Let’s establish one fundamental thing: this prompt asks that you write about an education opportunity OR barrier – not both! So you’ve got to make a choice. Before doing so, let me define what this PIQ’s important terms even mean.
UC defines an “educational opportunity” as “anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college.” They provide a few examples: “honors or enrichment program[s], enrollment in an academy that’s geared toward an occupation or major, or taking advanced courses that interest you.”
I know I always benefit from a little more specificity, so let me provide a few more concrete examples of what an educational opportunity might look like:
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A summer science program during which you created a research project in molecular biology
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An internship with a state legislator that allowed you to pursue your interests in political science/law
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Dual enrollment at a community college so you can take more advanced math courses than what’s offered at your high school
To be honest, writing about an educational opportunity for PIQ #4 is easier if you already feel confident about your choice of major. This is because you can really demonstrate your interest in and dedication to your intended area of study. Of course, you can still write a good opportunity essay if you’re undeclared, but if you’re sure about your major and you have a suitable opportunity in mind, responding to this PIQ is a great choice.
Before getting into more detail about the educational opportunity option, let me first clarify this prompt’s second part: the option to write about an “educational barrier.” In their Guide for Freshman Applicants worksheet UC defines educational barriers as “any barriers or challenges related to school and/or your schoolwork.” In other words, an educational barrier is something that interfered with your learning and performance at school.
Here’s a list of examples that would qualify as educational barriers:
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Your school didn’t offer a particular AP you wanted to take
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You had to take ESL classes before or alongside taking regular courses
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You struggled with a learning difference like ADD, ADHD, or dyslexia
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You had to care for your younger siblings over the summer, so you couldn’t take part in a particular summer enrichment program you were interested in
That list is NOT exhaustive; even if none of the above apply to you, you can definitely still write a strong barrier essay. However, a couple of topics I notably excluded from the list are failing an exam and/or not doing well in a particular class because you didn’t do your homework, ditched classes, zoned out during lectures, etc. Think of educational barriers as things that were outside of your control, not a result of your own behaviors.
What does have to do with your behavior is the way you overcame the barrier you encountered. If you choose to write about an educational barrier for this PIQ, its focus should be how you faced the problem and what you learned in the process.
My struggle was having a language barrier + a shy personality so it was really hard to overcome the language barrier. I tried as hard as possible to get myself out of my comfort zone but it wasnt easy.