申请大学时的常见问题

大学申请中的常见问题

大部分的美国优秀大学在申请中都会问学生们相似的一个问题：你为什么想来我们学校？

这个问题有各种问法。有的学校直截了当：“为什么是布朗？”；有的学校把这个问题作为复杂问题的一部分：“塔夫茨的课程或者本科学习的哪些方面让你想申请这所学校？”，“你会如何在宾夕法尼亚大学探索你的学术和知识上的兴趣？请针对你所申请的本科学院进行作答。”

或繁或简，这些题目问的都是一回事。

问什么要问“为什么”？

学生们在看到这个问题的时候往往内心还是有点不能接受。我花了这么多时间进行调查，准备申请材料，还交了申请费，难道不足以表示我对学校的衷心？

很难说。

实际入学率

首先，大学们会更愿意给收到offer之后一定会来的人发录取信。学校的实际入学率（入学的学生人数占发出录取通知书总数量的比例）是学校进行宣传时的重要数据，也是影响学校排名的因素之一。学校如果想吸引更多的学生来申请，更高的实际入学率是最好的宣传材料。

展示出的兴趣

一般来讲，越是竞争激烈的学校，录取学生时衡量的因素越多。大学想知道你有多想来，他们把这一个因素叫做“展示出的兴趣”。申请中的其他因素，比如成绩、分数、活动经历、推荐信等大致在同一水平的情况下，学校会更倾向于录取能更好的展示出自己对这所学校浓厚兴趣的学生。

合适度

“为什么选择这所学校”这个问题也突出了学校很重视彼此是否“合适”这个理念。高校不愿意看到学生大一之后就离开学校，而是希望所有学生入学之后都能毕业。如果数据够好看，很多学校也会把大一学生留存率和毕业率放到他们的宣传材料中。

所以，回答“为什么”这个问题非常关键！

但是从我的经验来看，很多学生却是把这个问题放在最后来回答，好像这个问题的回答是不言而喻的。我敢保证大多数的学生花在这个问题上的时间都不及个人文书的十分之一。但事实上，对个问题的回答应该像你的其他文书一样精彩。

下面，我就给大家举几个例子，逐个分析：

以下例文均为学生原版，未经改动

学生1：波士顿大学

I want to study at a reputed university, with a stimulating environment as I have always lived in major cities where I can go to cafes, to hear music, to museums and sports events as part of my everyday life.

Boston University has become one of the best in the US; it has top professors and is located in the middle of a historic city, and accessible to everything. It has a strong international relations program which would be perfect for me since I have attended a diverse international school. I noticed all these things when I visited. Given Boston University’s notable reputation and history, I would be excited by the opportunity to attend such a strong and knowledgeable institution . . .

学生1拿到波士顿大学的录取了么？

这位学生的回答几乎可以用在每一所大型的，城市地区的学校。我作为招生官，能相信她是用心选择，认真思考才选择我的学校的么？当然不能。我能从这个学生的回答中看出她其他申请材料中所没有体现的东西么？也不能。

这位学生的回答全部是笼统概括的语言：波士顿大学名声显赫，位于历史悠久的城市，从音乐会到图书馆，资源丰富，有国际关系专业。她所例举的事实都是招生官知道的，而且并非是波士顿大学的特别之处。她在文中写道的“来自一所学生非常多样的国际学校”通过Common App通用表格里面的信息就可以反应出来。

波士顿大学每年收到五万份本科申请。如果你每个申请季都都到成百上千份这样的文章，你会录取给出这样的回答的学生么？

学生2：西北大学

The most unique trait of Northwestern University is its focus on undergraduate research. I am very interested in biology and chemistry; I just love working in laboratories. In the “Gymnasium”, the Swiss pre-university school, we were often confronted with a problem that we had to solve in groups. Such problems could be as easy as distinguishing water from ethanol, or as complex as building a hydrogen fuel cell. To find a solution we were given time in our laboratory and could ask for practically anything we needed . . .

A further very good quality of Northwestern University is its rather high rank and great reputation. I seek a good education and definitely appreciate it, if the university I attend is renowned. If I went to a second-rank college I would be better off studying in Switzerland . . .

A last point is the location: It’s just great; right next to the lake, in the nice and cosy town of Evanston. You have the advantages of a small town, such as lots of greenery and a quiet environment, and yet Chicago is very close and accessible . . .

学生3：西北大学

Because I intend to pursue a career in photojournalism, I see the Medill School of Journalism as the Holy Grail of education. Offering the impressive intellectual and technical resources of a prestigious research university, Northwestern would provide me the confidence of knowing that I would be getting the most forward-focused education in journalism.. . . The quarter system and Medill’s internship requirements create an ideal confluence for exactly that experience . . .

Northwestern has a gorgeous location. When I visited the campus, I was smitten with Evanston’s cozy feel. Although I initially pictured myself in the heart of a city, Evanston eclipsed this vision. The small town