2024Fall美本藤校补充文书盘点！如何才能写出令招生官满意的文书？

在美本申请中，文书是一个能让学生向大学表达自己个性和想法的机会，招生官在审查文书的同时除了考察学生的语言能力外，还会考察学生的思辨能力。

除了申请系统的主文书外，许多大学还有自己的补充文书。

今天我们以藤校为例，来看一看藤校的补充文书要求以及如何才能写出令招生官满意的申请文书。

藤校补充文书

普林斯顿大学补充文书

Princeton University

普林斯顿大学今年新增了一个500字以内的，主题关于“你的生活经历”。

学校希望借此来了解“这些经历如何塑造了申请的学生，未来将发挥出什么样的作用。”

另外，学校还会按照专业选择情况来提供不同类型的补充文书题目。

A.B.学位或Undecided未定专业

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

B.S.E学位

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

哈佛大学补充文书

Harvard University

受到此前平权法案的影响，哈佛大学的补充文书题目取消了过去一直在招生中沿用的可选的Optional补充文书模式，取而代之的是5篇必答的Required 200字文书。

5篇必答200字小文书题目

1. Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

2. Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.

3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.

4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?

5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.

耶鲁大学补充文书

Yale University

耶鲁大学的补充文书题目分为简答题和必答文书两部分。

简答题是耶鲁大学文书的重要组成部分，短小精悍。而必答文书题目则会根据申请人选择的申请平台而略有不同。

哥伦比亚大学补充文书

Columbia University

今年哥伦比亚大学的补充文书与去年有所不同，题目做了改动外，对字数的要求也发生了变化。

5道必答题

1. List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy.  (100 words or fewer)

2. A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer)

3. In college/university, students are often challenged in ways that they could not predict or anticipate. It is important to us, therefore, to understand an applicant's ability to navigate through adversity. Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have faced and discuss the personal qualities, skills or insights you have developed as a result. (150 words or fewer)

4. Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia. (150 words or fewer)

5. What attracts you to your preferred areas of study at Columbia College or Columbia Engineering? (150 words or fewer)

康奈尔大学补充文书

Cornell University

根据学生申请的学院不同，大学要求写作的补充文书题目也不一样，这里我们列举部分的学院要求。

农业与生命科学学院

Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. How will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences(CALS) at Cornell University specifically serve to support your learning, growth, and the pursuit of your goals? (650 word limit)

艺术与科学学院

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the college, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Science.

劳资关系学院

At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the college, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Science.

人类生态学院

How have your related experiences influenced your decision to apply to the College of Human Ecology (CHE)? How will your choice of major impact your goals and plans for the future? Your response should show us that your interests and aspirations align with CHE and your choice of major. (Refer to our essay application tips before you begin.)

布朗大学

Brown University

布朗大学有三篇必写的补充文书题目，对新生申请和转学生申请都适用：

另外，申请八年制通识医学教育项目 (PLME) 或五年制布朗-罗德岛设计学院双学位项目(BRDD)的学生则需要额外再回答特定的补充文书题目。

宾夕法尼亚大学补充文书

University of Pennsylvania

2024 季宾大的补充文书题目沿袭了去年的设置，学校要求申请不同学院的学生回答额外的题目，以部分学院为例，需额外回答的问题如下：

沃顿商学院额外问题

Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues.  Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it. To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about the foundations of a Wharton education here. This information will help you better understand what you could learn by studying at Wharton and what you could do afterward. (150-200 words) 

文理学院额外问题

The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about, and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences? To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about academic offerings within the College of Arts and Sciences at college.upenn.edu/prospective.This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of how the study of the liberal arts aligns with your own goals and aspirations. (150-200 words)

护理学院额外问题

Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science and promoting equity. What do you think this means for the future of nursing, and how do you see yourself contributing to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare? To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about Penn Nursing’s mission and how we promote equity in healthcare here. This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of our values and how they align with your own goals and aspirations. (150-200 words)

达特茅斯学院补充文书

Princeton University

今年达特茅斯学院的附加文书题目发生了重大改变。

所有申请者必须填写

所有申请人都需要回答以下提示之一

招生官喜欢的文书

文书不像GPA、标化等有一把明确的尺，对于与文书相关的问题而言，并不能简单地通过网络资讯得到答案。

但必须清楚的是，你需要在你的文书中展示出你到底是谁？你的个人特质？以及GPA、简历与推荐信中没有提及的信息。

也需要你在各个学校的补充文书中展示出你和他们之间在学术上有何联系，以及让学校更加深入地了解自己。

那么对于藤校来说，他们会喜欢怎样的文书呢？不妨一起来看一看。

普林斯顿大学

A personal statement is a narrative essay. Like other essays, the point of it is to “prove”--or demonstrate the validity of–an argument. You’ll preview that argument in a thesis statement that appears in your introduction and then support that argument throughout the body of the essay using analysis of evidence. In a personal statement, the “evidence” is stories from your past, and the “thesis” is an assertion of why you and this opportunity are the right fit for each other.

哈佛大学

Some applications ask that you write an essay that draws on more personal reflections. These essays, sometimes called Personal Statements, are an opportunity to show the selection committee who you are as a person: your story, your values, your interests, and why you—and not your peer with a similar resume—are a perfect fit for this opportunity. These narrative essays allow you to really illustrate the person behind the resume, showcasing not only what you think but how you think.

此前，哈佛大学公布了7篇优秀的申请文书，我们选取一篇，来看一下招生官是如何点评的。

招生官点评

许多成功的文书都遵循一个简单的公式：钩子（ Hook ） + 锚点（Anchor） + 故事 （Story）+ 成长（Growth）。虽然具体内容可能各不相同，但如果你能包含这四个要素中的每一个，你就能写出一篇引人注目的文章。

钩子：钩子的作用是吸引读者。招生官每天要阅读成百上千篇文章，所以要努力在第一时间抓住他们的注意力。用一些引人入胜或与众不同的内容作为文章的开头。

Georgina 的 "钩子 "就是她的 "laymounada "摊位。黎巴嫩的 laymounada 有什么特别之处？它与普通柠檬水有什么不同？特塔是谁？Georgina用她对经典柠檬水摊故事的文化诠释，激发了读者的好奇心。

锚：锚是连接整篇文章、赋予其意义的观点或主题。一个好的 "锚 "能发人深省，让读者在读完文章后感到意犹未尽。

Georgina的锚是生活没有给她柠檬。她在家里找不到一个柠檬，于是她不得不发挥创意，出售不含柠檬的 laymounada。这次经历让她学会了坚韧不拔的精神，并由此开始了一连串的创业。最后，文章又回到了这个锚点，将一切串联起来："当生活没有给你柠檬的时候，还是要做柠檬水”。

故事：说到讲故事，黄金法则是 "展示，而不是讲述"。不要只告诉招生官你是一个多么优秀的人。相反，要试着通过你的故事向他们展示你的个性、品格和成就。

在Georgina的故事中，她分享了让她难忘的柠檬水摊经历的所有丰富多彩的细节。例如，为了迎合玫瑰花的主题，她将自己的饮料定价为 "五十种香味"。她还开玩笑说，她赚到的 10 美元主要来自于支持她的父母和慷慨的邻居，他们甚至懒得喝 "柠檬水"。

这些细节描绘了Georgina有趣、富有创造力和进取心的形象，同时也展现了她的谦逊。她还很好地融入了自己如何在社区产生影响的动力："在连续三天不知疲倦地推销和销售我们的珠宝之后，我们的收入超过了 900 美元，我们决定把这笔钱捐给教堂"。

成长：所有优秀的文书都会清楚地展示你是如何从自己的经历中成长起来的。一定要突出你从自己的经历中学到了什么或收获了什么。

例如，Georgina了解到，她在创业过程中缺乏连续性并不是 "巨大的失败"。相反，这培养了她的好奇心、坚持能力和对商业的热爱。在文章的最后，Georgina显然是一个对商业充满热情的人，她能够从每一次经历中吸取经验教训，并将其运用到下一次的事业中。

Georgina抓住了所有四个关键要素--钩子、锚、故事和成长--这就是这篇文章成功的原因。

文书写作注意事项！

文书写作是整个申请过程中最个人化的部分，你的申请文书里的每一个字都是你自己敲出来的，除了字数和主题的限制，一切都由学生自由发挥。

但自由发挥不代表杂乱无章，明顿拥有多年的文书辅导经验，这也让我们积累了不少反面教材，以下文书写作的坑是大家一定要避免的。

不重视立意和头脑风暴

不重视立意和头脑风暴，误以为文书比的只是谁的语法更精准、谁的文字更优美。

好的文书辅导应该将时间的大头花在跟学生沟通，挖掘学生的故事、捕捉学生的闪光点上，和学生一起找到一个既能表达学生真实想法又能符合名校招生官喜好的文书主旨。

而不是三言两语就草草定一个方向，加几个看似漂亮的句子，便结束了。

不要写流水账

Common App中已经填写过的内容无须在文书中重复说一次。

很多成功的申请文书往往是以小见大，从看似不起眼或者根本不算什么“成就”的生活小事中娓娓道来，向招生官展现了一个丰满的人格。

切忌通篇自吹自擂

招生官并不想要看到一个完美的人，他们想看到的是真正的你，以及你真实的所思所想。

而一篇只会歌功颂德的文书恰恰体现了你缺乏独立思考的能力，不具备深入自省的批判精神，这是不符合美国顶尖名校的选拔偏好的。

走心的文书应该讲的是在简历和活动列表上没有的东西，那些不能被简单定义的人生篇章，正是这些可大可小的生活思考向招生官展现了一个生动鲜活的人，这才是招生官想要看到的你。