美國大學申請文書指南 2024年申請季補充文書題目解析

暑期已經過了將近一半的時間，同學們的文書進度如何了？在美國大學申請中，我們不僅要準備個人陳述（Personal Statement），俗稱PS主文書，還要準備根據學校、題目、數量和字數要求等不同，而有所不同的補充文書（Supplemental Essay）。常見的補充文書類型有多種，比如申請理由（Why School）、專業選擇（Why Major）、社區貢獻（Community Contribution）、課外活動（Activity）、創意論文（Creative Essay）等等。

今天，我們將整理藤校耶魯大學（Yale University）、康奈爾大學（Cornell University）和達特茅斯學院（Dartmouth College）已經公布的2024年申請季補充文書題目，并附上了每個題目的解析，希望能夠對要申請這些學校的同學們有所幫助！

耶魯大學補充文書

耶魯大學的補充文書題目分為Short Answer Questions簡答題和Essays必答文書兩部分。Short Answer Questions是耶魯大學文書的重要組成部分，短小精悍。而必答文書題目則會根據申請人選擇的申請平臺而略有不同。

概括來說，耶魯大學的補充文書類型是：Why, Short Answer, Community, Oddball.

1簡答題

提交Coalition Application，Common Application或QuestBridge Application 的申請人需要回答以下簡答題。

Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided.

解析：申請生要誠實地列舉出自己感興趣的學術興趣方向。這對已經確定未來要學習什么專業的學生來說不是很難，但對尚沒有明確專業方向的學生來說往往就變得有挑戰性。也許同學們可以嘗試來講述自己的某一個興趣探索的過程，通過這個過程來揭示自己到底看重什么，對什么產生了學術熱情。若是還是沒辦法確定，覺得自己“什么方向都OK”，那么就試著在文書中保持好文理平衡。

Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)

解析：申請生只有200個單詞的余地來回答這個問題。如果能夠順利回答出上一個問題，那么這個問題自然也能輕而易舉的寫出來。無論學生是列出一個或多個興趣愛好，建議文書中表達的是一個關于個人求知欲探索的連貫內容。這道題是一個很好的展示機會，來向招生官證明學生的興趣愛好方向與學生本人的密切聯系，千萬要好好寫！

What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)

解析：耶魯大學希望了解學生對學校感興趣的原因，這種原因不只是未來將在校園里接受高質量的教育，而是某個專業，或者某個項目真的讓學生感到興奮不已，必須要通過申請耶魯去實現。申請生在寫這篇文書時一定要確保談論的是自己，談論你的學術或職業目標以及未來耶魯如何幫助你是想這些目標。耶魯不想看到大學網站上淺顯的摘要，而是想看到學生未來會參加哪些課程滿足自己的學術興趣，會參加哪些活動來豐富校園生活……

Coalition Application或Common Application平臺申請人還需要回答以下簡答題：

What inspires you?(200 characters or fewer)

解析：200個字符并不是很多，尤其是涉及到“靈感”這類比較廣泛的概念。雖然沒有太多的空間去講述一個完整的故事，但是同學們卻可以考慮根據個人的經歷寫一個具體的、令人難忘的答案。

If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?(200 characters or fewer)

解析：上一題問了申請生“什么激勵了你”，這一題則問了“申請生能做什么，擅長什么？”這個回答沒有正確或錯誤的區分，寫下你感興趣的主題即可，比如園藝、攀巖、烘焙等等。然后考慮通過授課/寫書等形式與他人分享你的才藝。

Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence? (200 characters or fewer)

解析：寫這類回答，我們會建議申請生簡潔地總結這個人的成就，將更多的字符空間留給自己，讓招生官了解這個人對申請生的影響，申請看中什么，以及未來渴望成為什么樣的人。同學們選擇寫的人可以是你當地社區的某個人——朋友、老師、社區領袖——或者是你還沒有機會在現實生活中見到的人。也許是一位著名的科學家激勵你追求你所選擇的領域，也許藝術家或思想領袖改變了你對人類意義的理解……

What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?(200 characters or fewer)

解析：拿到這樣的簡答題題目往往會不知道如何開始。深吸一口氣先冷靜下來，想想招生官為什么會提出這個問題。許多申請人看起來都很相似，但這篇回答寫得好絕對能夠讓學生憑借自己的個性脫穎而出。所以可以利用這篇回答來分享自己的某種在其他申請材料里沒體現出來的特質，比如很強的諷刺幽默感，或者是充滿著藝術氣息等等。

2必答文書題

接下來是文書部分，提交Coalition Application或Common Application的申請人需要回答以下問題之一。

1. Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?(400 words or fewer)

解析：這一篇文書同樣具有挑戰性，但相信我們都曾以某種身份捍衛過我們的某種觀念/信仰。同學們可以將回憶攤開來，找到自己與朋友、家人甚至只是熟人進行過的一次不舒服的談話經歷。你能夠清楚地表達自己的觀點嗎？你從討論中收獲了什么？你是如何提出這個話題的？你們談話的結果是什么？你不需要改變別人的想法（或者你自己的想法），你只需要表明你并不害怕與那些可能與你有不同意見的人溝通交流，向耶魯招生官表明你樂于學習、傾聽、分享和成長。

2. Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.(400 words or fewer)

解析：題目中的“一個讓你感到有聯系的社區”可以是任何東西：你的家庭，學校的俱樂部，舞蹈團，游戲社等等。而無論申請生選擇什么社區，一定要定義自己的位置，對于社區成員來說，申請生是誰？加入這個社區對申請生的生活或身份有何影響？為什么有意義？在講述個人經歷時一定要具體，并盡量舉例說明。

3. Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?(400 words or fewer)

解析：這是一個開放式的文書題目。如果前兩個文書題目都沒有讓申請生有動筆的欲望，那么這個將不限制你關注的領域。耶魯大學想知道是什么讓申請生成為了今天的你，這樣東西未來將如何幫助申請生以獨特的方式為耶魯社區做出貢獻。比如關于家鄉、傳統、文化、身份、種族或民族，你可以教給你的同學一些他們可能還不知道的東西嗎？是什么影響了你的身份？你相信什么？你的世界觀將如何為耶魯大學社區帶來一些有價值的東西？

康奈爾大學補充文書

在本科階段，同學們可以申請康奈爾大學的農業和生命科學學院，建筑、藝術和規劃學院，文理學院，SC Johnson 商學院，工程學院，人類生態學院，工業和勞動關系學院。

根據申請生選擇申請的學院不同，大學要求寫作的補充文書題目也不一樣。概括來說，康奈爾大學的補充文書類型是：Why, Community.下面我們來看不同學院的補充文書題目。

1農業和生命科學學院

Required: 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?

解析：學院給出的文書寫作提示非常的具體，希望了解申請生有具體的理由和實踐經驗來說明自己為什么選擇在農業和生命科學學院學習課程。為什么不能在更普遍的文科環境中追求個人的興趣呢？寫作時可以更明確點。

Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek those who are not simply driven to master their discipline, but who are also passionate about doing so to serve the public good. Please elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you. We encourage you to think about community broadly—this could include family, school, local, and global communities (300-word limit)

解析：學校希望了解申請生參與的某項活動或經歷，該活動或經歷對于學生所關心的社區產生了積極的影響。這段活動或經歷也不一定非要與農業和生命科學相關，可以讓思路打開。雖然這道題是可選的，但是申請生為什么要放棄向招生官提供更多有關你自己信息的機會呢？

Optional: Cornell CALS is dedicated to purpose-driven study of the agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences and welcomes students with interests that span a wide variety of disciplines. Given our agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (ex. farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.). (300-word limit)

解析：這也是一篇可選的文書題目，但要是申請生對研究農業和生命科學感興趣，就沒有理由視而不見。申請生可以與招生官分享自己在該領域的任何經驗，包含的個人細節和軼事自然越多越好。

Select all that apply:

A primary source of income for my parent/guardian(s) comes from ownership of or employment by an agricultural entity.

My extended family owns or operates an agricultural entity.

I have experience working in an agricultural entity.

I have interest in pursuing a career in an agricultural entity.

Please feel free to share additional details (optional).

學院也提示到，如果申請生在前兩篇可選短文中沒有任何感興趣的，那么也可以在此處根據需要進行擴展。

2建筑、藝術和規劃學院

How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues.

解析：這是一篇“Why School”補充文書，申請生需要寫一篇文書來解釋為什么想要在建筑、藝術和規劃學院里來學習感興趣的專業。招生部門正在尋找申請材料里學生對所選專業感興趣的證據，確認申請生已經花時間來探索果康奈爾大學的項目、資源，并且申請生最好已經開始在專業實踐中開始付諸熱情。

3文理學院

Students in Arts and Sciences embrace the opportunity to delve into multifaceted academic interests, embodying in 21st century terms Ezra Cornell’s “any person…any study” founding vision. Tell us about the areas of study you are excited to explore, and specifically why you wish to pursue them in our College.

解析：在動筆寫文書之前，建議同學們花點時間和精力在學校網站、校園活動中，了解有關學術課程、文化氛圍的信息。康奈爾大學文理學院是大學中綜合性非常高的學院，申請生可以通過回答幾個問題來梳理出個人的潛力，比如為什么申請生現在選擇不追求更具體或以職業為導向的學院？康奈爾大學的藝術和科學教育對你有何吸引力？這里哪些項目或資源讓你感到興奮？

4SC Johnson 商學院

What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration).

解析：在寫這篇文書時，申請生更多的是要展示自己的適合度，展示個人目標、興趣與學校項目或資源的一致性。換句話說，在商業方面你關心什么問題，為什么它們對你很重要，以及康奈爾大學的哪個項目將幫助你解決這些問題并實現你的目標？

5工程學院

申請工程學院的申請生都需要寫兩篇補充文書，對于Essay 1，所有的申請生都要寫；對于Essay 2，則可以在問題A/B中進行選擇。

Essay 1: Required response. (250-word limit)

How do your interests directly connect with Cornell Engineering? If you have an intended major, what draws you to that department at Cornell Engineering? If you are unsure what specific engineering field you would like to study, describe how your general interest in engineering most directly connects with Cornell Engineering. It may be helpful to concentrate on one or two things that you are most excited about.

解析：全國數千所學校都能獲得工程學位，為什么申請生要來申請康奈爾大學工程學院呢？招生官希望同學們能夠描述清楚自己的興趣愛好所在，然后將其與個人的愿景聯系起來。

Essay 2: Choose either Question A and Question B. (250-word limit)

Question A: Describe an engineering problem that impacts your local community. This could be your school, neighborhood, town, region, or a group you identify with. Describe one to three things you might do as an engineer to solve the problem.

解析：這篇文書不僅可以向招生官展示申請生對世界的關注，也可以表現出個人的創造力和遠見。申請生可以集思廣益，討論一些困擾、影響到生活的或大或小的問題/挑戰。當然了解情況，提出問題是不夠的，申請生還得積極投入其中，以1-3種創新方式去嘗試解決問題。

Question B: Diversity in all forms is intrinsic to excellence in engineering. Engineering the best solutions to complex problems is often achieved by drawing from the diverse ingenuity of people from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and identities. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity and/or the inclusion of the Cornell Engineering community? What is the unique voice you would bring to the Cornell Engineering community?

解析：招生官不僅想要知道申請生重視多樣性，還想知道學生將為康奈爾大學社區帶來哪些多樣化。你從哪里來的？是什么塑造了你這個人？這如何使你的觀點變得獨特？你所談論的內容可以反映更大的文化結構或您特有的特征嗎？考慮一下為什么你的特定背景或經驗在學術環境中會有用……

6人類生態學院

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.)

解析：招生辦希望了解申請生過去的經歷和申請人類生態學院的決定之間的聯系。申請生需要對未來在這個學院學習有一個計劃，在文書中能表現出對于人類生態學院的深入了解。

7工業和勞動關系學院

Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School.

解析：你可以與朋友、家人甚至完全陌生的人連續幾個小時談論什么話題？也許是需要立法來監管從化妝品到食品到水源的所有有毒化學物質，也許是水危機……同學們可以仔細談談個人的興趣是如何開始的，又是怎樣隨著時間的推移而發展，以及計劃未來將如何在康奈爾大學繼續這一興趣。

達特茅斯學院補充文書

達特茅斯學院要求申請人對以下三個附加文書題目進行簡短的回答。概括來說，達特茅斯學院的補充文書類型是：Why, Oddball, Community.

1. 所有申請人均須撰寫，全文不超過100個單詞：

Dartmouth celebrates the ways in which its profound sense of place informs its profound sense of purpose. As you seek admission to Dartmouth's Class of 2028, what aspects of the College's academic program, community, and/or campus environment attract your interest? In short, why Dartmouth?

2. 所有申請人都需要撰寫。請選擇以下文書題目之一并用200-250個單詞回答：

A. There is a Quaker saying: Let your life speak. Describe the environment in which you were raised and the impact it has had on the person you are today.

B. "Be yourself," Oscar Wilde advised. "Everyone else is taken." Introduce yourself.

3. 所有申請人都需要回答以下提示之一，字數不超過250個單詞：

A. What excites you?

B. Labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta recommended a life of purpose. "We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things," she said. "That is what we are put on the earth for." In what ways do you hope to make—or are you already making—an impact? Why? How?

C. Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Geisel of Dartmouth's Class of 1925, wrote, "Think and wonder. Wonder and think." As you wonder and think, what's on your mind?

D. Celebrate your nerdy side.

E. "It's not easy being green…" was the frequent refrain of Kermit the Frog. How has difference been a part of your life, and how have you embraced it as part of your identity and outlook?

F. As noted in the College's mission statement, "Dartmouth educates the most promising students and prepares them for a lifetime of learning and of responsible leadership…" Promise and potential are important aspects of the assessment of any college application, but they can be elusive qualities to capture. Highlight your potential and promise for us; what would you like us to know about you?

以上就是目前公布了2023-2024年申請季補充文書題目的三所藤校，目前還有范德堡大學、圣母大學、圣路易斯華盛頓大學、塔夫茨大學、威廉姆斯學院等也更新了補充文書。感興趣的學生、家長可至官網了解，也可預約顧問咨詢。