Other Examples of Creativity for UC Prompt #2
by Kathleen M.
When you first read the UC PIQ prompt #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,” you may think, “this doesn’t apply to me because I am not an artist.”
However, read it again. You will see the options that the UCs have left open for you: problem solving or original and innovative thinking.
These alternate parts of the question leave many openings for you to enter if you are not particularly artistic. What would be other examples of creativity a student can show in this UC prompt?
Are you a problem solver? Have you helped someone in your life solve a problem?
Maybe you are the person that your grandparents call when they need tech troubleshooting. Maybe you are the person your church turns to when they need help on social media. Maybe you are the person who gathers others to clean up a playground, to fundraise after a local or international tragedy, or to plan activities for a large group.
Are you an original and innovative thinker?
This one feels initially hard to claim without sounding boastful but maybe you are the person your classmates turn to when the conversation in class comes to a halt? Or when your team needs help getting their ideas together to build an argument for speech and debate? Synthesis and consensus are difficult processes, so if you are good at them, those would be great responses to this question.
So when you are considering UC PIQs, don’t leap over UC prompt #2 because you haven’t excelled at the fine arts. You may be artistic in a completely different way. Do you like to craft or help others craft, or do improv? Maybe that is artistic enough! If it is something that will tell the admissions committee something new and personal about you, it is worth pursuing.
Remember that you are trying to showcase a well rounded idea of who you are – so think about creativity in its widest sense and having fun!
