杜克大學前高級招生官給中國學生的15條文書建議Advice from an Admissions Officer on how to write essays for American university applications

編輯_周曉琪 趙冰燃 供圖_啄木鳥教育集團 設計_ 孫星

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杜克大學前高級招生官給中國學生的15條文書建議Advice from an Admissions Officer on how to write essays for American university applications

編輯_周曉琪 趙冰燃 供圖_啄木鳥教育集團 設計_ 孫星

Willie Dixon畢業于杜克大學，并取得經濟學學士、法學博士學位，曾任學校高級招生官，擁有十余年招生經驗，目前加入啄木鳥教育集團任高級教育顧問，首次與中國學生書信分享申請經驗。

同學們：

你們好！我知道你們其中一些人剛剛完成赴港的SATI考試。恭喜！經過幾個月的刻苦學習，你們終于可以松一口氣，放松一下了。

Hello Students,

My name is Will Dixon.I am aware that some of you recently sat for the SAT I exam in Hong Kong. Congratulations!! After weeks of careful study you can now relax for a moment and know that you have given your best.

那么，下一步你應該做什么？很多人已經開始辛勤地準備大學申請了。下一步最重要的是要完成你的申請文，因為這部分需要大量的思考，反省和時間。下面是對完成申請文書的15項建議。

Now - what is your next step? Many of you are diligently working on your university applications. The most important next step is to complete your essays as this aspect of the application requires a great deal of thought, reflection and time so here are some guidelines for completing your essays broken in fifteen steps:

1. 整理所有要申請的大學，列出每所大學的申請文書題目要求，標注出相似性。最重要的是在潛意識里理解問題，這樣就可以一直頭腦風暴，隨身攜帶紙和筆，因為你從來不知道何時會有好的想法。

1.Gather together all of your applications and make a list of the essays required by each. Note any similarities. The most important thing is to get the questions into your subconscious mind so that you will be brainstorming all the time. Always keep a paper and pencil handy—you never know when a good idea will hit you.

2. 研究和理解寫作的主題—你自己，才能思考如何寫作。如果你僅僅是坐下來寫，沒有對主題進行深思熟慮，那么你很有可能遇到寫作障礙，文思枯竭。為了最大程度地了解自己，你需要反思，并且把它寫出來。

2. Before you even think about writing, you need to research and understand the subject matter, which is you! If you try to sit down and write without doing the necessary research, you will probably have a solid case of writer’s block. In order to maximize what you think you know, you need to reflect awhile, and then write it out.

3. 自我評估。你看到多少個版本，是否有什么特別的主題？確定你的興趣，才能以及動機，需要一定的時間，不一定要一次完成。例如：你有想幫助需要幫助的人的意愿嗎？有投身于公共服務的渴望嗎？有與生俱來的經商才能嗎？

3. Evaluate your self-assessment. What repetitions do you see? Are there any particular themes? Determine the kind of interests, talents, or motivations you have. Do you see a tendency to help those in need? A desire to be in public service? A business instinct that has been with you since childhood. Take some time with this. It doesn’t need to be done in one sitting.

4. 決定用什么材料向大學展現你自己。思考申請文書的問題，給出答案，思考一段時間，接下來能產生更多的想法。簡單記下來所有的要點，否則你會忘記。

4. Decide which information you will use to present a picture of yourself to the schools. Give the essay questions and your proposed answers time to settle in your brain so that you can continue to generate ideas. Jot any and all nuggets down - you will forget them otherwise.

5. 閱讀其他成功的申請文，了解什么樣的申請文是優秀的，謹記那些有創意的想法。

5. Read other successful essays to give you some ideas about what has worked before and to keep those creative ideas flowing in your mind.

6. 選擇一篇申請文書開始寫作?；诂F有的素材，構建文章的中心思想，找到相應的支持論點，然后以列提綱的形式把這些內容表達出來。

6. Choose one essay to work on. Based on the information, construct the central idea of your essay and develop supporting ideas. Then put those thoughts in the form of an outline.

7. 在某個時間限制內完成申請文書的初稿。這個階段最重要的是要把你的想法轉移到紙上，之后再進行提煉和修改。申請文書一般需要經過一次或兩次修改才能得到最終稿。

7. Do a complete draft within a set time limit. The most important thing at this point is to get the ideas on paper. The refining and shaping will come later. Accept that you will not have a final essay after just one or two drafts.

8. 完成初稿后，擱置幾天。如果需要的話，你可以開始寫另外一篇申請文書，經歷相同的過程。

8. After you finish a draft, let it sit for a couple of days. You can start on anotheressay if necessary at this point, going through the same process.

9. 尋找那些你尊重其觀點的人，讓他們閱讀你的申請文書，并且給出反饋意見。問他們一些問題，例如：申請文書的亮點是什么？你還想多了解哪方面？這篇文章展現了我是一個什么樣的人？

9. Ask people whose opinion you respect to read through the essay and give you advice. Ask them questions like “ what stands out ? What do you want to hear more about? What does the essay reveal about me?

10. 大聲地閱讀申請文，你會驚奇地發現你的耳朵可以識別錯誤的語法，拙劣的表達及其他。

10. Read the piece aloud-you’ll be amazed what your ears can detect regarding faulty grammar, awkward language, and the like.

11. 著重申請文的開頭和結尾。開頭需要抓住讀者的興趣。幾種開頭的方式：以有趣或是不尋常的事實或細節開頭；以奇聞軼事或故事開頭；使用有意思的引用；評價有報道價值的或眾所周知的事件。幾種結尾的方式：總結所闡述的觀點；總結然后推斷未來；總結申請文書中一些潛在的寓意。

11. Put special effort into your beginning and ending. Beginnings need to grab the interest of the reader. Some ways to begin:

1) start with an interesting or unusual fact or detail;

2) begin with an anecdote or story;

3) use an interesting quotation; make reference to a newsworthy or well-known event. some ways to end:

1) summarize what you have said:

2) summarize then extrapolate about the future:

3) summarize some potent ial implications from your essay.

12. 改寫! 相對于初稿來說，難忘的寫作來自于改寫。修改必然會提高寫作的質 量。

12. Rewrite! Memorable writing comes from rewriting than it does from the first draft. By rewriting you will inevitably improve the piece.

13. 校正申請寓意，至少幾遍。檢查語法、標點，拼寫以及其他機器錯誤。一個屢試不爽的方法是從后往前讀。

13. Proof the essay, at least several times. Check for grammar, punctuation, spelling and other mechanical errors. One tried and true method; read the essay ( backwards) from end to beginning.

14. 請記住你也是申請團隊的一部分，啄木鳥的老師是你的伙伴，他們會給你專業的反饋、修改意見以及精準的校對指導。

14. Please remember that you are part of a team this process. Your ZMN counselor is your partner who will give you feedback, suggestions to revisions, and precision proofing .

15. 申請文確認無誤，潤色完成后，就可以提交了。去慶祝一下吧，因為你出色地完成了申請文的寫作！

15. After your essays are error free and polished, send them out, and go celebrate a job well done!

尋找那些你尊重其觀點的人，讓他們閱讀你的申請文，并且給出反饋意見。

Ask people whose opinion you respect to read through the essay and give you advice.