Why Essay怎么寫才能打動招生官的心

Why Essay，在Common網(wǎng)申系統(tǒng)上又叫Supplement Essay （補充文書），是指CA系統(tǒng)上除了申請者都需要交的650字的主文書（題目一樣）之外，各個學校要求的小文章。因為學校的要求不同，字數(shù)限制通常是150-200字左右，也有超過400字的，幾乎是和主文書一樣了。

需要注意的一點是，在common上看supplement essay時，一定要填好自己的信息以后再寫（選完項目/專業(yè)后）。因為有些是固定專業(yè)才會有why essay，或者是針對國際學生才會有附屬文書。比如Brandeis University，它就有針對國際學生的題目：Brandeis attracts students from many corners of the world. As an international student at Brandies, how would you enrich the campus community. ?所以要提前填好信息，才不會遺忘小文書題目。

常見的why school essay有兩個類型：

第一類：Why are you applying to XX School? 你為啥申請這個學校?

What could you contribute to XXX?你可以給學校帶來什么？

1、Please tell us what you value most about Columbia and why. (300 words or less)（你最看重哥大哪一點？為什么？）

2、How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given specific undergraduate school to which you are applying. (400-650 words)（你覺得如何在賓大探索自己的學術興趣并給出實例）

第二類：Interests related questions（和興趣相關的題目）

1、Name your favorite books, authors, films, ad/or artists. (斯坦福)

2、A list of books you have read during the past twelve months. (哈佛)

3、List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed? most in the past year (哥大)

有些學校喜歡不按照套路出牌，會問一些非常有趣的題目。芝加哥大學就是非常典型的案例，它所有的why school essay都是過往學生出的題目。

學校要求申請者寫why文書的目的

主要有兩個。

第一是出于對錄取接受率的重視。學校希望錄取那些真正會來上學的學生。錄取接受率對于學校的名氣、排名及公眾形象非常重要，所以大學對此都非常重視。寫why文書是有效預測學生是否會接受錄取的重要方式。學校希望了解學生有多么想上這個項目。在其他背景、成績、標準化考試、工作經(jīng)歷與課外活動、推薦信等都差不多的情況下，大學，尤其是頂尖級學校通常會根據(jù)學生的文書做出最后決定。如果學生能夠很好地回答“why this university”，就很有可能被學校錄取。

第二個目的是考察申請者是否和學校是good match。學校希望知道學生是否真的可以在這里得到他們希望得到的東西，學校是否可以幫助學生完成夢想，學生是否愿意一直呆到畢業(yè)。由于學生第一年后的留存率是大學排名的重要指標，學校對此非常重視。通過why文書還可以預測學生大一之后的留存率。

書寫“why”文書的注意事項

1、不要提及大學的地位及排名情況。在我看來，除非你有一個非常重要的理由這樣做，否則你是在浪費你寶貴的時間。

2、最好別提及大學的創(chuàng)始人或人文歷史之類話題。談論托馬斯?杰佛遜和本杰明?富蘭克林當然本身不能說不好，但是弗吉尼亞大學和賓夕法尼亞大學的招生官們都正式聲明不需要你提醒他們，他們上過高中和大學,他們了解歷史,對你說的這些他們完全不感興趣, 也并不會覺得你學識淵博。

3、許多學生漏掉聽起來很明顯的這一步：一定要知道你為什么要申請這所大學?。∪绻阒荒軓木W(wǎng)上搜集到的信息是學校的地位或排名情況，那么你就沒有真正了解和深入關注這所學校。你要找到的是你的學業(yè)規(guī)劃,你的專業(yè)方向，以及學校的專業(yè)規(guī)劃，它的地理位置,文化淵源等是否真正和你匹配。在回答這個問題之前做研究是非常重要的：訪問學校，與在校學生交談等等。

每一篇文書都應該有兩條線索：亮點和主線。亮點是學校所擁有的硬件及軟件設施，周圍風景，一個特定的歷史境況，所處地理位置，規(guī)模大小和課程的設置強度。但不要僅僅局限在那里——問問你自己為什么這些客觀品質對你有意義，并且在文書中直接點出來。如果你被錄取了，你將如何利用校園或社區(qū)的這些優(yōu)越的條件？如果你被錄取，你將如何為他們做出貢獻？

4、從高中的角度看大學申請。這所大學和你的高中有不同嗎？為什么這些相似或不同對你很重要？也許你希望你的大學生活能有大的轉變，也許你期待著加入一規(guī)模小點的的文科學院，因為你過去學校的規(guī)模很小。

附：How to answer "Why this college?" Essay Samples

Example #1

I like Bowdoin College because it’s close to the Canadian border.” Doesn’t Work. Why: The student is telling the school what it already knows. (“It’s close to the Canadian border.”) Instead, tell the school why this piece of information is important, and how you’ll take advantage of it. New Version: “I like Bowdoin’s proximity to Canada because my family is French Canadian. I’m excited about being close enough to learn more about my heritage and practice my language skills.” Works Why: The answer is specific. This student clearly states why this school is a good match for her.

 

Example #2

“Your school really inspires me. The students were friendly and the campus is amazing. Plus, I like cold weather. I can really see myself going there.” Doesn’t Work Why: Generic – almost any campus can be inspiring, and lots of students are friendly. It’s also impersonal – there’s no feeling the student connects with this school.0 New Version: “I introduced myself to some of the students who were on their way to Dr. Gruber’s psych class. As we walked across the quad they told me how exciting his lectures were and how much they liked him as a teacher. My high school psych course really made me want to learn more about psychology, and if I’m admitted, the first class I’m signing up for is Dr. Gruber’s.” Works Why: The student has made her answer personal. By referencing an instructor and a course that interests her, she’s able to give the school a clear picture of how she sees herself fitting in.

 

Example #3

“During the campus tour, my guide gave me a great inside view of the University. He told me about the school culture, and I knew this was the place for me.” Doesn’t Work

Why: 1. Vague. It doesn’t mean anything to say you have an “inside view” or that “this is the place for me.” You need specifics to back it up. New Version: “After I got home, I remembered my tour guide played cello in the orchestra, so I shot him an email asking what it was like. He replied right away and told me he’d definitely recommend it, especially because of the great friendships he’d made. That’s the kind of experience and camaraderie I’m looking for.” Works Why: Personal connection. This is an excellent revision. When the student realized his essay wasn’t specific enough, he remembered that his tour guide played in the orchestra, and that he had the guide’s email. So they chatted, and the end result was an essay that showed initiative, enthusiasm, and connection. The student understood why he wanted to go to this college. Is Your Essay Specific Enough? Use this Test: If 100 other students can say the same thing, it’s time to either dig deeper or start over. Your essay needs to be unique to you. Remember Every school wants to see two basic things: that you know something specific about what they offer and that you understand how you’ll fit in.