How helpful is College Essay Guy's advice for the UC essays?

College Essay Guy's advice is generally well-regarded, especially if you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed starting your UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). His brainstorming techniques—like mapping your values or telling stories through key moments—are helpful for getting ideas flowing. Many students find his worksheets and step-by-step breakdowns to be useful for organizing thoughts and making sure each prompt is actually answered.

However, a common concern, like you mentioned, is that following any template too closely can lead to essays that sound generic. If you use his outlines as strict formulas, you might risk creating a response that ticks all the boxes but lacks unique insight about you. The best way to avoid this is to treat his structure as a launching pad, not a blueprint you have to follow word-for-word.

People who've used his resources often say the real benefit comes from how he pushes you to dig deeper into personal experiences and focus on specific moments. For example, he often encourages students to "show, not tell"—instead of saying, "I'm a hard worker," you illustrate it through a vivid scene, like the late night you re-engineered your science fair project and what that felt like in the moment.

A specific tip that many have found impactful is his idea of identifying 'essence objects' or small details that represent something larger about you. One student wrote about her battered violin case—a seemingly small item, but it became a focal point for discussing perseverance and love for music, helping her essay stand out authentically.

If you're worried about clichés, focus on choosing moments that most people wouldn’t know about you from your resume or transcripts. Instead of just recounting obvious achievements or challenges, drill into one or two moments that shaped you or reveal your personality quirks. Also, remember that the UC PIQs prioritize clear and direct answers with evidence from your life, not flowery prose.

Bottom line: College Essay Guy's materials are great for brainstorming, but the strongest UC essays break from the formula and center your unique stories and voice. If you use his techniques as a starting point and make your essays highly specific and personally meaningful, you'll avoid sounding cookie-cutter and be in great shape.