What to Expect
Your Personal Profile is a vital part of your UBC Sauder BCom application. It’s your opportunity to showcase who you are beyond your academic achievements - your values, experiences, and aspirations.
We want to understand how you think, what drives you, and how you engage with the world around you. This includes any activities outside of academics, such as leadership roles, volunteer work, part-time jobs, creative pursuits, or personal challenges you've overcome.
Each question requires a short essay response (between 50 and 500 words), so take time to reflect and craft thoughtful answers.
3 Tips for a Strong Personal Profile
- Reflect deeply: Go beyond listing your accomplishments. Share what you learned, how you grew, and why the experience mattered.
- Be specific: Use clear examples and details to bring your story to life.
- Be authentic: Speak in your own voice. We value honesty and individuality over perfection.
Note: Each question has a character limit in the online application system. Be sure to stay within the limit—any text beyond the maximum will be cut off.
Personal Profile Questions
You’ll answer two essay questions:
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Describe a time when you faced a problem or an unfamiliar situation. What actions did you take? What was the outcome? What did you learn from the experience?
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How are you making a positive impact in your community? How do you plan to build on these efforts through your experience at UBC Sauder?
How We Evaluate Your Personal Profile
Your responses will be reviewed by trained readers who assess your profile in the context of all applicants. We’re not looking for a specific type of experience. For example, an activity related to business will not necessarily be valued more highly than something unrelated to the field. There are no “right” answers.
What we value:
- Diversity of thought and background
- Personal growth and resilience
- Leadership and initiative
- Community engagement and impact
We believe that a strong business education begins with a diverse and dynamic student body. Your unique story helps us build that community.