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How to Write the University of San Diego Essays 2021-2022

The University of San Diego has two supplemental essay prompts. The first prompt asks you to discuss one of the five themes that reflects the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. The second prompt allows you to choose from three options that focus on community, challenges that face humanity, and faith or spirituality.

The University of San Diego receives thousands of applications from students with similar profiles, so you want to make sure your essays will get noticed by an admissions officer. In this post, we’ll discuss how to write a thoughtful response to each of these prompts.

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University of San Diego Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

Prompt 2: Now choose one of the three prompts below to write about. Essays should be approximately 200 words in length. 

Option 1: Here at USD, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. Our newly launched Horizon Project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. We value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. With that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community?

Option 2: USD is a proud Changemaker Campus, as designated by Ashoka U. As such, the USD experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. Why does it matter to you? What experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue?

Option 3: Because USD is a contemporary Catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. We devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant USD community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with God while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know.

The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

This prompt gives you an opportunity to show the admissions officer something unique about yourself. Because the prompt is so broad, it’s important to remember some of the main hallmarks of a good essay: Meets the basic requirements

The essay stays within the prompt word count, responds to the prompt, and doesn’t repeat information that’s already in your application. It’s also important to be mindful of your audience—in this case, the University of San Diego is a Catholic University, so they may be more conservative. 

Highly personal

A highly personal essay will share your thoughts and feelings and make it clear to the admissions officer what matters to you. By making it highly personal, your authenticity will come through.

With a broad prompt like this one, it’s easy to get caught in a surface level exploration of the theme, rather than going deep. Make sure you stick to the theme you choose and only focus on that. 

Well-Written

This may seem obvious, but a well-written essay is a good essay.  You’ll want to be sure there’s a strong opening and ending , it flows well, avoids cliches, and shows and doesn’t tell (more on this later).

Overall, a strong essay will highlight what makes you stand out from the other students who resonate with the theme you choose. This includes your interests and hobbies, values, experiences, family, language, etc. It will also discuss how the theme you choose shapes your outlook and actions.

One hallmark of a well-written essay is to show, not tell. This means using illustrative language and immersing the reader in your experience, rather than just writing what happened. For example, you don’t want to say, “I resonate with the “collaborate” theme because I enjoy working with people in my science club.” Instead, show and vividly describe a time when you and your science club peers collaborated on something together for a positive outcome. Show us your faces deep in thought, the late nights you spent working together to solve a problem—bring the admissions officer into the story as much as you can.

Prompt 2 Option 1

Here at usd, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. our newly launched horizon project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. we value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. with that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community (200 words).

This prompt is a blend of both the community focused essay and diversity focused essay and is a great option for someone who’s actively involved in their community and wants to see changes made.

When discussing the contribution you made to your community, make sure to avoid short-term projects, such as a one-week Habitat for Humanity trip. Instead, discuss more genuine commitments that are more long-standing. You’ll then want to consider how the values mentioned in the prompt above came through during this experience and what impact it had , not just on your community, but you as well. Keep in mind that the word count is short (200 words) so you’ll want to be clear and precise in your response while getting the message across.

A student who was passionate about women’s rights might discuss how she learned that in some parts of the world, girls aren’t able to go to school when they are menstruating, and she believed it was unjust that girls were denied education for something beyond their control. She would talk about how she organized a drive for menstrual products at her school and donated them to girls in other countries. She would describe how she was not only able to make a positive impact on the lives of those girls, but she helped bring an issue she was deeply passionate about to the attention of her peers. She could also talk about how she had to be organized and spread the word so others would donate, which was a learning experience for her as well.

You don’t need to explicitly state that your involvement in your community demonstrates your commitment to diversity and inclusion. In fact, a good essay should be able to convey that to your readers with just descriptions. The more descriptive and anecdotal your essay is, the better you will be to show the admissions officers you are committed to diversity, rather than telling them.

For this diversity/community focused style of prompt, be sure to avoid using a privileged or pretentious tone and avoid a cliche conclusion such as “I learned that people can be happy with so little.” 

Prompt 2 Option 2

Usd is a proud changemaker campus, as designated by ashoka u. as such, the usd experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. why does it matter to you what experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue (200 words).

If you’re someone who’s passionate about global issues or social justice, this is a great option for you and fits into the political/global issues style of essay . 

This prompt gives you the opportunity to show that you’re an engaged citizen who cares about others and wants to make a difference. It’s also a chance to show admissions officers how you align with The University of San Diego’s values that they emphasize above.

As you write, keep in mind that you want to choose a challenge that is relevant and pressing to you. However, you should focus more on why it matters to you rather than the challenge itself. The admissions officers know about climate change, refugee crises, and Black Lives Matter protests. What they don’t know yet is why you care about these issues.

The structure of your essay should introduce the challenge you are passionate about (ideally through an anecdote), explain what drew you to this issue, describe how your emotions or state of mind are affected by this issue, and share what you see as a solution. 

Describing your emotions and state of mind when you hear or think about this issue is how you will be able to convey to admissions officers what this challenge means to you. You don’t want to say, “I am sad when I think about all the people who have died from cancer because we still don’t have a cure.” To really show admissions officers your passion and interest in this topic, you would write something like this: “An overwhelming feeling of desperation and confusion floods over me upon hearing my friend’s grandpa died of pancreatic cancer. It doesn’t make sense. We’ve cured Smallpox and Polio, we’ve developed vaccines for countless sicknesses. How can we fight off these petulant cells?”

Maybe the most important part of your essay is the ending. How are you going to fix this problem? Although the prompt doesn’t explicitly ask for you to propose a solution to the challenge you discuss, including this will take your essay from good to great. Admissions officers want to admit students who will change the world. Your essay should show that you are innovative and think towards the future. Just a sentence or two about how you want to improve the world will show that you are the type of student the University of San Diego wants on their campus. 

Prompt 2 Option 3

Because usd is a contemporary catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. we devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant usd community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with god while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. (200 words).

If you are not someone who’s passionate about faith or spirituality, this may not be the best prompt for you. However, if you are someone who’s been strongly affected by faith and spirituality, this is your chance to express how those values connect with USD’s.

​​One essay structure approach you can take with this essay is: 

• Start with your first interactions with religion/faith/spirituality
• Tell the story of how you arrived at your conclusions about faith/spirituality and include any moments where you were challenged. 
• Connect these conclusions with the values of USD 

This is an especially fitting essay for related anecdotes if they’re short enough. For instance, you might start your essay with a story of when you first wondered about spirituality. If your relationship with spirituality or faith changed over time, that would also lend itself well to a series of anecdotes. 

Where to Get Your University of San Diego School Essay Edited for Free : 

Do you want feedback on your University of San Diego essay? It’s always good to get a second pair of eyes on your writing. That’s why we created our Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. Since they don’t know you personally, they can be a more objective judge of whether your personality shines through, and whether you’ve fully answered the prompt. 

You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

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How to Respond to 2023/2024 University of San Diego Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.

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The University of San Diego is a private, Roman-Catholic university located in beautiful San Diego, California. Through the USD supplemental essay, students have a chance to show the admissions professionals who they are as a person. Let’s dive into what the USD supplemental essays are all about!

Mandatory USD first-year supplemental essay

“The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Learning Communities (LC ), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why.” 

All first-year applicants are required to write this essay prompt. It gives the reader an opportunity to see what kind of student you are and who you are as a person. This prompt can be easily answered in about 200 words, but the maximum length it can be is 350 words. 

This is a personal opinion essay, but a good one to show the admissions professionals at San Diego what kind of person you are. Are you an advocate, and if so, why? How is collaboration important to you in your college career? Think about things like this while you are looking at each of these five themes. 

Questions to consider:

• How have you used one of these themes in your life to shape who you are?
• Are any of these themes values that your current school community holds?
• How will you incorporate these themes into your education at San Diego?

Also see: 10 tips for successful college applications

Mandatory USD supplemental essay for transfer students

“How will USD help enhance your educational and professional goals beyond what your current institution offers?”

If you are choosing to transfer, it is likely that you already know the answer to this question. Think about the reason that you are deciding to leave your previous institution, and without putting that school down, talk about the things that you are looking forward to that San Diego offers. Beyond that, what are you hoping to do after you graduate college that San Diego can help you with? Whatever your future goal is, think about the alumni network, classes, and professors that USD can offer you as an undergraduate and incorporate them into your response here. 

• What are your educational and professional goals?
• What does USD have that your previous institution did not?
• Why is USD the ideal school for you?

Also see: How to write a transfer essay

First year and transfer student optional prompts

First year students are also required to choose one of the three prompts below to write along with their mandatory essay. Each of these prompts can also be written in 350 words, and giving students the opportunity to choose which prompt they would like to write shows that USD wants to get to know you!

“What contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community? Here at USD, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. Our newly launched  Horizon Project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. We value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education.”

This prompt offers a great opportunity to talk about the times where you have served your community through community service. If you do not have any community service experience to talk about, that is completely fine. You can think about clubs and organizations that you were in while in high school, and how they affected the individuals in the organization and your school community. Read about the Horizon Project and how you can get involved. If you have any experience working on a team to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within your community, school, or organization, this is a great opportunity to touch on this.

• What community service opportunities did you participate in while in high school?
• What steps did you take to make the organization you were a part of more diverse? 
• Have you worked on a diversity project or on a diversity team in an organization?

“Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. Why does it matter to you? What experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue. As a proud Changemaker Campus , as designated by Ashoka U, the USD experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective.”

This is a very deep question that will take some time to answer fully. As you can imagine, there are so many different topics that you could choose to write about here. The best thing that you can do here is free write about something that you are passionate about or something that you want to change in the world.  After you are done with that, go back and edit your work into more cohesive thoughts. Be sure to link back to the Changemaker website to show that you did your research! 

• What are you passionate about?
• What experiences have you had that made you passionate about this topic?
• What do you feel are the world’s most pressing issues–what needs to change?

“Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. As a contemporary Catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. We devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant USD community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with God while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become.”

Since the University of San Diego is a Catholic university, faith is something that is very important to them. Remember, this is an optional prompt, so you do not necessarily need to write this essay. But, if you are a spiritual person and this is something you are passionate about, this essay can tell a lot about the kind of person you– especially if you choose to write about your admiration for someone else’s faith. This shows that you are observant and that you have respect for other people, two things that many colleges look for in a student. 

• Who in your life has influenced your faith?
• Regardless of what religion they practice, who in your life has a faith that you admire?
• How has your faith influenced your education?

Final thoughts for students

There are a nice variety of essays to choose from for your USD supplemental essay. Each of these are pretty straightforward essay options, but just make sure that you are focusing on what makes San Diego the best place for you, and why you would make a great addition to their community. Overall, if you are open and honest in each of your responses, they will love you!

Also see: What is the difference between a college and university?

Additional resources

Once you’ve finished your USD supplemental essays, give yourself a pat on the back! You’re one step closer to finishing your college admissions. But once you’re ready to get back into the process, remember we are here to help every step of the way. With guides on when to apply to college , how many schools to apply to , and how to choose a safety school , we can help you with all your decision-making.

We can also help you decipher your financial aid award letter , write a financial aid appeal , and choose your college . Good luck, and remember, apply to all the scholarships you are eligible for! 

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University of San Diego Undergraduate College Application Essays

These University of San Diego college application essays were written by students accepted at University of San Diego. All of our sample college essays include the question prompt and the year written. Please use these sample admission essays responsibly.

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College Application Essays accepted by University of San Diego

Forget-me-not anonymous, university of san diego.

Her hands were as tough as leather, but they felt like velvet to me. She smelled unlike most grandmothers, constantly encompassed by a pungent aroma of fresh mimosas and blooming marigolds. I think it was her eyes that captivated me most as a...

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As I rushed up to the sliding glass doors that marked the entrance to the Emergency Room, my heart pounded with exhilaration. Patients were sitting in chairs, lying on stretchers, and nervously pacing the floor. With a dry mouth and sweaty palms,...

The Surfer and the Seal Anonymous

I stared deep into the dark green eyes of the seal that was lying on my surf board. She looked as if she were trying to tell me something. Her glossy grey coat glowed in the moonlight, and her whiskers twitched in the sea breeze. I could only...

From Tackle Practice to the Barre Anonymous

I lead a double life. You don’t often find someone who both dances and plays football. I suppose that makes me a statistical anomaly, because I go to tackle practice at six a.m. and barre class at six p.m. I love dance because it’s art with...

My Closet of Characters Elle Ventana Knowlton

To most people, a costume is a few layers of carefully constructed material that conveys a character or historical period. To me it is a vessel of teleportation that permits me to explore the personalities of flirts, cowards, evil geniuses, and...

Dairying to be Different Haley Lucero Godbold

Dairy products crushed my dreams. My pediatrician delivered the terrible news: she said that my constant stomach aches had been caused by a dairy allergy that had, until recently, lain dormant. This development would be a tough pill for any...

One More Fight Anonymous

I'm standing in the arena, facing my opponent. Hands on guard and ready to fight, fists clenched and sweat dripping down my fingers. In the distance, I hear the command, "fight!" The match has begun.

Sparring, kata, sweeps, hooks, and grabs had...

The Box Anonymous

Staring out at the rain pouring down onto the sidewalk beside the airport exit, I thought one thing. This is foreign territory . Just moments before, I had found myself facing down a horde of about 60 squealing EXO (a Kpop idol group) fangirls....

The Hummingbird Project: Human Trafficking Anonymous

When I am overwhelmed, I remember the words of Wangari Maathai, environmental and political activist. Maathai tells the story of the hummingbird who, when faced with a massive forest fire, carries small drops of water in its beak to extinguish it....

The Artist Dylan Alexandra Folsom

I walked up to the half-open garage and peered uncertainly into the cluttered space. At this point, I was alone in London, navigating purely by gut and intuition. My voice shook as I rasped out an indication of my presence. As I waited for an...

Picking Myself Back Up Anonymous

It’s 6am. My alarm clock squawks at me to wake up. With legs aching from practice, arms tired from shooting drills, and head throbbing with pain from only sleeping four hours, I squint at the illuminated red numbers, contemplating whether or not...

No Service Anonymous

The plane landed, and immediately seat belts flew off and iPhones came out. It had been six hours since the plane took off, and therefore six hours since my phone had internet. I had to check every social media platform for anything I could've...

Street Lights Anonymous

I didn’t understand what street lights were until I was about eight. Still, some of my earliest memories are of street lamps. Growing up, I clearly remember seeing blurry beacons of light suspended in the dark. In the daytime, the seemingly...

Little Grains of Rice Anonymous

Little grains of rice, smothered in my mom’s pomegranate-walnut stew, danced around in my mouth as my mind strayed away from my hectic day. Our shadows remained beneath us at the dinner table as the kitchen lights burned a picture of what I wouldn...

Recent Questions about University of San Diego

The Question and Answer section for University of San Diego is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Freshman requirements

• Subject requirement (A-G)
• GPA requirement
• Admission by exception
• English language proficiency
• UC graduation requirements

Additional information for

• California residents
• Out-of-state students
• Home-schooled students

Transfer requirements

• Understanding UC transfer
• Preparing to transfer
• UC transfer programs
• Transfer planning tools

International applicants

• Applying for admission
• English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
• Passports & visas
• Living accommodations
• Health care & insurance

AP & Exam credits

Applying as a freshman

• Filling out the application
• Dates & deadlines

Personal insight questions

• How applications are reviewed
• After you apply

Applying as a transfer

Types of aid

• Grants & scholarships
• Jobs & work-study
• California DREAM Loan Program
• Middle Class Scholarship Program
• Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
• Native American Opportunity Plan  
• Who can get financial aid
• How aid works
• Estimate your aid

Apply for financial aid

• Cal Dream Act application tips
• Tuition & cost of attendance
• Glossary & resources
• Santa Barbara
• Campus program & support services
• Check majors
• Freshman admit data
• Transfer admit data
• Native American Opportunity Plan
• You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal. All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.  
• Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application. You may use the additional comments field to note extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, if necessary. 

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 

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. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 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. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 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? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

Need more help?

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Prompt's How-to Guide for the UCSD Personal Insight Questions

Uc-san diego's peronal insight essay prompts, and how to ace them (2020-2021)..

Anyone who embarks on the UC San Diego personal insight questions deserves a word of encouragement, and some help. That’s what this blog post is for.

The University of California personal essay component requires four mini-essays — that’s hard because you need to tell four different stories without repeating yourself, and tell each one in a succinct 350 words. Luckily, we at Prompt do college essay help full-time. We have some secrets to share:

• Tip #1. You first, prompts second: Choosing the prompts is easy. Don’t choose. (At first.) First, think about you. What have you done, what motivates you, what do you intend to do? Once you’ve done some thinking on those questions, it should be easier to decide which four prompts will best let you say the things you want to.
• Tip #2. Out with the dry, in with the stakes: Congratulations on your first draft! It’s probably deadly boring. (That’s just how we all write - even great writers are boring until they revise.) Now comes the fun part. Whether your story is sad or funny or inspiring or poignant, make sure it’s a story . A story like a great episode of TV, that’s got something at stake, some kind of conflict, a satisfying resolution, and pacing.
• Make other people share your load - get feedback: UC itself says you should solicit feedback (see their writing tips at the bottom of this page ). They are right. Find an adult or two to give you some. You can even ask a professional (that’s us at Prompt ). If you like the idea of personalized guidance from people who’ve done this thousands of times, get started here .

UC San Diego personal insight questions for 2020-2021

Respond to four of the following eight questions.

Each response is limited to 350 words.

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
• Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
• Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
• Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

September 5, 2022

UCSD School of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

The UCSD School of Medicine prefers applicants with extensive research experience. If you have not described your research experience in your personal statement, include a description in the secondary application’s autobiographical essay. They offer a PRIME-HEq Program with training in treating medically underserved communities. For students interested in global health, five students from each class can apply to participate in the Global Health Academic Concentration. They also have a dual degree program that allows medical students to earn a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research. You will have the opportunity to explain your interest in these programs on the secondary application .

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine 2022-23 secondary application essay questions

Ucsd medical school essay #1: autobiographical sketch.

This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, undergraduate years, and, if applicable, what you’ve done since completing your bachelor’s degree. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine, including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. A repeat of your AMCAS statement will not be acceptable. (6000 char) Please note: if you are applying to the MD/PhD program, please include why you are specifically interested in seeking MD/PhD training at UCSD.

Before starting your outline for this response, read and review your AMCAS application essays. 

If you have not already made a timeline of important events in your life , create one now. Include when your interest in science first developed, your first exposure to medicine, research experience, and any other events that provide an explanation for how your interest in medicine developed. Mark off the events from your timeline that you have already covered in your personal statement. 

Create an outline based on the events you haven’t yet discussed. Is there a common theme among the events or experiences? How did you become interested in a career in medicine? Why is medicine the ideal career field for you personally? If you are applying to the MD/PhD program, discuss how this program will allow you to achieve your career goals.

UCSD Medical School essay #2

Some medical school applicants are already focused on pursuing a particular career pathway in medicine. While many students will change from this pathway during medical school, knowing of your potential interests does help us to assign interviewers. Your choice below does not influence how the Admissions Committee selects students to interview. Please select from one of the career pathways listed below. In addition to this selection, please provide a brief description of your future career goals: (400 char)

The career pathway you choose should also be reflected as a path you’ve already committed to explore that is already represented on your application. Whether research opportunities, volunteer work, paid employment or independent activities indicate what has been of interest to you elsewhere in your application, the story about or intrigue with which pathway is inherently interesting to you should stay consistent with the pathway already referenced or inferred by your application. You should provide specific explanations of what you have grown to know and find further value in related to this pathway in medicine.

UCSD Medical School essay #3

If you are an out-of-state applicant , please let us know if there are specific reasons for your interest in the UCSD School of Medicine (1000 characters)

UCSD interviews approximately 5% of their out of state applicants. So out of state applicants need to be compelling in academic performance, MCAT scores and community service. Additionally, you should be able to explain why UCSD is a priority school for you, based on who they are, not who you are. They define themselves as focused on exceptional biomedical, behavioral and health services research.

UCSD Medical School essay #4

Do you consider yourself to be a member of a group that is marginalized in a way that systemically affects access to quality education or healthcare? (Y/N) If Yes, Please describe how educational disparity, health disparity and/or marginalization has impacted you and your community? (4800 characters)

If no, stop. Do not elaborate.

If yes, tell the story that reveals a population bias, a discriminatory moment or repetitive encounter you had as a minority, as a member of any less represented identity group, that resulted in individual or community-based exclusion, marginalization or discrimination. Your answer could be a personal story or it could be one witnessed, how you observed someone else receive less than fair acknowledgement, favor or regard due to bias, whether related to school or healthcare. Marginalization is discrimination, and it facilitates inequity.

Program-specific essays:

A) For PRIME-HEq :

Please describe your interest in the PRIME-HEq program. Topics to include are longitudinal experiences that you’ve had with underserved communities, including the type of community that you’ve worked with and your level of involvement. Additionally, you should discuss the length of time that you’ve spent working in these communities. (4800 char)

PRIME-HEq is a specialty program committed to serving underserved communities. If you have not committed significant time to community work for the underserved, this is likely not the program for you. The PRIME_HEq program focuses on local interventions, though these efforts are relevant nationally and globally. In effect, the idea of the program could be understood by the maxim “act locally, think globally” which is a slogan from the early 20th century that still applies to public health policy and initiatives.

B) For GHAC :

Please describe your interest in Global Health. The term Global Health can have many meanings; for our purposes, we find the definition provided by Koplan et. al. in their 2009 Lancet publication useful: “the area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide”. In your essay, be sure to describe any personal or professional experiences that have shaped your interests, and how Global Health issues have influenced your decision to pursue a career in medicine. (4800 char)

A strong applicant for a Global Health track should demonstrate expansive volunteer and outreach work, perhaps mission work in a third world country, or work with asylees and refugees. Perhaps you were in the Peace Corp, worked with a college chapter of Doctors Without Borders, a relief organization or refugee advocacy group. If so, write about it. What is a compelling story from a global experience or your work advocating for rights and care for global citizens? The story should shed light on what you came to understand that you did not previously understand about global health or non-first-world perspectives on life and health.

Perhaps you did a deep dive into global pandemic research? This did not necessarily lead you to travel far, but did COVID-19 bring you into a research agenda that embraced global health related to pandemics? If so, write about this.

C) For PRIME-TIDE :

Please describe your experiences with American Indian and Alaskan Native communities, including the type of community and your level of involvement. Please provide the length of time you spent working in or exposed to these communities. Be sure to detail any personal or professional experiences that have shaped your interests, and how American Indian and Alaskan Native issues have influenced your decision to pursue a career in medicine. Finally, please delineate how completion of the PRIME-TIDE program will help you obtain your medical education goals. (4800 char)

San Diego county has a high Native American indigenous population and the school is committed to serving this population, including four tribal nations and eighteen reservations. If you have any affiliation with indigenous populations, write about that. If you have community work with indigenous populations, write about that. If you are not a member of an indigenous group, it is wise to demonstrate your ability to understand and empathize. It may be better to narrate an experience in which you participated in public health measures or grassroots interventions to serve the underserved, and in this case, serving a population disenfranchised by colonization.

Applying to UCSD SOM? Here are some stats:

UCSD School of Medicine average MCAT score: 516

UCSD School of Medicine average GPA: 3.78

UCSD School of Medicine acceptance rate: 3%

U.S. News  ranks UCSD #20 for research and #32 for primary care.

Check out the Med School Selectivity Index for more stats.

If you would like professional guidance with your University of California, School of Medicine application materials,  check out Accepted’s Medical School Admissions Consulting and Editing Services , which include advising, editing, and interview coaching for UCSD Medical School’s application materials.

UCSD Medical School 2022-23 application timeline

Source: UCSD Medical School website

Related Resources:

• Med School Secondary Essay Handbook: School Specific Tips , a free guide
• What NOT to Write in Your Medical School Secondary Application Essays
• How to Write the “Why This Medical School” Secondary Essay

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University of San Diego 2022-23 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide 

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Dec 1

You Have: 

University of San Diego 2022-23 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 200 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community

First-Year applicants are required to answer the Mandatory First Year Essay Prompt and either Essay Prompt Option #1, #2, or #3. Please note that the default word counter on our Common Application essay text boxes permit 350 words, but most applicants find they can answer these prompts in about 200 words.

Mandatory First Year Essay Prompt:

The university of san diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. first-year students are immersed in one of our five learning communities (lc), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: advocate, collaborate, cultivate, illuminate and innovate. select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why..

This is a big blue sky of a prompt. Start by thinking about how you can relate to each of these words. Here’s a little word/concept association: “Advocate” reminds us of social justice and community service; “collaborate” elicits images of group projects or fundraising; “cultivate” can refer to how camp counselors invest in kids or how you started a club to fill a community void at your school; “illuminate” is a fun, vague idea that can evoke memories of learning, or exploration/travel; and “innovate” is an active word that can apply to any evolution of ideas or steps you’ve taken to effect change. With this array of options in front of you, we have no doubt that one of these concepts will resonate with you. Additionally, if one of these words means something to you in a way that we didn’t explicitly note, definitely explore that! Your approach to this essay alone is a great reflection of your priorities and creativity. Feel free to wander, but remember to take the reader on your journey with you, showing them the steps you took mentally to get from their theme to your story.

Essay Prompt Option #1:

What contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community here at usd, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. our newly launched horizon project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. we value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education..

USD’s take on the community essay comes with a focus on diversity, but don’t let that limit you! First of all, let us remind you that your “local community” can be just about anything from your neighborhood to your family to your dojo. Pick a community that means something to you and the diversity narrative will fall into place. Maybe your progressive church welcomes people of many different faiths, and you developed a special language for discussing religion with your childhood friends. Or perhaps your school is incredibly homogenous and isolated, and you helped your Spanish class organize Skype chats with a student body in Guatemala. No matter your starting point, be sure to tell a clear story with a beginning, middle, and end. It may be tempting to pen a vivid description of your community and leave it at that, but the point of an essay like this is to tell a story about you, your contributions, your personal growth.

Essay Prompt Option #2:

Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. why does it matter to you what experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue. as a proud changemaker campus, as designated by ashoka u, the usd experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective..

You’ll notice some striking similarities between USD option #2 and Common App prompt #4, which asks you to “Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve.” In other words, if you wrote your Common App personal statement on #4, you’ll want to skip USD’s #2 to avoid repeating yourself. (If not, here are some extra tips in our Common App Essay Prompt Guide !) 

This is your opportunity to not only show admissions how you face challenges, but demonstrate your creativity and vision, as well. If you choose this prompt, take a little time to brainstorm a few “challenges facing humanity” that bother you or affect your life. It can range from rising ocean temperatures to racial profiling. Although the scope and scale of your problem can vary, remember that USD emphasizes “social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, and a global perspective.”  

Essay Prompt Option #3:

Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. as a contemporary catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. we devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant usd community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with god while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become..

Given the faith-forward nature of this question and of the university website, we imagine that most of you folks reading this guide probably already have a few thoughts on this question. We’d be surprised if the religious affiliation didn’t factor into your decision to apply, but if you haven’t thought about it, now is your chance to reflect on your relationship with faith, if you so choose. Writing about spiritual and religious beliefs is just as personal (if not more!) as any other topic you might cover on your college application, so don’t be afraid to dive deep. If you grew up in a traditional religious household, you probably have a treasure trove of experiences and stories to share with admissions, but sometimes it’s hard to write about faith when it’s always been a given in your life. Whether your background is Christian, Hindu, or atheist, can you think about the role faith plays in your life? Is it daily, minute-by-minute, or reserved for high holidays? Or, if religion wasn’t a huge part of your upbringing, what led you to take an interest in a Catholic university? Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, faith is a central component of the USD experience, and now is your chance to invite admissions into your own relationship with it.

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The Dos and Don'ts of Choosing Your College Essay Topic

With the school year wrapping up, many high school juniors will be getting started on their college essay (also called the "personal statement").

The big question lurking is what students should write about. The overprotective mama bear in me thinks about what they shouldn't write about too. 

READ MORE: How to Navigate the New Supplemental Essay Prompts Post-Affirmative Action

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Perfect College Essay Topic

About Sara Harberson

Sara Harberson is the founder of Application Nation™, which provides personalized advice to college applicants and their families. In her book, SOUNDBITE: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond, Sara reveals the secrets of her signature college admissions tool, the "Soundbite," and shares tried-and-tested exercises that have helped thousands of students gain admission to their school of choice. She is the former associate dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and the former dean of admissions and financial aid at Franklin & Marshall College. Sara’s philosophy is that every kid applying to college deserves the best advice.

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San Diego State University | SDSU

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San Diego State University | SDSU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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Bioengineering: Dissertations and Theses

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Engineering Librarian

Searching for Dissertations and Theses in UC Library Search

Most uc and uc san diego dissertations and theses (print and online) are cataloged and discoverable in uc library search , along with some dissertations at other institutions., how to search if you are not looking for a specific title or author:, accessing or requesting dissertations via uc library search - including ucsd and uc, for electronic/online theses and dissertations (etds) via uc library search.

When you retrieve a UC or UC San Diego dissertation or thesis record in UC Library Search, you will often see several access options: 

eScholarship - Available in eScholarship , the University of California open access repository. This copy can be read or downloaded by anyone, on or off campus and regardless of UCSD/UC affiliation, at no charge.

ProQuest. Restricted to UC IP addresses - Available in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses , and access is similar to that of any of our other online resources, where UC San Diego faculty, staff and students can access off campus using  VPN .

If there is only a print version in UC Library Search, or "No Online Access?" 

• If if is a print or otherwise nondigitized thesis/dissertation from UC San Diego, most of these are at the Annex and you can sign into your library account to request it be sent to campus. Some items may say "limited use."
• Search Google Scholar and/or Google for the dissertation to see if that university has made the dissertation available online through their own repository, even if it's not identified as "available online" in UC Library Search.
• You can also check ProQuest Dissertations & Theses to verify that it can be requested and that it's not embargoed. There is also the chance that it is freely available/open access in PQDT as well.

Embargoed Dissertations

Your best option here might be to contact the author directly, or their advisor, or check the appropriate database(s) to find related journal articles and other works by the author.

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• Last Updated: May 23, 2024 11:22 AM
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