新申请季已经开始，每年我们都会在文书工作开始前，给学生分享一些往届优秀文书，帮助学生打开思路，今年也提前给大家分享下。
今天分享的是6篇约翰霍普金斯大学招生官推荐的2029届申请者的优秀文书，同学们可以收藏一下，以便随时查阅。
另外还有几十篇JHU、哈佛、耶鲁往届生的优秀文书，刘老师也会同步发到家长群里。
第一篇：数学的叙事艺术
by Anthony m., ’29
Pop quiz: A bird shoots through the crisp morning air of New York City, dodging skyscrapers at a speed of thirty kilometers per hour. The sun breaks through the horizon, blinding the bird in both eyes. The bird manages to catch its reflection in the shining glass of the Empire State Building—but by that time, it’s too late. How do we use velocity, angles, distance, and force to find the point at which the glass shatters?
For me, math is more than just numbers. It’s a mode of visualizing movement in action, the synthesis of my imagination and the physical world. When I’m problem-solving, I’m not just generating a string of numbers on paper. I’m picturing the spiral of a rollercoaster, the friction of a waterslide, and the curvature of an asteroid’s impending collision with Earth.
In high school, when precalculus was taught as a series of step-by-step instructions, it felt like the vivid and colorful world I had come to love was being broadcast in black and white. I saw this reflected in the growing disinterest of my classmates, who saw math as a monotonous chore rather than a universal language with boundless explanatory and creative power. I had to step in. I had to show people what I saw.
This inspired me to begin writing creative math questions for my peers. My parametric equations are not simple problems with one-step calculations– they are cinematic universes that jolt audiences with excitement. They invite others to embrace mathematics as a practice of external—and even internal—discovery that was missing in my school.
When I present my famous “bird crashing into the window” problem students enthusiastically gather around the whiteboard to uncover its mysteries. I watch their impassioned discussions unfold with a sense of satisfaction as each drawing and scribble brings them closer to the truth. Witnessing their pride as they finally arrive at the answer reminds me of why I teach.
I’ve since honed question-design into an art, creating math tests and exercises for Teachers Pay Teachers so that teachers around the world can give my imaginative questions to their students. I hope that students not only learn the concepts I’m teaching– but also critical thinking and reasoning that provides new ways to solve challenges in their lives.
I have also used the medium of math beyond problem sets and assessments. As captain of the Math Olympiad, I use it to transform confused faces into laughter and excitement, to test my teammates’ courage and strengthen team bonds. When I tutor Mu Alpha Theta or teach in Wall Street Lions, it is a language of empathy and connection to connect with students with interests outside of STEM. And in CivicSpark—the non-profit I co-founded to help students gain agency through civic engagement—I deploy the logic and reasoning of math without the numbers. Through a curriculum of imaginative puzzles, I empowered students in schools across Southern California to reach out to their representatives to ignite real change.
In this way, I have used math as a brush to paint a canvas that extends beyond the visual to what matters most—infusing life with greater meaning and heart. It is this creativity that compels me to pursue Applied Mathematics. There is no greater or more fulfilling challenge than the application of mathematics to real-life problems. However I hope to take this application a step further: If every calculation is a story, what does it mean for us to become storytellers? And how can this intellectual artistry transform the world?
As for the bird that caught its reflection in the office window–perhaps it isn’t about the force of the collision, but what happens after. The way the shards of glass multiply a single reflection into thousands of new perspectives. The way a barrier opens to reveal spaces that were previously hidden. And the infinite possibilities of what happens next.
中文翻译：
随堂测验： 一只鸟穿梭在纽约市清冽的晨气中，以每小时30公里的速度躲避着摩天大楼。太阳跃出地平线，晃得鸟儿双眼发盲。它勉强在帝国大厦闪烁的玻璃幕墙上瞥见了自身的倒影——但为时已晚。我们该如何利用速度、角度、距离和力，来计算出玻璃破碎的那一点？
对我而言，数学不仅仅是数字。它是一种将运动视觉化的方式，是我想象力与物理世界的合成。每当我解题时，我不仅是在纸上生成一串数字，我还在脑海中构思过山车的螺旋、水滑梯的摩擦力，以及一颗即将撞击地球的小行星的运行弧线。
在高中，当预备微积分被当作一系列死板的步骤来教授时，我感觉自己曾经热爱的那个鲜活多彩的世界，正被调成黑白频道播放。这种乏味也反映在同学们日益增长的厌倦感中——在他们眼中，数学是单调的苦差事，而非一种拥有无限解释力和创造力的通用语言。我必须介入，我必须让他们看到我眼中的世界。
这激励我开始为同龄人编写极具创意的数学题。我的参数方程不再是单步计算的简单题目，而是能让观众热血沸腾的“电影宇宙”。它们邀请他人去拥抱数学，将其视为一种在校内教育中缺失的探索方式——不仅是向外探索世界，更是向内探索自我。
当我展示那个著名的“小鸟撞窗”题目时，学生们会兴奋地围在白板前揭开它的奥秘。看着他们展开激烈的讨论，看着每一个绘图和涂鸦让他们离真相更近一步，我感到无比欣慰。目睹他们最终得出答案时的自豪感，时刻提醒着我教书育人的初衷。
此后，我将题目设计磨炼成了一门艺术。我在“Teachers Pay Teachers”平台上创建数学测试和练习，以便全球的老师都能将这些富有想象力的题目带给他们的学生。我希望学生学到的不仅是我教授的概念，还有批判性思维和推理能力，从而为解决生活中的挑战提供新路径。
我也将数学这一媒介延伸到了习题集和测评之外。作为数学奥林匹克竞赛的队长，我利用数学将困惑的面孔转化为笑声与兴奋，测试队友的勇气并增强团队凝聚力。当我在 Mu Alpha Theta 担任导师或在 Wall Street Lions 授课时，数学成了共情与连接的语言，让我能够与那些对 STEM 领域之外感兴趣的学生沟通。在 CivicSpark（我参与创办的非营利组织，旨在通过公民参与帮助学生获得自主权）中，我运用了不带数字的数学逻辑与推理。通过一套充满想象力的谜题课程，我赋能南加州各校的学生联系他们的代表，从而引发真实的变革。
就这样，我将数学作为画笔，在画布上描绘出超越视觉、直抵核心的图景——为生活注入更深层的意义与情感。正是这种创造力驱使我追求应用数学专业。没有什么挑战比将数学应用于现实问题更伟大、更令人满足了。然而，我希望将这种应用再推进一层：如果每一次计算都是一个故事，那么我们成为“说书人”意味着什么？而这种知识的艺术又将如何改变世界？
至于那只在办公室窗户上看到倒影的鸟——也许重点不在于碰撞的力度，而在于之后发生的事。破碎的玻璃碎片将单一的倒影化作数以千计的新视角；障碍物被打破，揭示出此前隐藏的空间；以及随后发生的无限可能性。
招生官点评
追求知识并将所得发现与更广阔的世界联系起来，是霍普金斯大学使命的核心支柱之一。在他的文书中，Anthony探索了他对数学兴趣的起源，深入描写了塑造并加强这一兴趣的诸多课堂经历与个人感受。他更进一步，展示了自己如何将这种兴趣转化为现实世界的影响力。通过将数学兴趣与教学、非营利组织及学校社团的工作相结合，Anthony证明了自己通过多种途径传递热情与知识的能力。这些技能组合与思维方式将使他能够充分利用霍普金斯的机遇，并展现出与大学整体目标的强力契合。
学生总结：
不要把个人陈述仅仅看作一篇作文；把它看作一封情书。它讲述了你为何投入时间和精力去做你所爱之事，以及那份爱如何改变了你。通过表达它，你展现了他人无法复制的热情与渴望。个人陈述不再只是描述你的性格，它就是你性格的化身。
第二篇：寻找属于我的色彩
By Emily O., ’29
I stare into my bathroom mirror as I remove the mask. For the first time, I will attend high school showing my full face. I need to be beautiful, just like the girls on my TikTok feed. I examine each video, searching for the common thread. A hot pink blush gleams on each girl’s cheek. Despite the stark contrast between my pale Irish skin spattered with freckles and that of the sun-kissed influencers, I race to Target to search for the infamous Revlon Insta-Blush which comes in stick form, making it foolproof. Or, so I thought.
On the first day of school, I optimistically swipe the stick across my face, waiting for instant beautification. But, my embarrassingly pink cheeks redden as they attract a different type of attention. I quickly banish the blush stick to the back of my makeup drawer. In need of a confidence boost, I vow to add color into my life instead of my face.
An opportunity presents itself near the end of freshman year as I sit in World History class with my friends Hannah and Julia. Suddenly, they thrust their iPads in my face. They smirk, informing me that “Glenbard West is looking for its next weather reporter.” I join them in laughter but steal a second look at the email. My eyes betray me. Both catch my second glance.
“Oh my gosh, Emily, I dare you!” Hannah screeches. I shrug, click the sign-up link and hastily complete the form. Later, I am invited to submit an audition video. I scoff and close the email, certain I’d quickly become a social pariah. Yet, this could be my chance to add a splash of color, to take a risk and attempt something new. I grab my umbrella as a prop, hit record and recite the script. A week later, an email entitled, CONGRATULATIONS WEATHERWOMAN!, arrives. What have I gotten myself into?!
Suddenly, it’s time to compose my first report . . . to enter the eye of the storm. Conscious that every word will be broadcast to all of my peers, I keep it straightforward, simply presenting the forecast. Boring. I know something is missing. So, I create a catchy sign-off, “Keep it Cool in the Castle West” which references our school’s castle-like logo.
On recording day, I stare into my bathroom mirror once again. My eyes drift toward a single tube of coral blush I had been given two years prior. Its soft, sunset orange hue in stark contrast to that TikTok trending hot pink. I slowly dab the Glossier Cloud Paint blush onto my cheeks. It gives my pale skin a natural glow, one that emulates my happiness. My confidence shines as I record my first segment.
Later, when the broadcast projects into my classroom, my nerves take over. I bury myself into my iPad, trying to disappear. After class, I venture into the hallway, eyes glued to the floor.
“Great job with the weather!” someone yells. Another waves. I shoot upright, scanning from one smiling face to another. As I record more and more broadcasts, even people I hadn’t known before begin to say “hi” to me across campus. I’d always been one with a small, tight circle of good friends, but unexpectedly, my social network broadens as my campus “celebrity” grows. As I forge connections with new peers, my confidence builds. I expand my role within the broadcast and my school. I no longer recite the bare minimum but rather, report on sporting events and dare to write my own jokes. Contributing to our school spirit in this small way makes me proud. By trying new things and breaking the cage of conformity, I’ve also learned to love myself and my differences from the girls on social media. I wear my coral blush with pride for the freshman girl in Target. She finally learned how to be herself.
中文翻译：
我凝视着浴室的镜子，摘下面罩。这是我第一次要露出全脸去上高中。我必须变得漂亮，就像我 TikTok 动态里那些女孩一样。我仔细研读每一段视频，寻找她们的共同点：每个女孩的脸颊上都闪耀着亮粉色的腮红。尽管我那散布着雀斑、苍白的爱尔兰裔皮肤，与那些阳光吻过的网红肤色有着天壤之别，但我还是冲向塔吉特百货（Target），寻找那支著名的露华浓（Revlon）棒状腮红——据说它用起来非常简单，绝不会出错。或者说，当时我是这么想的。
开学第一天，我满怀乐观地在脸上抹下色块，等待着瞬间变美。然而，我那尴尬的粉色脸颊却因吸引了异样的关注而变得更红了。我迅速将那支腮红棒放逐到化妆抽屉的最底层。由于急需重拾自信，我发誓要为生活增添色彩，而不是为脸。
高一快结束时，机会出现了。当时我正和朋友汉娜、朱莉娅一起上世界历史课，她们突然把iPad塞到我面前，坏笑着告诉我：“格伦巴德西区高中正在寻找下一任天气预报员。”我跟着她们一起大笑，却忍不住偷偷瞥了一眼那封邮件。我的眼神出卖了我，而她们俩都捕捉到了这一瞬间。
“天哪，艾米莉，我赌你不敢去！”汉娜尖叫道。我耸耸肩，点击了报名链接并草草填好了表格。随后，我受邀提交一段试镜视频。我冷笑一声关掉邮件，确信自己很快就会变成社交弃儿。然而，这也许是我增加生活色彩的机会——去冒险，尝试新事物。我抓起一把雨伞当道具，按下录制键，背诵了脚本。一周后，一封标题为“恭喜你，气象女郎！”的邮件送达。我到底把自己卷进什么事情里了？！
转眼间，到了撰写第一份报告的时候……我即将进入这场风暴的中心。考虑到我的每一句话都会向所有同学广播，我保持着中规中矩，仅仅展示了天气预报。太无聊了。我知道少了一些东西。于是，我编了一个朗朗上口的结束语：“西区城堡，保持酷爽”，这引用了我们学校像城堡一样的标志。
录制当天，我再次凝视浴室的镜子。我的目光落在了一支两年前收到的珊瑚色腮红管上。它那柔和的夕阳橙色与TikTok上流行的亮粉色形成了鲜明的对比。我慢慢地将这款Glossier云纹腮红点在脸颊上。它为我苍白的皮肤增添了自然的红润，这种光泽映照着我的快乐。录制第一段节目时，我的自信散发着光芒。
后来，当广播在教室里放映时，紧张情绪占据了上风。我把头埋进iPad里，试图隐身。下课后，我走进走廊，眼睛死死地盯着地面。
“天气预报做得太棒了！”有人喊道。另一个人挥了挥手。我猛地挺直腰板，目光掠过一张又一张笑脸。随着我录制的节目越来越多，甚至那些以前不认识的人也开始在校园里向我打招呼。我一直以来只有一小群要好的朋友，但出乎意料的是，随着我在校园里的“知名度”提升，我的社交圈拓宽了。在与新同学建立联系的过程中，我的自信也在增强。我扩大了自己在广播和学校中的角色。我不再只背诵最基本的内容，而是开始报道体育赛事，甚至敢于自己写段子。能以这种微小的方式为学校精神做贡献，让我感到自豪。通过尝试新事物和打破从众的枷锁，我也学会了爱自己，接纳自己与社交媒体上那些女孩的不同。我自豪地涂上珊瑚色腮红，以此向当年在塔吉特百货的高一女孩致敬。她终于学会了如何做自己。
招生官点评：
Emily的文书利用各种个人经历来强调她如何承担风险、探索新激情，并了解令她兴奋和启发的事物。从尝试新的美妆趋势到加入学校的气象站，她展示了了解自我和寻找有意义经历的旅程往往需要抓住机会。霍普金斯大学重视课堂内外的发现过程，而Emily的文书出色地展示了她开启这一过程的方式。显而易见，在霍普金斯，她会找到融入充满活力的校园社区并以新旧方式做出贡献的方法。
学生总结：
在思考主题时，我想专注于一段既独特又具有教育意义的经历。通过担任学校气象女郎，我学会了抓住机遇和参与其中——我希望将这两点带到霍姆伍德校园及更广阔的地方。我也考虑了自己在整篇文书中对自我的塑造，希望将自己走出舒适区的意愿展示在最前沿。
第三篇：麦克风的力量
作者：Faith W., ’29
I remember being surprised at how weak my arm felt, as if I was holding a dumbbell instead of a microphone. Standing in front of all of my high school classmates at our weekly Monday Meeting, I could feel my heartbeat in my ears as I studied the small silver holes in the head of the microphone and momentarily wished I was small enough to fit into one of them and disappear. I looked down at the short Women’s History month fact I had prepared and began to read. It wasn’t until I felt someone come up next to me and gently push the microphone closer to my face that I realized that no one could hear me. I finished a few seconds later and fought tears as I returned to my seat amid a smattering of polite applause.
I mostly felt embarrassed; I had failed at such a simple task and allowed my nerves to hijack my voice. For the rest of the meeting, I watched our Student Body President, a brilliant, charismatic senior make announcements and crack jokes with an apparent ease that I couldn’t fathom. I had so much respect and admiration for his public speaking skills– I wished I had the courage to be up there, self-assured and composed. As my embarrassment ebbed I felt another feeling boiling up in me; a sudden resolve. I wanted to get up there one day and try again.
Naturally a reserved person, adjusting to a new school freshman year had been difficult. I found a weird solace in hiding behind the masks we were still wearing at the time– covering most of my face made it easier to remain in my own little bubble, quietly observing others. Given my shyness, I was a bit surprised when a teacher encouraged me to run for Student Council. I surprised myself even more when I decided to run. The idea of being one of the student leaders who I so admired, up there leading the meetings, scared me, and yet it simultaneously drew me in like a magnet for reasons that I couldn’t have fully articulated at the time. It was precisely the fear that made me want to try– I wanted to prove to myself that I could conquer it.
This inescapable pull towards things that scare me has extended into every aspect of my life, from public speaking to basketball to academics. Aside from the responsibility I feel to myself, I often think about people less fortunate than I am; my cousins in Florida, family members in Jamaica, and girls just like me around the world who will never have access to an education. Many of them will never have the chance to take an AP science class, give a TEDx talk, or run for Student Council. I feel that I owe it to them, too, to take advantage of every opportunity, even the daunting ones. Getting out of my comfort zone is not just a personal obligation; it’s a privilege and a blessing.
Now, in front of my classmates as Student Body President, holding the microphone doesn’t trigger the waves of panic it once did. I no longer study the holes in the microphone; thanks to experience, I have gradually felt empowerment take the place of horror when I have the microphone in my hand. Recently, an underclassman told me that even though she loves being in Student Council, she would never run for President, because she could never get up there and speak like I do. She said it flippantly, like it was just a fact, but I saw so much of myself in her and immediately pushed back. She can. Because I did. Ultimately, that’s the best part of holding the microphone- being an example and encouraging those who I’ll eventually pass it on to, like so many others did for me.
中文翻译：
我记得当时我很惊讶，自己的手臂竟然感觉那么无力，仿佛手里握着的不是麦克风，而是一个哑铃。站在全校同学面前参加每周一的例会，我能感觉到耳畔回响的心跳。我盯着麦克风头上那些细小的银色孔洞，那一刻，我真希望自己能小到钻进其中一个孔里消失掉。我低头看着自己准备的一段简短的“女性历史月”事实，开始读了起来。直到有人走到我身边，轻轻地把麦克风推向我的脸庞，我才意识到根本没人听见我的声音。几秒钟后我读完了，在寥寥无几的礼貌掌声中，我强忍着泪水回到座位。
我感到的主要是难堪；我连这么简单的任务都失败了，竟然让紧张绑架了我的声音。在那之后的会议时间里，我注视着我们的学生会主席——一位才华横溢、充满魅力的学长，他发布通知、开着玩笑，那种举重若轻的姿态是我无法想象的。我对他的演讲能力充满敬佩与仰慕——我希望自己也能拥有站在那里的勇气，自信且镇定。随着尴尬感的消退，另一种情绪在我心中沸腾起来：一种坚定的决心。我想有一天能再站上去尝试一次。
作为一个天性内向的人，高一适应新学校的过程一直很艰难。我发现在当时仍需佩戴的口罩后面躲避竟然有一种奇特的慰藉感——遮住大部分脸让我更容易待在自己的小泡沫里，安静地观察他人。考虑到我的羞怯，当一位老师鼓励我竞选学生会成员时，我感到有些惊讶。而当我决定参选时，我让自己更加吃惊了。一想到要像我所仰慕的那些学生领袖一样站在台上主持会议，我就感到恐惧；然而，这种恐惧同时又像磁铁一样吸引着我，其中的原因在那时我也无法完全说明白。恰恰是这种恐惧让我想要尝试——我想向自己证明，我可以征服它。
这种向恐惧之事挑战的不可抗拒的动力，延伸到了我生活的方方面面，从公开演讲到篮球，再到学术。除了对自己负责，我常会想到那些不如我幸运的人：我在佛罗里达的表亲，在牙买加的亲戚，以及世界各地像我一样却永远无法获得教育机会的女孩们。她们中的许多人永远没有机会参加AP科学课、发表TEDx演讲或竞选学生会。我觉得我也欠她们一份情，去利用好每一个机会，即使是那些令人生畏的机会。走出舒适区不仅是个人义务，更是一种特权和恩赐。
现在，作为学生会主席站在同学面前，手握麦克风不再引发往日那种恐慌。我不再盯着麦克风上的小孔；得益于经验，当麦克风在手时，我逐渐感觉到一种力量感取代了恐惧感。最近，一位低年级女生告诉我，虽然她喜欢待在学生会，但她永远不会竞选主席，因为她永远无法像我这样站在台上演讲。她说得轻描淡写，仿佛这是一个不争的事实，但我从她身上看到了曾经的自己，并立即予以反驳。她可以。因为我做到了。最终，握住麦克风最有意义的部分在于——成为榜样并鼓励那些我终将把接力棒传递给他们的人，就像曾经许多人为我所做的那样。
招生官点评：
Faith的文书向我们介绍了一个许多人都面临的挑战——对公开演讲的恐惧。然而，她能够深入探讨这种最初的恐惧如何转化为直面挑战的决心。通过随后的成长，我们可以看到她如何培养了对自身能力的深刻理解，去影响变革、把握机会并激励他人。学生在大学期间可能会面临各种挑战，但Faith向我们展示了她如何坚持不懈，并利用自己的经历将自己培养成社区中有影响力的一员。
学生总结：
在构思主题时，我给了自己充足的时间（几个月！）来产生创意、撰写多份大纲并修改草稿。至于主题，我毫不避讳地真实、透明地表达了我在克服演讲恐惧之前那种失败和失望的感觉。尽管展现脆弱、谈论弱点很难，但我觉得这只会让我的故事更有力量！我利用对自己如何克服这一特定挑战的解释，来描述我的世界观以及我更广泛地应对挑战的方式。
第四篇：平衡的艺术
by jade c., ’29
The concept of balance guides me through life. At heart I am a figure skater. Since early childhood I’ve learned how to balance on and off the ice rink; to glide though skating routines and busy schedules. While I’m skating, time moves differently. I put my soul into each moment. I morph into the embodiment of my emotion and determination. I practice until it is perfect. I pass into a different state of mind, where I’m able to focus fully. I devote hours, and yet it feels as if no time is passing. I bring this pattern of dedication to all of the commitments in my life, and use my sense of balance to handle it all.
I keep moving, on and off the ice, from one thing to the next, because balanced doesn’t mean stagnant. In figure skating, and in life, movement helps keep me balanced. I’ve been raised entirely alone by my single mom, no custody time with my father. We live in an 1860’s log cabin with a lawn to mow, and feral rescue cats. We spend every July in a cottage in Canada helping my grandmother, and I help clean the AirBnB in our basement before every stay. It is important I keep gliding through everything in a timely manner, since it’s just the two of us, with lots of responsibilities, and no one else to pick up slack. From my mom I’ve learned early how to be resourceful, self-reliant, and to manage time effectively, including downtime. Sometimes that’s a challenge. Sometimes I start to feel off balance. Like when I’m in Boston for the Eastern regional synchronized skating competition, having to learn lines for my lead in the school play, and studying for AP classes. But my mom is always there if I need help strategizing. So when life accelerates, I take a deep breath. Even if the speed feels ominous, just like in skating, immersing myself feels liberating. It is all the more rewarding when my work is completed and I get to reflect on everything I’ve accomplished.
When I’m interested in something new to balance I look to my community. I am always the first to offer assistance at my school’s numerous volunteer opportunities. I regularly enlist in trips to a Rescue Mission, and have over 3 times the community service hours required to graduate. I also find activities through connections outside school. Like the Endangered Species Theater Project teen led production I was in last spring. On my own initiative, one of my passions is filmmaking. I plan to major in film studies. I enjoy the medium because it is the closest an audience can get to a story. I thrive in long editing sessions, writing marathons and as my own actor in solo projects. Every film project I create is another flex of my balancing skills.
Yes I’m a regionally qualifying synchronized figure skater, but I’m also a fourth degree black belt in Taekwondo; I’m three term president of my school’s student government association; I’ve been lead in the school play two years in a row; I’m an AP Scholar, a guitarist, and a pianist. I’m a leader, a fighter, a vegetarian, an actor, an athlete, a friend, a musician, a cinematographer, and a straight A student. For my endeavors to go smoothly I’ve honed my sense of balance, and dedicated myself: to the arts, knowledge, and community.
I’ve sculpted myself into a balance beam holding multiple high level skills at once. I love learning, improving, and making an impact in every section of my life. I feel proud of the work I am completing in such diverse ventures. I am always happy as a fulcrum, the balance point of a lever system, I am the “Renaissance man.” I love to succeed in each pursuit, to accomplish many things in a variety of areas, and I am always searching for more.
中文翻译：
“平衡”的概念指引着我的生活。在内心深处，我是一名花样滑冰运动员。从幼年起，我就学会了如何在冰场内外保持平衡：在冰面上滑出流畅的舞步，在冰场外打理繁忙的日程。滑冰时，时间仿佛以另一种方式流逝。我将灵魂倾注于每一个瞬间，化身为情感与决心的体现。我反复练习直至完美。我进入了一种全然专注的境界，全身心地投入其中，数小时的时间掠过却浑然不觉。我将这种奉献精神带入生活中的每一项承诺，并利用我的平衡感来驾驭一切。
无论在冰上还是冰下，我都保持前行，从一件事转向下一件，因为平衡并不意味着停滞。在滑冰和生活中，运动帮助我保持平衡。我由单亲母亲独自抚养长大，父亲从未参与过监护。我们住在一座1860年代的木屋里，有需要修剪的草坪，还有救助回来的野猫。每年七月，我们都会去加拿大的小屋陪伴祖母，而每次房客入住前，我都要帮忙清理地下室的 AirBnB。及时且顺畅地处理好所有事务对我来说至关重要，因为家里只有我们两个人，责任重大，没人能替我们分担。我从母亲身上很早就学到了如何灵活变通、独立自主，并有效地管理时间（包括休息时间）。有时这很具挑战性。有时我会感到失去平衡——比如当我身在波士顿参加东部区域花样滑冰同步滑冰比赛时，还得背诵学校戏剧主角的台词，并为 AP 课程复习。但每当我需要制定策略时，母亲总是在我身边。所以，当生活加速时，我会深呼吸。即使速度快得令人心悸，就像在滑冰时一样，沉浸其中反倒让我感到释放。当工作圆满完成，回望所取得的成就时，那种成就感是加倍的。
当我对新事物产生兴趣时，我会向社区寻求平衡。在学校众多的志愿者机会中，我总是第一个提供帮助的人。我经常参加前往救助站的活动，我的社区服务时长超过了毕业要求的散倍。我也通过校外关系寻找活动，比如去年春天我参加了由青少年主导的“濒危物种剧场项目”演出。此外，电影制作是我主动发掘的热情所在。我计划主修电影研究，我热爱这种媒介，因为它是观众接触故事最近的途径。我沉浸在漫长的剪辑、写作马拉松中，并在个人项目中担任自己的演员。每一个电影项目都是对我平衡能力的又一次锻炼。
是的，我是一名入围区域赛的同步花样滑冰运动员，但我也是跆拳道黑带四段；我是连任三届的学生会主席；我连续两年担任学校戏剧的主角；我是 AP 学者、吉他手和钢琴家。我是领导者、战士、素食主义者、演员、运动员、朋友、音乐家、摄影师，也是一名全 A 学生。为了让这些努力顺利进行，我磨炼了自己的平衡感，并致力于艺术、知识和社区。
我将自己雕琢成一根平衡木，同时承载着多项高水平技能。我热爱学习、进步，并在生活的每个领域产生影响。我为自己在如此多样的领域中所完成的工作感到自豪。我乐于担任那个“支点”——杠杆系统的平衡点，我是那个“通才”。我热爱在每项追求中获得成功，在不同领域达成诸多成就，并且我永远在寻找更多挑战。
招生官点评：
jade在文书中强调了平衡在他们处事方法中的重要性。从花样滑冰到志愿服务再到戏剧，他们将看似迥异的兴趣交织在一起，突出了平衡的方法如何构建了塑造其世界观的技能与视角。在霍普金斯大学，学生将面临广泛的体验、机会和观点。这篇文书让招生官确信，jade一旦入学，将能够毫无困难地继续追求这种平衡，从而探索霍普金斯所能提供的一切。
学生总结：
写大学文书是一个漫长的过程，所以尽早开始对我来说至关重要。我不怕写多个版本，然后从中挑选有效的部分。我认为帮助我完成终稿最关键的一点是放下‘怎么写最好看’的执念，转而专注于我的真实想法。
第五篇：盐的叙事
by maria g., ’29
“No le pongas demasiada sal!” My mom, anticipating a bitter taste from the soup, alarmed me. Yet curious like a five-year-old, I felt it was my mission to discover the secrets behind the little white container in front of me. Standing still, making noise at a shake, laid the salt. Deciding to empty half the recipient, my mom and I laughed the second I tasted our alphabet soup.
Composed of primarily sodium chloride, salt is a staple for food and culture. At the same time, the element is an equal symbol for health, preservation, and connection. Seen time again in history, salt was a compensation for Roman Empire’s soldiers, a source of currency for ancient China, and an exchange in the Gulf Coast from the Olmec people. Globally, a little of it goes the long way.
Ironically, for the entirety of my early adolescence, I underestimated the value of salt in the human body. How could such a small grain be worth immense value? It appeared like an exaggeration. Despite my assumption, fainting in the presence of heat conversely transformed this mindset. Then, I was not surprised to know I battled with low blood pressure. To prevent injuries, I was advised to intake balanced meals. Most importantly, moving from one state to another forced me to keep track of possible imbalance in my body at the end of my junior year.
With an opposing view of the country, I was intrigued at smoky undertones of sea salt in brown rice, at a piece of boiled egg with table salt, or at a pinch of pink salt in a fresh avocado. Unable to eat foods with high sodium, I grew appreciation at the appearance of soul meals in new places. Mere glimpses at dishes fueled my taste examinations. While exchanging interactions with a diverse school population throughout lunch time, I met teenagers and teachers with a history of resilience, migration, and adaptation. Fascinated by the mural of cultures, each little grain of salt in my vision embodied human connection, presenting roots and traditions with pride. My new communities were an open door to discover distinct salt flavor profiles.
Throughout my personal progress of adaptation with moving, I discovered my love for the range of policies, economies, and customs bounded in the world. Enamored by the study of international relations, my pursuit for educating on the states of societies, financial positions, dearth of rights, and extent of access to resources arrived naturally. In a similar way that I enhance my knowledge of salt’s contributions, I am committed for my expatiating my passion towards diplomacy. Exhibiting my devotion for the protection of interests and sustaining peace, the epiphany of helping not just my home countries in the US and Mexico but vulnerable groups at developing countries became my mission.
At the gaze of a welcoming sun, I practice addressing and collaborating changes particularly towards the rights of children and teenagers in my community. Implementing the first UNICEF Club at my school and district, I advocate for young children that are underrepresented, mistreated, yet are equally deserving of education and a bright tomorrow. By promoting the organization’s mission, I aspire to transform beyond fixed generational chains of knowledge. Similarly, my engagement with my state’s Civic Education Coalition, enlarges my infatuation of governance, civic education, and establishing a democratic future. Through my continuous experience with domestic relationships, I prepare for connections and transformations at a larger global scale.
As a person with a close connection to salt, its presence revolutionized my life purpose. Now, every grain of salt is an insight of diversity in our world and human interactions. Appreciating the intricate connection between individuals and nations, salt awakened my passion for revealing paths with solutions. In fact, I consider salt’s impact on Earth as an embodiment of motivation for building systematic change. Salt is truly a symbol of our globe’s shared essence.
中文翻译：
“No le pongas demasiada sal!”（别放太多盐！）妈妈担心汤会变苦，大声提醒我。然而，由于像五岁小孩一样充满好奇，我觉得自己有使命去揭开面前那个白色小罐子背后的秘密。我静静站着，摇晃罐子发出沙沙声，盐粒就在里面。我决定倒出一半，结果在我尝到那碗字母汤的一瞬间，妈妈和我相视大笑。
盐的主要成分是氯化钠，它是食物和文化的基石。同时，这种元素也是健康、保存和联结的共同象征。回顾历史，盐曾是罗马帝国士兵的报酬（薪水的来源），是古代中国的货币，也是墨西哥湾沿岸奥尔梅克人交换的物资。在全球范围内，一点点盐就能产生深远的影响。
讽刺的是，在整个青春期早期，我低估了盐对人体的价值。这么小的一粒颗粒怎么可能拥有巨大的价值？这听起来像是夸张。然而，在高温下晕倒的经历彻底扭转了我的看法。那时我才惊讶地发现，自己一直在与低血压搏斗。为了防止受伤，我被建议保持均衡饮食。最重要的是，高三末期从一个州搬到另一个州的经历，迫使我必须随时留意体内可能出现的失衡。
面对这个国家截然不同的风貌，我开始着迷于糙米中海盐的烟熏底蕴，或者是撒了食盐的煮鸡蛋，亦或是新鲜牛油果上的一抹粉红盐。由于不能摄入过高浓度的钠，我开始欣赏新环境下那些“灵魂料理”的模样。哪怕只是瞥一眼这些菜肴，都能激发我对味觉的研究。在午餐时间与背景各异的师生交流时，我遇到了拥有坚毅、迁徙和适应历史的青少年与教师。被这幅文化壁画所吸引，我眼中的每一粒盐都化作了人类联结的缩影，自豪地呈现着根源与传统。我的新社区成为了一扇大门，让我发现不同的盐风味图谱。
在搬家和自我适应的过程中，我发现了自己对世界上各类政策、经济和习俗的热爱。我对国际关系研究深以为然，自然而然地开始追求对社会状态、财务状况、权利缺失以及资源获取程度的教育。正如同我加深对盐之贡献的理解一样，我致力于将我的热情拓展至外交领域。通过展现我对保护利益和维持和平的奉献，我产生了一个顿悟：我的使命不仅是帮助我的祖国——美国和墨西哥，还要帮助发展中国家的弱势群体。
在和煦阳光的注视下，我练习着去应对并协作推动变革，特别是针对社区内儿童和青少年的权利。我在学校和学区建立了第一个联合国儿童基金会（UNICEF）俱乐部，为那些代表性不足、遭受虐待却同样渴望教育和光明未来的幼童发声。通过推广该组织的使命，我渴望打破固化的代际知识锁链。同样，我参与州级公民教育联盟（Civic Education Coalition）的经历，扩大了我对治理、公民教育和建立民主未来的迷恋。通过在国内关系领域的持续实践，我正为更大规模的全球联结与变革做准备。
作为一个与盐有着紧密联系的人，它的存在彻底改变了我的生活目标。现在，每一粒盐都是对世界多样性和人类互动的一种洞察。通过欣赏个人与国家之间错综复杂的联系，盐唤醒了我寻找解决方案路径的热情。事实上，我认为盐对地球的影响，正是构建系统性变革动力的化身。盐，确实是我们全球共同本质的象征。
招生官点评：
maria在文章中以盐为驱动力，审视了她对不同社区和观点的认知成长。这种不断涌现的认知，成为她投身于服务、外交以及与他人协作等领域的起点。跨越多元视角的协作与对话，是霍普金斯大学学生学习并成为全球社会积极成员的重要方式。maria有效地展示了她已准备好参与霍普金斯所提供的那种对话与行动导向的大学体验。
学生总结：
在写文书之前，我知道我想描述一个能以抽象且深刻普遍的方式，强调我的价值观、兴趣和热情的元素。我回想起妈妈的那句话：‘你是世上的盐（the salt of the earth）。’我特意花时间将盐与我的故事以及我渴望成为的人联系起来。写作过程让我感到快乐，我确保自己从不仓促对待任何一个想法，而是平和、连贯地将其写出来。
第六篇：构建我的宇宙
By Shotaro O., ’29
Just outlining the coastlines took a month. On the solid, 22-inch by 30-inch sheet of white paper I was working on, I couldn’t just press the “undo” button if my highlighter happened to slip. I had spent two months creating a rough draft, and an additional month transferring that onto the final copy with a pencil. I then outlined that with a pen, which I was now going over with a highlighter. Messing up at this point meant losing four months of hard work. The stakes were high, but I was enjoying the process. I was already thinking about other details I could expand upon next. A steampunk society experiencing rapid technological advancements, I’d decided, would be the setting of this fantasy world. I imagined the technologies I could introduce in this setting. I thought about the economic and cultural indications these technologies would have on civilizations in this world. Meanwhile I continued to carefully move my highlighter.
“Worldbuilding” is a process of creating a fictional universe of your own; developing anything from the geography and climate of a continent to the annual holidays of a specific culture. The easiest way to visualize the process is to think about works by some fantasy authors, like J.R.R. Tolkien, or game developers. Though I am neither, this hobby is an important part of who I am; it reflects my interests, my curiosity, and my growth.
One reason I love worldbuilding is because of the sheer amount of questions I can ask. Research is critical to the process. The questions I’ve recently asked involved history (I looked at how historical nomadic empires rose to power), geology (I studied plate tectonics for a more realistic map), primatology (I researched about Great ape language to explore possibilities of interspecies communication), and computer science (I wanted to know whether computers could be invented by civilizations without electricity). The questions that worldbuilding forces me to ask open my eyes to new subjects I didn’t even know existed, and this in turn enables me to work with more sophisticated worldbuilding ideas.
Worldbuilding also allows me to show my own personality within my fantasy world. The amount of detail into the world’s history is reflective of my love for the subject. My passion for abstract strategy board games (like chess and checkers) has motivated me to develop a similar board game for my world. The extensive government systems of my republics and empires reflect my strong understanding of the legal system, gained through my participation in the school Mock Trial.
Two months later, standing over my finished map, I immediately noticed some flaws. I’d drawn the continents a bit too small, leaving an awkward blob of blank space on the top left of the map. On the bottom, the map legend’s design was noticeably underwhelming. Overall, things could definitely be better.
And yet, gazing over my creation what I most prominently felt was pride. This moment was perhaps my favorite part about worldbuilding—taking a step back and seeing what I managed to create from scratch. In 6 months, my map came to contain three continents, 100+ islands, 50+ countries, and 60+ major cities, along with road networks, major rivers, and mountain ranges. I’d also developed various sophisticated histories, cultures, and technologies accompanying the individual societies. Worldbuilding shows you what’s in your mind: stuff that amazes even yourself.
Even when the map is finished, the worldbuilding journey continues on. I’m still researching. I’m still reflecting my other passions onto my creations. My next map may identify earthquake hotspots, and it definitely will have a better organized legend. My next civilization may be built by apes, and it will surely have developed mechanical computers. Fusing knowledge, experience and imagination, the possibilities of worldbuilding are truly endless. As long as I continue to grow and learn, my world continues growing with me. I find that very exciting.
中文翻译：
仅仅是勾勒海岸线就花了一个月的时间。在我正处理的那张 22x30 英寸的坚韧白纸上，如果荧光笔不小心滑落，我可没有“撤销”键可以按。我花了两个月时间创作草图，又花了一个月将其用铅笔誊抄到终稿上。接着我用钢笔勾线，现在则正用荧光笔进行最后的勾勒。在这个阶段出错，意味着丢掉四个月的心血。虽然风险很高，但我很享受这个过程。我已经在思考下一个可以扩展的细节了。我决定，这个幻想世界的设定将是一个经历着技术飞跃的蒸汽朋克社会。我构思着可以在这个设定中引入的技术，并思考这些技术会对这个世界的文明产生怎样的经济和文化影响。与此同时，我继续小心翼翼地移动着荧光笔。
“世界构建”（Worldbuilding）是一个创造属于自己的虚构宇宙的过程；从一个大陆的地形和气候，到特定文化的年度节日，一切都需要你去开发。想象这一过程最简单的方法，是思考 J.R.R. 托尔金等奇幻作家或游戏开发者的作品。虽然我两者都不是，但这个爱好是我身份的重要组成部分；它反映了我的兴趣、好奇心和成长。
我热爱世界构建的原因之一，是它让我能提出海量的问题。研究对于这个过程至关重要。我最近研究的问题涉及历史（我研究了历史上游牧帝国是如何崛起的）、地质学（我学习了板块构造学以绘制更真实的地图）、灵长类动物学（我研究了大猿语言，以探索物种间交流的可能性）以及计算机科学（我想知道不带电的文明是否能发明计算机）。世界构建迫使我提出的问题打开了我的眼界，让我接触到以前甚至不知道存在的学科，这反过来又使我能构思出更复杂的设想。
世界构建也让我能在幻想世界中展示个人性格。对世界历史细节的雕琢反映了我对这门学科的热爱；我对抽象策略棋盘游戏（如国际象棋和跳棋）的热情，促使我为我的世界开发了一款类似的棋类游戏；我笔下共和国和帝国广泛的政府体系，则反映了我通过参加校园模拟法庭所获得的对法律体系的深刻理解。
两个月后，站在完成的地图前，我立即注意到了一些缺陷：大陆画得有点太小了，导致地图左上方留出了一块尴尬的空白；底部地图图例的设计也明显不够亮眼。总的来说，一切肯定可以做得更好。
然而，凝视着我的心血结晶，我感触最深的是自豪。这一刻或许是我最喜欢世界构建的部分——退后一步，看着自己从零开始创造出的一切。在 6 个月里，我的地图承载了 3 块大陆、100 多个岛屿、50 多个国家和 60 多个主要城市，以及道路网、主要河流和山脉。我还为各个社会开发了与之配套的复杂历史、文化和技术。世界构建向你展示了你脑海中的世界：那些甚至连你自己都会感到惊叹的东西。
即使地图完工了，世界构建的旅程仍在继续。我仍在研究，仍在将我的其他热情投射到创作中。我的下一张地图可能会标注地震热点，也肯定会有一个更整洁的图例；我的下一个文明可能是由类人猿建立的，而且肯定会研制出机械计算机。融合知识、经验和想象力，世界构建的可能性确实是无限的。只要我继续成长和学习，我的世界就会随我一起成长。我发现这非常令人兴奋。
招生官点评：
霍普金斯大学是一个鼓励并促进跨学科学习与探索的地方。通过对世界构建的兴趣，Shotaro展示了能够让他无缝融入这种互联式研究的技能与视角。在构建世界时，Shotaro探索了历史、地质和其他学科，所有这些都是为了创建一个连贯、成熟且真实的世界。他的文书提供了充足的证据，让招生官能够想象他在霍普金斯就读期间，将如何以同样有效的方式结合不同的研究领域。
学生总结：
在申请过程中，我对简历让我看起来如此机械和无趣感到非常沮丧，因此我寻找那些能让只看过我成绩和课外活动的人感到惊讶的文书主题。起初，我很不情愿写一个在申请材料其他地方从未出现过的小众主题，但随着时间的推移，我意识到这个主题比任何其他东西都更能表达我的个性。
