What Reviewers Look For in the UBC — Personal Profile
This rubric reviews whether each answer directly addresses its specific question, uses concrete details about what you did, and makes your reasoning clear when the question asks for it. It also looks at whether the full set sounds like you, stays clear and readable, and uses repeated experiences only when they serve a new purpose.
What We Check
Whether the central claim and reasoning already present in each response unit fit the relationship its question asks the student to show.
Visible action, responsibility, contribution, or accomplishment only when a question asks for it or an answer presents it as positive evidence.
Interpretation only when a question asks why something matters, what the student learned, how an experience was useful, or how context shaped a decision…
Whether the language presents a specific teen student rather than an ideal-applicant costume — the written evidence for the Voice criterion in UBC's published reader frame.
Contradiction, repeated evidence, and division of work within the submitted response set only.
Mistakes We Flag
- Answering around the question
- Too much background can delay or replace the direct answer. State the requested connection first, then keep only context that helps explain it.
- Listing titles, awards, or activities without your role
- A title, award, number, or group outcome does not show your personal contribution on its own. Name a specific responsibility, choice, action, or contribution.
- Adding a generic lesson
- Saying an experience was meaningful or taught you something is not enough without explaining what changed in your thinking, decision, method, or later action.
- Using polished but impersonal language
- Broad statements about service, excellence, or impact can sound like they belong to anyone. Use your own words and include a concrete preference, reason, uncertainty, or ordinary detail.
- Repeating one story in every answer
- Reusing an experience is useful only when it answers a different question or adds a new responsibility, interpretation, or angle. Otherwise, the set can feel repetitive and leave less room to show other parts of your experience.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to answer every part of each question?
Yes. Each visible request in the question needs a local answer element, such as the requested example, reason, explanation, or relationship.
Can I use point form for an activity or responsibility question?
Yes, when the question asks for an inventory of activities, accomplishments, roles, or responsibilities. Each item should name the activity and at least one responsibility.
Do I need to write about hardship, a dramatic event, or a major transformation?
No. The rubric does not require hardship, identity disclosure, mistakes, dramatic scenes, or transformation. Concrete details, choices, responsibilities, and reasons can show your perspective.
Can I reuse an activity or experience across answers?
Yes, if it does a different job in the later answer. Reuse becomes a problem when the same event and takeaway are repeated without a new question-specific purpose.
Get your essay scored across all 5 dimension with specific, actionable feedback. Two free reviews per day — no credit card required.