What --- 什么是Essays？

本科申請(qǐng)需要提交的全套申請(qǐng)材料里，Essays是個(gè)關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)，直接決定申請(qǐng)結(jié)果，同時(shí)也是學(xué)生最難把控的難點(diǎn)。不同高校要求的Essays各不相同。所以，在準(zhǔn)備申請(qǐng)材料之前，就應(yīng)該事先做好選校工作，確定目標(biāo)學(xué)校，然后熟悉目標(biāo)學(xué)校的全套申請(qǐng)表格和具體申請(qǐng)要求。為方便起見(jiàn)，美國(guó)越來(lái)越多的高?，F(xiàn)在采用the Common Application（通用申請(qǐng)表，見(jiàn)附件1），同時(shí)各個(gè)學(xué)校會(huì)要求再提交一份Common Application Supplement（補(bǔ)充申請(qǐng)表，例如：附件2中的Yale Common Application Supplement）；對(duì)于國(guó)際生，還要填寫一份IS，即International Supplement（國(guó)際生補(bǔ)充申請(qǐng)表，見(jiàn)附件3）。IS也屬于the Common Application的一部分。

The Common Application (通用申請(qǐng)表)里，有兩個(gè)寫作項(xiàng)：

1  Short Answer （一篇不超過(guò)150詞的短文）

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below or on an attached sheet (150 words or fewer).（簡(jiǎn)述一項(xiàng)課外活動(dòng)或工作經(jīng)歷）

2  Personal Essay （一篇不少于250詞的作文）

Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. （除了課程、分?jǐn)?shù)等客觀數(shù)據(jù)以外，作文可以幫助我們更好地了解你作為一個(gè)學(xué)生和一個(gè)人的各個(gè)方面。它也能展示你組織思想和表達(dá)自己的能力。從以下題目中任選一題。）

① Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. （評(píng)述一次重要的經(jīng)歷、成就、冒險(xiǎn)或面臨的道德困境，及其對(duì)你的影響。）

② Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

（討論一個(gè)你個(gè)人、地區(qū)、國(guó)家或國(guó)際事件及其對(duì)你的重要性。）

③ Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

（說(shuō)明一個(gè)曾經(jīng)對(duì)你有重要影響的人，并描述他/她對(duì)你產(chǎn)生了怎樣的影響。）

④ Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

（描述一個(gè)曾經(jīng)對(duì)你產(chǎn)生過(guò)重要影響的小說(shuō)人物、歷史人物、或者藝術(shù)、音樂(lè)、科學(xué)等創(chuàng)作性作品。同時(shí)描述他/她對(duì)你產(chǎn)生了怎樣的影響。）

⑤ A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

（學(xué)術(shù)興趣、個(gè)人觀點(diǎn)、生活經(jīng)驗(yàn)都能有效增加教育群體多樣性。說(shuō)明你的個(gè)人背景，描述一個(gè)個(gè)人經(jīng)驗(yàn)，由此說(shuō)明你能增添大學(xué)的多樣性，或者說(shuō)明一個(gè)文化多樣性的校園對(duì)你的重要性。）