北美曹先生
5年前在新浪開博（同樣的博客名字：北美曹先生），主要撰寫北美教育、投資、文化、管理等方麵的文章，借文會友，並希望能助人助己。現同時在文學城開博，希望能得到這裏新朋友的關愛和支持！謝謝！歡迎來溫哥華！
美國名校在錄取過程中，非常看重學生的申請論文（Essay）。這是除了標準化成績和活動獎項以外最能體現申請人特質的材料了，一篇好的Essay完全可以使申請人脫穎而出。但恰恰這方麵，是中國學生（也包括海外華裔孩子）最為顯著的短板，我們都相對不擅長英文寫作，更不擅長寫Essay類的文章了。
我在紐約的一位朋友，她女兒今年被普林斯頓、康奈爾等名校錄取，她真切感受到女兒申請大學過程中“Essay”的重要性，並專門寫了一篇文章和大家分享她的觀察和心得。她在文章中寫道：“對於錄取結果我們都相當滿意，因為她的成績雖然很好，但是並沒有什麽突出的大獎和成就。唯一可能讓她有優勢的應該是她花了很多時間寫的申請論文。從錄取結果上我們也看到申請文書的重要性：她自己覺得寫得好的申請往往就如願以償得到了錄取，而她覺得比較弱的論文也的確遭遇滑鐵盧。這個難得的過程裏也體會到美國大學對申請論文的重視是非常有道理的，在成千上萬個分數不相上下的優秀學子麵前，一篇讓人耳目一新的文章是你在招生老師眼裏出彩的最後機會，所以千萬不可掉以輕心。”
那麽，申請論文Essay是什麽類型的文章呢？英文Essay是屬於creative nonfiction類別，就是創作性的非小說類作品。一般而言，Essay有四個基本特點：1、Voice（聲音）。通常的Essay都是用第一人稱，寫出你的心聲，不過僅僅寫出自己的體驗是不夠的，而必須寫出你獨特的視角。2、Form（形式）。Essay的寫作形式是介於小說和詩之間的。Essay需要將你的體驗用故事的方式說出來，並且有詩一樣的文字技巧和語言美。3、Drama（戲劇性）。Essay所描述的每一個故事都應該來自於真實的生活，同時還要讓這種生活充滿戲劇性，讓讀者好奇和產生共情。4、Truth（真實或真理）。一篇小說可以沒有Truth 或Point，但一篇Essay必須有Truth or Point,即反映出你對生活的看法和你的價值觀。
“文如其人”，美國大學就是依靠學生的申請論文對申請人進行全麵的了解，而以文科見長的藤校更是如此，據說其中的哈佛、哥倫比亞就格外地看重申請論文，需要體現出學生的思想、追求、藝術細胞等，或者必須是一篇與眾不同的論文。現在為了分辨申請論文的真實性，有的大學甚至需要學生提交一份已經被老師打過分數的寫作作業。那麽，怎樣的一篇Essay算得上一篇好文章呢？至少這三點很重要：第一，要寫出真實的自己。也就是說，看完這篇文章後，能對你從內到外建立起一個印象來，當然是優秀的印象。所以，文章的素材必須來自於你真實的經曆，要用心去寫，切忌假、大、空。另外，這篇文章最好能和你的特長、活動等個人其它材料有所聯係，因為要記得，這不是一篇孤立的文章，而是整個申請材料中的一部分。第二，要迅速抓住讀者（招生官）。招生官掃視每一份申請的時間很短，所以，你的論文需要盡快吸引到他們的目光。可以說，你文章中的前兩句話或第一段內容就決定了文章的品質和招生官的態度。除了開頭要抓住讀者外，優秀的申請論文還會加入一些幽默的成分或詼諧的語言。第三，要寫出與眾不同的想法。這就是說文章的選材一定要有新意，不落俗套，或者至少要有自己獨特的視角和感悟。如果一篇Essay能夠讓招生官多思考一下，產生共鳴，那麽這個學校就十有八九錄取你啦。
如何能寫出一篇好的Essay來？那隻有“功夫在詩外”，平時多用心觀察、體驗、感悟和記錄自己的生活，多看好書和優秀的Essay,從而不斷提高自己的寫作水平；如果有機會請到名校的招生官或在藤校讀書的學生幫助指點一下，那就更容易達到茅塞頓開、畫龍點睛的效果。
最後，這裏轉載兩篇範文供參考。
範文1：申請哈佛大學的論文。
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
The Losing Cycle
June 19th of this summer I woke up with a 4am missed call on my phone from my best friend, Darian. I immediately texted her to see what was the matter. She texted me back,“Get on Facebook.”A little confused,I followed Darian’s directions and went to my Facebook homepage.“Rest in Peace, Scott Smith”status updates from all my Center High School friends filled my computer screen.My stomach dropped.I just kept thinking,“Not Scott. Darian’s Scott…”
A young gunman had mistaken Scott for another Center High School student and killed Scott. Everyone who knew Scott mourned this reckless loss of his promising life, but for Darian the pain of his death was especially acute. Scott and Darian had been each other’s best friend, confidant, and even secret crush. They had the best brand of friendship. So when Scott died, it was like he took a part of Darian’s soul with him. I watched helplessly as my best friend of ten years rapidly faded into a mere shadow of herself. I tried to console her, but her grief was too deep for me to be capable of comforting her. I hated seeing her so depressed. I hated even more that I lacked the power to make her happier: I could not bring Scott back.
With the second highest homicide rates in the nation, Kansas City has struggled with gun violence for as long as I can remember. While I have always hated this fact about my city, I never tried to do anything about it because it had not ever affected me personally. However, the empty look in Darian’s eyes after Scott passed away this summer woke me from my slumber of passivity. I did not want anyone to have to endure the type of pain she felt ever again. Gun violence, especially among youth, is far too preventable for there to be so many unexpectedly grieving loved ones in Kansas City today.
Soon after Scott’s death, I met with my city’s youth leadership board, EngageKC, of which I am a member. I told the other board members that I needed to see changes in Kansas City’s approach to preventing youth violence. We could start by restoring the confidence of youth in their education and creating more job opportunities for them. “Maybe,” I said to my fellow board members, “If kids are working on the essay that’s due tomorrow, or pulling a shift until nine at night, they will be less inclined to walk around carrying a gun.”
Early September, EngageKC presented to the Kansas City Mayor six recommendations of ways he could better prevent criminal behavior in youth. He responded to our suggestions with great approval. Hopefully, the city will soon be able to turn our recommendations into a plan of action that will significantly decrease youth violence. Darian may have lost Scott, and I may have partially lost Darian, but Kansas City can slow down this losing cycle.
範文2：申請斯坦福大學的論文。斯坦福的申請論文一般都要求字數在100-250字以內，算是一篇很短的Essay啦。
Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — know you better. (100 to 250 words)
I consider myself to be mature and focused in my life; I have goals that I strive for and a strong commitment to my education. However, I do have my more humorous moments, just as everyone else. For instance, a few summers ago, my family and I were in Las vegas on vacation. The over-the-top looking-by-night, eyesore-by-day city was lighted everywhere, and masses of people were walking along the Las vegas Strip. One night, we went out to dinner and were walking back to our hotel. When we got to the entrance of the hotel, which had automatic sliding doors, there was a huge line waiting to get in, yet there were many other doors to its side unoccupied. So, naturally, I said aloud, "Why don't we just go through those doors," as I pointed towards the unoccupied doors. My family just waited patiently, but I decided to go by myself, so I did, and I walked straight into the EXIT door. I am not sure who was more injured, myself, or my sister who collapsed onto the foor in convulsive laughter. I still have not heard the end of this story, but at least now I can laugh at myself. Many times people get discouraged in their hectic and stress-flled lives, but sometimes you just need a dim-witted accident to occur to put everything in perspective.
（下篇文章預告——寫在藤校發榜時（4）：父母是榜樣！）
掃描下麵二維碼，關注幸福家庭圈，創建美好新生活！
“My stomach dropped”。。。。。
美國人的英語， 哈哈
和他們的服裝表情一樣粗俗不堪