Is the College Essay Guy's advice helpful for UC application essays?

College Essay Guy’s advice can definitely be helpful for UC application essays, but you’ll want to adapt his strategies to fit the unique format and word count of the PIQs. The 'montage' and 'narrative' structures he teaches are both workable for PIQs, though they need to be streamlined.

The narrative structure—where you tell a story from your life, reflect on it, and connect it to your values—works well for introspective or challenge-focused UC prompts, like "Describe the most significant challenge you have faced." Just make sure you’re concise and focus on a single moment or turning point. For example, one student wrote about having to take on a leadership role in her science club when everyone else graduated. She started with a quick anecdote about a specific club meeting, dove into the unexpected issues, and showed how she problem-solved and grew. In only 350 words, she showed initiative and what she learned, without spending too much word count on setup.

The montage structure—where you string together short scenes or experiences to reveal a core quality or theme—can help you answer prompts like "What have you done to make your school or community a better place?" It works if each 'mini-scene' is vivid but brief. An applicant might write three short vignettes: tutoring a struggling friend, organizing donations for wildfire relief, and translating for a neighbor. The key is that each segment is tight and ends with a reflection that directly addresses the question.

Some College Essay Guy ideas to keep: brainstorm deeply, show concrete actions, and make sure each essay answers the specific PIQ prompt. But be careful: four essays at 350 words mean every sentence counts. Where his methods use long introductions or drawn-out imagery, you’ll need to cut down and focus on the action + reflection.

A lot of UC admits have used these techniques by prioritizing clarity, authentic voice, and reflection—while keeping their answer highly focused on the prompt. My advice: try drafting one PIQ in both narrative and montage form, then see which feels more effective and natural for you. Don’t hesitate to borrow his brainstorming tools or outline formats, but revise until your essay fits the UC style: concise, personal, and specific to the question.