For those interested, this is the prompt:
Guidelines for the Statement of Purpose: Please write an essay, up to 7,900 characters which can be either single or double spaced. If you can not fit your essay in the allotted space on the application, upload the essay as a separate document in the Supporting Documents section. If you choose to upload your Statement of Purpose, please indicate that you did in the space provided for the essay on the application. Please state your purpose in applying for graduate study, your particular area of specialization within the major, your plans for future occupation or profession, and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and your aptitude for graduate study at UCLA.
The University of California is committed to excellence and equity in every facet of its mission. Teaching, research, professional and public service contributions that promote diversity and equal opportunity are encouraged and given recognition in the evaluation of the applicant's qualifications. These contributions to diversity and equal opportunity can take a variety of forms including efforts to advance equitable access to education, public service that addresses the needs of California's diverse population, or research in a scholar's area of expertise that explores inequalities.
Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that will allow the department to evaluate your contributions to the University's diversity mission. For example, please discuss any academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect underserved segments of society; educational experiences that provide an understanding how to address the academic needs of underrepresented students, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. In addition, please describe any aspects of your personal background that might add to the diversity of the graduate group, such as experience living in bicultural communities, experience with barriers in access to higher education, multicultural competency, economic challenges, fluency in other languages, physical or mental disability, or other life experiences that will enable you to address the needs of our diverse society in your scholarly career. This statement will be used in conjunction with your application for graduate admission and financial support.
