Showing Growth in Talent in UC Prompt #3
by Kathleen M.
When the UC PIQ prompt #3 asks: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? How should you answer? How do you show development over time?
At some point you were probably only okay at something you count as your greatest talent and skill. You likely worked very hard for the thing you are discussing to become your greatest talent or skill.
Albert Einstein famously said “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” And in setting his talent as curiosity, Einstein begins to explain his success; he is talented at asking questions, wondering, and trying to solve problems.
So be like Einstein and try to show how you developed talent over time in UC prompt #3. What were the milestones in your progression? Was there an “ah ha!” moment? How did you get here?
Consider practice – how often and how much do you practice? Have you broken your talent into smaller bits to refine that talent? For example, a basketball player who has to practice a variety of skills – shooting, dribbling, defense. What are the smaller bits and how do they add on to your success?
Also think about research – how did you learn to do what you do? Did you ask someone? Watch a YouTube video? Read about it? What if your talent is cooking? Did you first learn from your Mom or Grandpa? Then did you read a cookbook or two? Or watch a cooking show?
Find milestones for yourself and show how your skill developed over time.
Some people are born with their greatest talent, but most people develop their greatest skill over time and through trial and error. Also don’t be afraid to talk about failure especially if that failure led to a surge in your success!
