Essay feed
14 essays are waiting for a first note.
Nice shirt (Berkeley Haas supplemental, a friend's final draft)
Common App · 336 words · by Anonymous · Oct 26, 2026Final version
“WAIIITTT!” I jumped. A homeless woman ran into the metro car just as the doors were closing, barely squeezing in her silver cart full of blankets and plastic bags. Panting, the woman rolled her cart towards my direction and plopped down i…
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To understand a culture, taste it (PIQ 7, a friend's final draft)
UC PIQ · 347 words · by Anonymous · Oct 26, 2026Final version
Sleepovers are a time to feast. Since my best friends are of Kenyan, Filipino, and Korean heritage, sleepovers are always an adventure. We relish pansit and chicken adobo, eating with the Filipino fork and spoon combination. Some weekends, …
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Business is a puzzle (PIQ 6, a friend's final draft)
UC PIQ · 346 words · by Anonymous · Oct 26, 2026Final version
Business reminds me of a puzzle. Each puzzle piece represents a different academic subject or life lesson, letting me combine various interests into one picture. For someone like me, who likes a variety of topics, business is perfect. Comi…
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piq 6
UC PIQ · 341 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
When I was 10, my dad told me that in and on my body, bacteria outnumbered human cells. For a 10 year old, this was a horrifying idea. I squeezed my forearms tightly in attempts to squish the foreigners to death. I showered in way-too-hot-f…
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piq 5
UC PIQ · 335 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
When I was fifteen years old I broke up with my mother. We could still be friends, I told her, but I needed my space, and she couldn’t give me that. She and I both knew that I was the only person that she had in America. Her family was in R…
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piq4
UC PIQ · 348 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
In 10th and 11th grade, I explored the world of China with my classmates through feasts of mapo tofu, folk games and calligraphy. As I developed a familial bond with my classmates and teacher, the class became a chance to discover myself. A…
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piq 4
UC PIQ · 349 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
On the first day of school, when a teacher plays “Two Truths, One Lie” I always state living in three different continents. Nine times out of ten, this is picked as the lie. I spent my primary education years in Bangalore, India. The Indian…
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PIQ 4
UC PIQ · 280 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
If given an eye test with the standard Snellen Eye chart (y’know, the one with all the letters on it) you will be asked to stand 20 ft away, cover one eye and read off the letters from the chart as they get increasingly smaller. If you can …
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PIQ 4
UC PIQ · 343 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
Freshman year, I fell in love with the smell of formaldehyde for its promise of an especially exciting day in Biology. Although my school’s STEM education excelled in theory and concepts, career-focused hands-on experience was lacking and I…
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PIQ 3
UC PIQ · 350 words · by Anonymous · Oct 17, 2026
With a blackened Q-tip, I gave him eyelids and pupils and smoothed the rough edges of his face. I used an eraser to shave down the sharpness of his jaw and add highlights to his skin. After scrutinizing the proportions, I smiled at the fini…
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PIQ 5 School Challange
UC PIQ · 378 words · by Anonymous · Oct 12, 2026
Since I started school, I have faced a challenge that has been my constant companion: learning disabilities. I grew up with dyslexia and dyscalculia. Spelling tests and math quizzes were preceded by sleepless nights and stomach upsets. Whil…
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Essay PIQ Q1
UC PIQ · 345 words · by Anonymous · Oct 11, 2026
The legal age for joining the military is 17. I knew that. So tell me why, at the ripe age of 12, am I in boot camp? My drill instructor’s spit is flying from his mouth just inches away from my face. Every time I dared to look up, I was met…
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Slowing Down
UC PIQ · 332 words · by Anonymous · Oct 11, 2026
At times, my life feels like a blur. In these instances, when life seems too fast, I fall back on my ability to slow things down. When elected as student body president in the 5th and 8th grades, I would unknowingly advocate for the art of …
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Cooking
UC PIQ · 150 words · by Jack · Sep 20, 2026Verified StudentFirst draft
- Immigrant family
- Urban
When COVID started, I was at home all the time. One day, my mom asked me to cook noodles, and I spent thirty minutes stumbling around the kitchen. After that, she started teaching me how to cook, mainly Chinese home dishes, since that's our…
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