Skip to main content
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

UC essay leadership examples?

Hey everyone! I'm working on my UC application right now, and I'm a bit stuck on the leadership essay. Can anyone share some good examples of leadership experiences they used for their UC essays? Thanks!

a year ago

Hey there! It's important to focus on leadership experiences that are unique to you and showcase your personal growth or the positive impact you've had on others. I'll share a few examples that might give you some inspiration, but be sure to tailor your essay to your own experiences.

1. Starting a Club or Organization: If you've founded a club or organization at your school or in your community, this can serve as a strong leadership example. Talk about the challenges you faced, your vision for the club, and how you inspired others to join or support the cause.

2. Community Service or Volunteering Leadership: Discuss your role in organizing a community service project, coordinating volunteers, or leading a team to serve a certain cause. Mention the impact of your work on the lives of those you've helped and how your leadership skills grew through this experience.

3. Sports Team Captain or Leader: If you served as a captain or leader for a sports team, describe your responsibilities and the ways you helped your team succeed. Share how your leadership improved team dynamics or how you pushed your teammates to put forth their best effort.

4. Leadership in School Projects: You can discuss a school project where you took on a leadership role, delegated tasks, and ensured the project was completed on time. Share what you learned about teamwork and communication, and how you were able to help everyone contribute effectively.

5. Mentorship: If you've taken on a mentorship role, either in an academic or extracurricular setting, talk about the guidance you provided to others and the personal growth for both you and your mentee(s).

6. Overcoming Adversity: Sometimes, leadership experiences can be born out of difficult situations, such as overcoming a personal challenge or stepping up in a time of crisis. Describe a challenge you've faced, how you rose to the occasion, and the positive change you were able to bring about.

If you want to see an actual example of an essay that successfully answered this prompt, you're in luck, as you can find one on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/university-of-california-essay-examples. The post also includes an explanation of what the essay did well, and points that could have been even stronger.

Remember, the key to a strong leadership essay is to provide specific examples and delve into your growth as an individual and your impact on others. Good luck with your UC application!

a year ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.