[原创]美本名校申请文书解析：Why Essay到底如何写？

每年的大学申请季节，相当数量的美国大学要求向本大学递交申请的学生写作why this school（为什么申请本校）一类申请essay。因此，这种选校类申请essay可以说是申请阶段学生写的最多的一类申请essay，掌握写好这类申请essay的方法十分有必要。

       常见的Why Essay的两个类型
      
       第一类题目：“Why are you applying to XX School? 你为什么申请这个学校？”或者“What could you contribute to XX? 你可以给学校带来什么？” 第二类题目：Interests related questions（和兴趣相关的题目），还有些学校喜欢不按照套路出牌，会问一些非常有趣的题目。
      
       New York University/纽约大学:
      
       We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. We are particularly interested in knowing what motivated you to apply to NYU and more specifically, why you have applied or expressed interest in a particular campus, school, college, program, and/or area of study…… we want to understand - Why NYU? (400 word maximum)
      
       Boston University/波士顿大学:
      
       In no more than 250 words, please tell us why BU is a good fit for you and what specifically has led you to apply for admission.
      
       University of Wisconsin-Madison/威斯康星麦迪逊：
      
       Tell us why you decided to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, share with us the academic, extracurricular, or research opportunities you would take advantage of as a student.
       Why Essay的特征
      
       1. 真实，以小见大
      
       明显的字数限制很清晰地表现出，这类文书题目希望听到申请者的小故事，而不是大道理。比如说最简单的，描述春节的时候，大家一起看Spring Festival Gala，一起包饺子做年夜饭，可以体现申请者重视亲情，然后接着表达在饺子里面放硬币、枣儿等来预示期待未来的美好，这样本身就是有中国特色，会让招生官在读你essay的时候又有收获。或者有的学生讲，自己喜欢福尔摩斯，并且把他每次讲如何观察别人的表情等技巧记录在本子上，还专门到街上去实践自己的学习，观察衣着和表情，写出自己的专栏，这都和他想申请的心理学专业不谋而合。
      
       2. 一定要结合自己的经历写具体的内容，体现我和这个学校的项目和教育资源完美吻合
      
       一定要结合自己的特点和具体经历来写。鼓励多花一些时间了解学校的特点，然后把这些独特点和自己的特点相结合，写出一篇独具特色的文书。比如有一个喜欢化学的男孩致力于研究出世界上最美丽的烟花，从一开始自己偷偷研究到联合志同道合的小伙伴一起在雪地里放他们自己研制的烟花。开头是这样的描述：
      
       Boom! Boom!
      
       A cluster of fire rushed up and sparkled beautifully on the sky. ‘Oh my god! It worked! Look! We made it!’In a freezing cold night, two young men were jumping up and down to cheer their success of just making a firework based on the Chemistry knowledge--The boiling point of kerosene is always higher than its burning point, which they have just learned.
      
       描述出化学在这个学生心里面无法逾越的位置。强烈地表示Berkeley就是他心中最高的殿堂。他很细节地举出了加州伯克利大学Chemistry College的课程，以及他对于课程和项目的看法。
       如何写出好的Why Essay
      
       思路一：认同、欣赏大学的办学理念或者是独特的办学思路
      
       Please tell us what you find most appealingabout Columbia and why. (Columbia University, 200 words)
      
       解题：这个题目要求学生写出哥伦比亚大学大学最吸引他/她的一点，并解释为什么。
      
       Columbia University’s logo, the Crown,arouses my special interest in the University. As I understand, it must be connected with the University’s original name: King’s College. Actually, just like a King, not only does the University still follow the tradition of liberalarts education, but it changes over time to take the lead. I am sure that through the two papers of its Core Curriculum, namely Contemporary Civilization and Literature Humanities, I can learn more about the history and literature of our mankind, what’s more, which can help improve my critical thinking ability and broaden my viewpoint to adapt myself to my further study. As a supplement to Core Curriculum, a new course, Frontiers of Science, is being offered this fall to remedy the previous neglect that students should be trained in the science-related knowledge. I highly value this “change-over-time” practice. Studying in such a university, I’m sure, I can benefit a lot from it: not onlyenriching myself with cutting-edge professional knowledge as well ascultivating my personalities.
      
       先从哥伦比亚大学的校标—王冠，引出大学最初的校名—国王学院，进一步点出哥伦比亚大学的突出特点：既坚守文理教育理念，又与时倶进保持领先。接下来，以其核心课程的不变与变为例加以证实上述特点。Essay结尾点明申请者期盼在这样的大学校园丰富专业知识、锤炼自我个性。这篇essay展示出对哥伦比亚大学进行了认真研究，了解其历史变革，巧妙地用王冠→国王→大学特点，层层递进，点出大学对自己最具吸引力的特点。
      
       思路二：喜欢大学的氛围
      
       按照这个思路来写的话，通常要求学生亲身到过这所大学，对大学有亲身的体验。最近几年，越来越多的中国高中生利用寒暑假参加美国大学举办的各类活动，或者参加暑期课程，或者纯粹以参观游览为主的冬、夏令营，因而有更多的机会亲身到一些美国大学校园体验。在写作选校类essay时，写出对自己选择就读的大学亲身感受作为喜欢大学的理由，无疑很有说服力。
      
       Why are you interested in attending the University of Notre Dame? Your comments should not exceed 150 words. (approximately150 words)
      
       解题：这道essay题目很简洁直白，要求学生回答“你为什么对入读圣母大学感兴趣？”字数要求大约150个单词。
      
       When I began planning for college, I hoped that I could study at a university that would be extremely challenging academically and I would not feel living in an unfriendly environment. Using these criteria, Notre Dame (ND) quickly rose to the top of my list of preferred universities that I intended to enter. On the website, I found that its academic programs seem to be very vigorous and varied. I think I can enrich myself with professional knowledge after four years’ study there. This past summer vacation I had the chance to attend the summer school program at ND.Those lectures were simply fantastic. And I felt that people at ND treat each other like old friends. The atmosphere of the university seemed to be exactly what I want. As I have experienced the ND campus by myself, I know it is the closest to my ideal.
      
       申请大学前，每个申请学生都会有自己的择校标准，而这个作者希望就读的大学在学术上具竞争力，生活环境友好。凭借这两条标准，圣母大学成为作者最向往就读的大学。而作者利用假期进行大学亲身体验，进而让其确认这就是自己期盼入读的大学。
      
       思路三：将大学对自己的数项吸引点结合起来
      
       1. 学术帮助：准备学习的专业课程设置很有特色，提供的辅助服务，如提供实习机会，提供与教授进行科研的机会，提供带薪实习的机会等，能够帮助学生专业学习，促进个人理想的实现；
      
       2. 特长吻合：自己某一方面特长在准备就读的大学在这一方面比较契合，例如，自己喜欢制作机器人，而大学有机器人研究学生社团；自己喜欢打篮球，而该大学拥有很棒的蓝球队等；
      
       3. 环境有利：大学所处地理环境，如所在城市，有利于自己的专业学习或职业发展，如该城市可为学生提供较多的专业实习机会或者就业机会；或者大学校园非常漂亮，当地气候怡人，自己非常喜欢等。
      
       声明：本文为原创文章，作者：郭亮， 未经允许禁止转载。
      
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