美本招生角度解读：为什么要写文书？

No.1 理解招生官标准

你可能听说过或是见到过大学的Admission页面里的“holisticreview（综合评估)”，许多大学遵循这个模式。 这意味着，不是只靠 SAT/ACT 或是某项硬性条件去决定申请者是否被录取，相反，学校试图去把申请人当做一个全面的人来认识和了解。 所以，需要申请者自己去完成相应的申请文书，从而向学校讲述自己在分数之外是一个什么样的人，我有哪些性格/品质/背景里的闪光点比其它申请者优秀。 另一方面，申请排名越是靠前的学校，申请者的硬实力，包括分数和Honors(甚至是活动)，越是相近。

 在这种情况下，学校只能通过分数之外的条件 一 即文书和面试来评估申请者的其它方面，比如:为什么要做这些活动，为什么要选这个专业，为什么花了这么多时间去比赛?除了分数和简历上写的那些 “结果” ，你还有什么优点和故事吗?

但很多学校是没有面试的，即使有面试的学校很多也是 先看了学生的网申材料再去择优发面试 。这样一来，文书的重要性就不言而喻了。

需要注意的是，在文书材料中，招生官绝不仅仅是要考察申请者的写作能力如何，而是需要看申谓者如何在字里行间体现 Ta 的 世界观、价值观、批判性思维能力、个人 特质等等 。因此，文书的重点是传递一个 亮点“人设“，而不是花大量时间精力在纠结选用高大上的词汇、华丽的修辞，或者如何在全篇引经据典来展示自己的学富五车。 

No.2 招生官怎么看待文书

圣母大学的招生官说：

"The essay portion of both the Common Application and the Notre Dame Supplement to the CommonApplicatlon gives out admisslon committee the opportunity to get to know you. Whether 475 words, 537words, or 500 words on the dot, we find your essays to be the most enjoyable part of the applicationreading process. Why? Because we learn about important decision you've made, adventures you'vesurvived, lessons you've learned, family traditions you've experienced, challenges you've faced.embarrassing moments you've overcome. We do not offer an intervlew as part of the admisslonprocess, so it is through your essays that we are able to hear your volce, learn your sense of humor.empathize with your struggles. We get to know you, beyond lists of courses, numbers, and actlvities.Refilect. Have fun. Share yourself with us."

 威廉玛丽学院招生官说:

'So why do we require an essay?

To get to know you better - more three -dimensionally so to speak. What makes you tick? What makesyou unlque? Who are you as a person? Why would i want to share a classroom or a residence hall with you?

Write about you; you're what you know. And you are in fact unique. There is something about you thatisn't commonplace. Find that thing and write about it. if it's something blg like growing up in a forelgrcountry, write about it. If it's something small like you always wear socks with strlpes for a particularreason, write about it. if it's something in between like your life-long hobby of collecting McDonaldsHappy Meal toys, write about it. The key is to find a topic that few others can write about.'

No.3 写文书很可怕？换个角度看！

虽然写文书从工作量上来说是我们申请季的重中之重，每一位回学也确实面临着级尽脑汁地回忆、琢磨、开脑洞等种种苦楚(平均每个申请者的主文书修改次数在10-20次，有的甚至高达50-100次)。
 但请相信，由于每个申请者的个性都是独特的，所以我们不妨转换一个心态: 文书是你与学校沟通的途径，同时也是一个你发现和认识自我的过程 。不但招生官需要去全面充分地了解你是一个什么样的人，你自己也是一样。

有了深刻的反思和对自我过去、现在、未来明确的认识，才能写出令招生官信服的文章，才能让文书这个部分成为你申请中的加分项。