure you address all parts of these questions and the additional implied question—what kind a leader might you be in the UC community? hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'b11ab1f4-ea16-477a-b602-88f511f102cc', {}); UC Personal Insight Question #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. This prompt provides an opportunity to express your creative passion and your thought process. Do you have a particularly creative skill? Do you think about issues in inventive ways? Was there an issue or problem you approached in a creative or novel manner? Remember this can be something school related or otherwise. Select a specific example and express your enthusiasm. What was the outcome? How did your creativity, problem solving, innovative thinking, or artistic ability impact others? How does your creativity impact the way you learn, how you interact with others, your lifestyle or your intended area of study and/or career? How does this example reflect something significant about you? And why is that important? How might you embrace your creativity while you are in college? UC Personal Insight Question #3 What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? This prompt allows you to detail something you have done for an extended time though which you can demonstrate growth and deeper understanding. It can be something that came naturally or something you worked hard to develop over time. Be cautious not to let your response to this prompt overlap with what you discussed for question #2 regarding creativity—you want to tell the Admissions Committee something that represents a different facet of your abilities. This could be anything from playing a particular instrument to playing a specific sport or any other activity that demonstrates development through an extensive process. What sparked your interest? Why is this meaningful to you? How did you explore and develop this talent or skill? Did you have to sacrifice anything to pursue this talent or skill? What were the challenges and rewards? What did you learn about yourself in the process? How might you continue to nurture/utilize this talent or skill in the future, possibly even on campus? UC Personal Insight Question #4 Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. In broad strokes, this is about how you make things happen regardless of the cards you are dealt. It also speaks to your resilience and ability to adapt to different circumstances. Your response to this prompt really gets at the question of how you use what you have to succeed—whether you are fortunate enough to have had many educational opportunities or have had to work to overcome great challenges, what have you achieved and learned about yourself in the process? If you embraced an opportunity to experience something new (culture, activity, volunteer experience, academic enrichment opportunity, etcetera), how did the experience change the way you look at the world? How did it influence how you think about yourself? If you overcame significant challenges (learning disability, difficult family situation/relationship, financial challenges, particular hardship, etcetera), what motivated you to do more? What steps did you take to improve the situation? How did overcoming this bar rier make you stronger? How did it change your perspective or attitude? Whether you are addressing an opportunity or barrier, how does what you shared inspire you for the future? UC Personal Insight Question #5 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? This question is similar to the second part of question #4 about the barriers you faced. This is the place to reveal reasons why your extracurricular involvement, test scores or grades might not be as competitive as other applicants—just make sure it does not come off as making excuses. Your most significant challenge could relate to a personal loss, disability, conflicts within your community or family, or coming to terms with a non-conventional identity. It is also possible that you are still working to overcome this challenge. The important thing is to identify the challenge, discuss what you have done to try to overcome it and then explain its impact on your academic achievement. If you select this prompt, your story is likely to be very personal. You don’t have to shy away from this one, but you will need to give it a great deal of thought so you can convey its significance. It is also important to consider how the lessons you learned through this process prepares you for academic success in college. UC Personal Insight Question #6 Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. This prompt asks you to convey your passion and enthusiasm for a specific academic subject. It not only reveals the topic you find interesting but also how you explore your interests and how you engage with learning on various levels—inside and/or outside of the classroom. Think about what you did to dive deeper in to the subject—volunteer activities, internships, research, clubs, advanced classes, and whatever else you did to further your interests. What makes this subject so exciting for you? How has the knowledge you acquired impacted your perception of the world? What have you learned about yourself in your pursuit of the subject? This is also a great place to discuss your potential major or other areas you are interested in studying in college. If it applies, you can also link this to your future career. As they read your response, the admissions committee will be thinking about how you might explore this and other topics at their school. UC Personal Insight Question #7 What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? This question is pretty straightforward. It addresses how you, as an individual, make a positive impact on those around you. Identify something you did to help others. Many applicants use a specific volunteer experience as an example. Others discuss a team or group. Identify your role within the school, group, or community. What was the issue/problem/deficiency/need? How did you help address it? Why was this important to you? How do you know you had a positive effect? What was your motivation to help? Did you work with others or alone? What did you learn about yourself in the process? Is this something you might continue while in college? UC Personal Insight Question #8 Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Yes, this is a wide open question! Before you decide how you want to answer this prompt, make a quick list of the characteristics you feel make you an outstanding fit with the University of California System. Then look over your application and the other questions you already responded to and see if there is anything missing. This is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee anything you feel is significant that you were not able to discuss within the context of the other prompts. Although the advice the University of California Admissions online portal gives for this essay includes that you shouldn’t â€Å"be afraid to brag a little,† this prompt is not the only part of the application to highlight your clearest strengths. You could skip this essay and still represent yourself and your talents effectively by choosing four of the other seven prompts. If you didn’t already answer prompt #3 and want to close on a strong note, this essay can be a useful time to highlight something singular about yourself. Admissions Committees tend to read essays in chronological order, so if you do select prompt #8, make sure you end on a strong and interesting note. This is a good opportunity to link what you discuss to the University of California System in some way. Maybe you have already been involved in a pre-college program at a particular UC campus–a creative writing program for high school students, for example–and formed meaningful connections with faculty members in the process. Mentioning details like this can help demonstrate you want to be part of the social fabric of a UC campus and are more likely to attend a UC school if accepted, which can certainly help sway an Admissions Committee. Final thoughts on applying to the UC System Competition for admission to the UC System is highly competitive and continues to increase each year. This is especially true if you are an out-of-state candidate. You must work to set yourself apart from other applicants. As you address the essay prompts, keep the 350-word limit for each response in mind and do not overlap information you discussed in other essays. Strive to use each response to tell the admissions committee something that demonstrates a different aspect of who you are. Remember, the admissions officers already have the numbers associated with your application (test scores, GPA, etcetera). Plan out your responses and make sure to allow adequate time to write and revise your essays. The short essays are your opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Consider your motivation, inspiration, values, learning style, character, personal history, and goals for the future. If you’re applying to the University of California System, you already know you’re up against tight competition. Don’t be overwhelmed. Get the guidance of an experienced admissions specialist who will help you stand out from the highly competitive applicant pool so you can apply with confidence, and get accepted! Click here to get started! ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'd81c5687-dd01-4648-93b4-33d2ae163735', {}); Marie Todd has been involved in college admissions for over twenty years. Marie has both counseled applicants to top colleges and evaluated 5000+ applications for the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts; College of Engineering; School of Kinesiology; School of Nursing; and Taubman College of Architecture.  Want Marie to help you get accepted?  Click here to get in touch with Marie Todd. Related Resources: †¢ 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your College Application Essays, a free guide †¢ Different Dimensions of Diversity, a podcast episode †¢Ã‚  School-Specific Supplemental Application Essay Tips Tips for Answering the University of California System Personal Insight Questions [2019 - 2020] The University of California System or UC’s, as they are commonly known, consist of 9 campuses that utilize the same application. They are: UC Berkeley (Cal), UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Los Angeles (UCLA), UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. You will use the same responses for all the campuses to which you select to apply. Take a look at what each campus has to offer—academic programs, clubs, activities, location, internships, intramural options, career services, research opportunities, professors and anything else that attracts you to a particular school and consider how you might showcase your fit. UC Admissions asks you to write several short essays in order to gain insight into who you are on a more person level and how you might contribute to the school to which you are applying. As a freshman applicant, you must respond to 4 of the 8 essay prompts. Each of your 4 responses is limited to 350-words. Read through the prompts and address the 4 that resonate with your life experience. Some of the questions have some overlap in the topics you might discuss so select the options that all you to demonstrate specific attributes. No single question is better to answer than the other; it’s just a matter of which questions are a better match for you. Consider the combination of prompts that will allow you to communicate different aspects of your identity. Get a free consultation: Click here to schedule a call to find out how our admissions experts can help YOU ace your  University of California application! The University of California System Personal Insight Questions UC Personal Insight Question #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. This can be an intimidating question if you approach it too broadly. Instead, think about a specific example of your leadership in action. Consider instances where you can trace a tangible positive outcome back to a specific conflict resolution/action/decision/negotiation/collaboration. This effort could have been within your family, school, community, job, peer group, religious organization, athletic/academic team, or anything along these lines. What did you learn about leadership from this experience? What did you learn about yourself as a leader? How did this experience change your perspective and the way you interact with others? Make sure you address all parts of these questions and the additional implied question—what kind a leader might you be in the UC community? hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'b11ab1f4-ea16-477a-b602-88f511f102cc', {}); UC Personal Insight Question #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. This prompt provides an opportunity to express your creative passion and your thought process. Do you have a particularly creative skill? Do you think about issues in inventive ways? Was there an issue or problem you approached in a creative or novel manner? Remember this can be something school related or otherwise. Select a specific example and express your enthusiasm. What was the outcome? How did your creativity, problem solving, innovative thinking, or artistic ability impact others? How does your creativity impact the way you learn, how you interact with others, your lifestyle or your intended area of study and/or career? How does this example reflect something significant about you? And why is that important? How might you embrace your creativity while you are in college? UC Personal Insight Question #3 What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? This prompt allows you to detail something you have done for an extended time though which you can demonstrate growth and deeper understanding. It can be something that came naturally or something you worked hard to develop over time. Be cautious not to let your response to this prompt overlap with what you discussed for question #2 regarding creativity—you want to tell the Admissions Committee something that represents a different facet of your abilities. This could be anything from playing a particular instrument to playing a specific sport or any other activity that demonstrates development through an extensive process. What sparked your interest? Why is this meaningful to you? How did you explore and develop this talent or skill? Did you have to sacrifice anything to pursue this talent or skill? What were the challenges and rewards? What did you learn about yourself in the process? How might you continue to nurture/utilize this talent or skill in the future, possibly even on campus? UC Personal Insight Question #4 Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. In broad strokes, this is about how you make things happen regardless of the cards you are dealt. It also speaks to your resilience and ability to adapt to different circumstances. Your response to this prompt really gets at the question of how you use what you have to succeed—whether you are fortunate enough to have had many educational opportunities or have had to work to overcome great challenges, what have you achieved and learned about yourself in the process? If you embraced an opportunity to experience something new (culture, activity, volunteer experience, academic enrichment opportunity, etcetera), how did the experience change the way you look at the world? How did it influence how you think about yourself? If you overcame significant challenges (learning disability, difficult family situation/relationship, financial challenges, particular hardship, etcetera), what motivated you to do more? What steps did you take to improve the situation? How did overcoming this bar rier make you stronger? How did it change your perspective or attitude? Whether you are addressing an opportunity or barrier, how does what you shared inspire you for the future? UC Personal Insight Question #5 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? This question is similar to the second part of question #4 about the barriers you faced. This is the place to reveal reasons why your extracurricular involvement, test scores or grades might not be as competitive as other applicants—just make sure it does not come off as making excuses. Your most significant challenge could relate to a personal loss, disability, conflicts within your community or family, or coming to terms with a non-conventional identity. It is also possible that you are still working to overcome this challenge. The important thing is to identify the challenge, discuss what you have done to try to overcome it and then explain its impact on your academic achievement. If you select this prompt, your story is likely to be very personal. You don’t have to shy away from this one, but you will need to give it a great deal of thought so you can convey its significance. It is also important to consider how the lessons you learned through this process prepares you for academic success in college. UC Personal Insight Question #6 Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. This prompt asks you to convey your passion and enthusiasm for a specific academic subject. It not only reveals the topic you find interesting but also how you explore your interests and how you engage with learning on various levels—inside and/or outside of the classroom. Think about what you did to dive deeper in to the subject—volunteer activities, internships, research, clubs, advanced classes, and whatever else you did to further your interests. What makes this subject so exciting for you? How has the knowledge you acquired impacted your perception of the world? What have you learned about yourself in your pursuit of the subject? This is also a great place to discuss your potential major or other areas you are interested in studying in college. If it applies, you can also link this to your future career. As they read your response, the admissions committee will be thinking about how you might explore this and other topics at their school. UC Personal Insight Question #7 What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? This question is pretty straightforward. It addresses how you, as an individual, make a positive impact on those around you. Identify something you did to help others. Many applicants use a specific volunteer experience as an example. Others discuss a team or group. Identify your role within the school, group, or community. What was the issue/problem/deficiency/need? How did you help address it? Why was this important to you? How do you know you had a positive effect? What was your motivation to help? Did you work with others or alone? What did you learn about yourself in the process? Is this something you might continue while in college? UC Personal Insight Question #8 Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Yes, this is a wide open question! Before you decide how you want to answer this prompt, make a quick list of the characteristics you feel make you an outstanding fit with the University of California System. Then look over your application and the other questions you already responded to and see if there is anything missing. This is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee anything you feel is significant that you were not able to discuss within the context of the other prompts. Although the advice the University of California Admissions online portal gives for this essay includes that you shouldn’t â€Å"be afraid to brag a little,† this prompt is not the only part of the application to highlight your clearest strengths. You could skip this essay and still represent yourself and your talents effectively by choosing four of the other seven prompts. If you didn’t already answer prompt #3 and want to close on a strong note, this essay can be a useful time to highlight something singular about yourself. Admissions Committees tend to read essays in chronological order, so if you do select prompt #8, make sure you end on a strong and interesting note. This is a good opportunity to link what you discuss to the University of California System in some way. Maybe you have already been involved in a pre-college program at a particular UC campus–a creative writing program for high school students, for example–and formed meaningful connections with faculty members in the process. Mentioning details like this can help demonstrate you want to be part of the social fabric of a UC campus and are more likely to attend a UC school if accepted, which can certainly help sway an Admissions Committee. Final thoughts on applying to the UC System Competition for admission to the UC System is highly competitive and continues to increase each year. This is especially true if you are an out-of-state candidate. You must work to set yourself apart from other applicants. As you address the essay prompts, keep the 350-word limit for each response in mind and do not overlap information you discussed in other essays. Strive to use each response to tell the admissions committee something that demonstrates a different aspect of who you are. Remember, the admissions officers already have the numbers associated with your application (test scores, GPA, etcetera). Plan out your responses and make sure to allow adequate time to write and revise your essays. The short essays are your opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Consider your motivation, inspiration, values, learning style, character, personal history, and goals for the future. If you’re applying to the University of California System, you already know you’re up against tight competition. Don’t be overwhelmed. Get the guidance of an experienced admissions specialist who will help you stand out from the highly competitive applicant pool so you can apply with confidence, and get accepted! Click here to get started! ***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.*** hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'd81c5687-dd01-4648-93b4-33d2ae163735', {}); Marie Todd has been involved in college admissions for over twenty years. Marie has both counseled applicants to top colleges and evaluated 5000+ applications for the University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts; College of Engineering; School of Kinesiology; School of Nursing; and Taubman College of Architecture.  Want Marie to help you get accepted?  Click here to get in touch with Marie Todd. Related Resources: †¢ 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your College Application Essays, a free guide †¢ Different Dimensions of Diversity, a podcast episode †¢Ã‚  School-Specific Supplemental Application Essay Tips