The "Why Do You Want to Come Here” essay can be your best chance to give the sales pitch for why the college should take you.
關(guān)于“為什么來(lái)我們學(xué)校”的文書(shū)可能成為你向心儀的學(xué)校推銷自己的最好機(jī)會(huì)。
To best answer the question, carefully study the literature about the college and cite specific academic programs, courses, professors, activities, opportunities, and/or the philosophy of the university as primary reasons to seek admission. In addition, an aggressive (very serious) candidate will have visited the campus, sat in on courses, perhaps even met with professors or administrators, and (in extremely rare cases) worked with a professor or professors as part of an internship. Most serious students will cite sound academic reasons for being drawn to the college.
為了給出最佳回答，你應(yīng)該認(rèn)真查閱該校資料，包括具體院系，課程，教授，活動(dòng)，發(fā)展機(jī)會(huì)以及學(xué)校的辦學(xué)宗旨。除此之外，積極主動(dòng)（也就是非常嚴(yán)肅）的申請(qǐng)人可能還會(huì)在條件允許的情況下參觀校園，旁聽(tīng)課程，甚至和教授及其他管理人員有過(guò)交流。在個(gè)別情況下，甚至有學(xué)生會(huì)爭(zhēng)取到與某些教授一起工作的實(shí)習(xí)機(jī)會(huì)。最認(rèn)真的學(xué)生會(huì)提供充分的學(xué)術(shù)理由說(shuō)明自己對(duì)某一學(xué)校的向往。
Remember: The college seeks to admit students who specifically need what only this particular college has to offer. The college would rather that students who don't need this college go elsewhere, where their need can be addressed equally or possibly even better.
記住：每所大學(xué)都力求錄取對(duì)自己學(xué)校情有獨(dú)鐘的學(xué)生。什么是只有這所學(xué)校才能提供的獨(dú)一無(wú)二的東西？對(duì)于那些對(duì)某個(gè)學(xué)校并無(wú)特殊需求的學(xué)生，學(xué)校寧可他們另作更好的選擇。（譯者按：選校旨在雙贏，這就是為什么一所大學(xué)拒絕一個(gè)學(xué)生，卻錄取另一個(gè)成績(jī)資歷不如他的學(xué)生。錄取委員會(huì)希望看到你申請(qǐng)的誠(chéng)意，因?yàn)闆](méi)有哪個(gè)學(xué)校愿意作你的備胎。）
A naïve or unprepared applicant will cite obvious features of the college or campus: the location, climate, reputation, history. Nobody needs to even leaf through the view book to cite these features. This applicant will not have done any extensive research on the specific opportunities offered by the college-the course requirements, activities, unique facilities, internships available-and that, in turn, is viewed as an indicator of how unmotivated the student may be throughout college. This student will not present a solid case on why she needs this particular college. (You can't say "I need this college because I require a warm climate.” College admissions officers will think to themselves, "Apply to the other hundreds of colleges in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, etc., or put on a sweater.")
在回答這個(gè)問(wèn)題時(shí)，一個(gè)缺乏經(jīng)驗(yàn)或未作準(zhǔn)備的申請(qǐng)人會(huì)列舉對(duì)方顯而易見(jiàn)的一些特色：地理位置，天氣，學(xué)校聲望及歷史等等。然而這些都是隨便翻翻學(xué)校的介紹材料就眾所周知的。很明顯，這樣的申請(qǐng)人對(duì)于學(xué)校具體提供的各種機(jī)會(huì)-包括課程要求，活動(dòng)，獨(dú)有的設(shè)施，可能的實(shí)習(xí)機(jī)會(huì)等未作任何深入的了解，錄取委員會(huì)由此可以推斷該生在大學(xué)期間不會(huì)具有學(xué)習(xí)的積極性。這樣的學(xué)生說(shuō)服不了錄取委員會(huì)他/她為什么專門選擇這所學(xué)校。（你不能說(shuō)“我要去氣候溫暖的地方，所以選擇這所學(xué)校。”錄取委員們會(huì)想：“那么去申請(qǐng)加州，弗羅里達(dá)，佐治亞或者德克薩斯的成百上千所大學(xué)吧，或者，穿毛衣。”）
In this essay, the applicant should not try to flatter the college or admissions staff. College admissions people don't need hear that their college is prestigious or that their name would really impress the other kids. They don't need to hear that their campus is pretty. They get hundreds if not thousands of applications reminding them of this, and they’re not impressed with shallow applicants who only seek prestige, good weather, aesthetics, or to "fit in."
在這篇文書(shū)里，申請(qǐng)人要避免吹捧學(xué)?；蜾浫∥瘑T會(huì)。大學(xué)錄取委員會(huì)不需要聽(tīng)任何盡人皆知的溢美之詞。他們看到的實(shí)在太多了，而不會(huì)垂青那些只追求名氣，好天氣，審美或合群的膚淺學(xué)生。
When mentioning a course of interest, the applicant should cite the course by name, and get the name right. He should not be vague about the department or the course. It's better to cite a bunch of classes that interests him, so it's clear that he won't lose interest after just one class. When mentioning a particular professor or professors with whom you want to study, mention them by name. Again, it's better to mention more than one professor in case the one professor who most interests you suddenly moves to a different college or announces a sabbatical. Also, you should explain why you want to work with the professor(s). Did you read the professor(s)’s work? If so, you should demonstrate that in the essay and be specific, citing aspects of the professor(s)’s work that excited you. Did you attend one of the professor(s)’s classes when visiting the campus? You should prove it in the essay by discussing what impressed you most in the class on the day that you attended.
當(dāng)談到一門感興趣的課程時(shí)，申請(qǐng)人應(yīng)該寫(xiě)明課程名稱和系別。應(yīng)盡量多列舉一些感興趣的課以證明該學(xué)生不會(huì)在只聽(tīng)過(guò)一堂課之后就失去學(xué)習(xí)興趣。提到感興趣的教授時(shí)也要點(diǎn)名，同樣，最好列出不止一位教授，以防你最感興趣的教授調(diào)離或休假。同樣，你應(yīng)當(dāng)解釋你為什么希望在這位教授的指導(dǎo)下學(xué)習(xí)。你讀過(guò)他（她）的學(xué)術(shù)論文嗎？如果讀過(guò)，具體闡述該教授研究興趣的哪些地方特別吸引你。你曾經(jīng)在參觀校園的時(shí)候旁聽(tīng)過(guò)該教授的課程嗎（譯者按：現(xiàn)在出國(guó)旅游或游學(xué)已經(jīng)相當(dāng)普遍，最好是利用此機(jī)會(huì)針對(duì)確實(shí)心儀的學(xué)校下一番功夫。與其走馬觀花，不如實(shí)實(shí)在在去旁聽(tīng)?zhēng)组T課程，如果能事先和教授套上瓷更佳。）
When mentioning facilities of particular interest，you can cite specific building names or even pieces of equipment-a specific micro-scope in the nanotechnology lab，a telescope in the campus observatory, a cutting-edge exercise machine in the state-of-the-art computers in the Computer Animation Department- with which you were impressed. You could cite conferences that are held on campus or that are run by the college-academic conferences that you aspire to take part in or volunteer for. (…this is not a time to express an interest in starting an activity that has been offered at your high school but that you haven’t shown an interest in during high school. That looks phony. You may, however, express an interest in joining an organization or conference to you had no access at high school.) When mentioning an activity or club of interest, you should cite the name of the club and explain what is so appealing about the particular group. Check things out on the internet and try to be persuasive. In addition, as far as imagining your role within a specific activity is concerned, you should not simply say anything empty such as “I’d like to work for the prestigious U newspaper.” You’d better say something like “I envision myself as one of the film critics for the Prestige U Weekly News and would like to someday introduce a column devoted to Sci-fi films.”
當(dāng)談到感興趣的設(shè)備時(shí)，最好點(diǎn)出具體設(shè)施所在的樓名及設(shè)施名稱，例如納米實(shí)驗(yàn)室一個(gè)特殊的顯微鏡，學(xué)校天文臺(tái)的一架特定天文望遠(yuǎn)鏡，計(jì)算機(jī)動(dòng)畫(huà)部最先進(jìn)的一臺(tái)令你心儀的健身器材。同樣，你也可以提及自己作為志愿者參與的校內(nèi)學(xué)術(shù)討論會(huì)等。（請(qǐng)務(wù)必注意，這時(shí)候不要提及高中時(shí)你加入但卻并非真心喜歡的活動(dòng)。那實(shí)在太假了。不過(guò)你完全可以提及在中學(xué)時(shí)代感興趣卻沒(méi)有條件加入的組織和活動(dòng)。如果是感興趣的曾經(jīng)加入的社團(tuán)，要說(shuō)具體些，不要只是說(shuō)“我參加過(guò)學(xué)校的合唱團(tuán)。”）要明確說(shuō)出社團(tuán)的名稱，特點(diǎn)，究竟哪里吸引你。信息都可以在網(wǎng)上查到，好好做足功課。另外，當(dāng)提及自己對(duì)于某項(xiàng)活動(dòng)意愿的時(shí)候，一定要有說(shuō)服力，不能只是說(shuō)：“我很想在學(xué)校著名的xx報(bào)刊組工作。”更好的說(shuō)法是：“我愿意在我們學(xué)校著名的周刊做一名電影評(píng)論員。而且我希望以后開(kāi)辟一個(gè)關(guān)于科幻影片的?？?rdquo;
I suppose you get the idea. To find a niche or angel is crucial. In doing your research, find out what the college does not already have and might like to add. For example, if you are able to make conversation with a total stranger, you might phone a college band director to ask if the band is badly in need of a French horn player this year. Or you might call the classics department to ask if there’s any particular type of student that they are seeking (maybe someone who can speak Ancient Greek and is interested in conducting research in that department). During the communication, you should remember to gradually work your way into a discussion of the specific department’s needs and what you could contribute. Also, on the application, avoid writing about some niche that another student already fills. Avoid sounding too dramatic.
說(shuō)了這些希望你們有概念了吧？為自己找到一個(gè)獨(dú)特的賣點(diǎn)至關(guān)重要。還是一句話，要事先做好功課，最重要的就是要充分了解這個(gè)大學(xué)到底需要什么，不再需要什么，想增添什么。比如，假設(shè)你和一個(gè)陌生人聊天，知道他是一個(gè)大學(xué)樂(lè)隊(duì)的主管，你可能會(huì)打電話了解一下這個(gè)樂(lè)隊(duì)要不要一個(gè)吹小號(hào)的樂(lè)手吧，因?yàn)槟闵瞄L(zhǎng)？或者如果他是古典文學(xué)系的教授，你是不是該事先了解一下他們要不要一個(gè)會(huì)古希臘語(yǔ)的學(xué)生，因?yàn)槟銜?huì)？在整個(gè)交流過(guò)程中，記住要循序漸進(jìn)地了解到學(xué)校甚至某個(gè)具體系別的特殊需求，還要讓他們知道你能貢獻(xiàn)出什么別人沒(méi)有的東西。切記避免和別人雷同或者說(shuō)大話。
以上就是招生官揭秘—如何寫(xiě) Why this school的全部?jī)?nèi)容了，但愿對(duì)大家有所幫助。