美國名校眾多,如大家熟知的哈佛大學(xué)、麻省理工學(xué)院、普林斯頓大學(xué)等等,想要進(jìn)入到這些名校學(xué)習(xí),肯定是非常艱難的。下面出國留學(xué)網(wǎng)小編給大家簡單介紹留學(xué)美國該如何準(zhǔn)備個人陳述。
首先來看看如何書寫好個人陳述,換位思考很重要。
1.整體構(gòu)思上
很多學(xué)生的個人陳述設(shè)計(jì)是非常失敗的,他們的思路是典型的中國思維,在文書寫作上往往是大而全,希望在申請文書中體現(xiàn)自身所有的內(nèi)容。故此,無論是小時候的把一分錢交給警察叔叔的經(jīng)歷,還是大學(xué)抗洪救災(zāi),都會一股腦的往上放,這使得文章整體的布局出現(xiàn)嚴(yán)重的思路不突出,內(nèi)容不鮮明的特點(diǎn)。
其實(shí),申請人為什么不“換位思考”,看看錄取委員會想要什么呢?如果自己是錄取委員會的一員,期待著學(xué)生的文書是什么樣子?到底是一個寬泛的自述,還是針對專業(yè)的一個有針對性的個人表達(dá)?其實(shí),個人陳述就是一個圍繞專業(yè)的表達(dá),錄取委員會感興趣的就是和專業(yè)有關(guān)的內(nèi)容,至于其他的內(nèi)容并不是他們所關(guān)心的。一個學(xué)習(xí)計(jì)算機(jī)的學(xué)生,他的計(jì)算能力和編程經(jīng)驗(yàn),錄取委員會會非常感興趣,至于他參加抗洪救災(zāi)沒有,除非是他參與了抗洪救災(zāi)的計(jì)算機(jī)程序設(shè)計(jì),錄取委員就不會太感冒了。
故此,個人陳述的整體布局要以錄取委員會的喜好作為基礎(chǔ),錄取委員會希望看什么,就寫什么,如果沒有興趣的,就不要花任何力氣去寫了。這一點(diǎn)來說非常重要。
2. 寫作內(nèi)容上
由于沒有“換位思考”的意識,申請人在個人寫作內(nèi)容上的把握往往和錄取委員會的期待值離的甚遠(yuǎn),這主要體現(xiàn)在申請人對寫作內(nèi)容如何表達(dá)上。中國申請人對自己的工作經(jīng)歷往往會進(jìn)行著力描述,但是很少體現(xiàn)自己的思維、學(xué)習(xí)和提高過程。而錄取委員會一方面注重前者,一方面對于申請人的思維過程和自身提高上極其看重。他們看個人陳述,往往會采取一種邏輯的角度,即申請人的成長和進(jìn)步過程前后有沒有邏輯性,前面做的工作是否為后面的情況進(jìn)行了鋪墊,而后面的成就是否是前面工作的深化和提高。這些邏輯性是很多中國學(xué)生不具備的。
有些同學(xué)做的事情很多,但是都是在文章中進(jìn)行詳細(xì)的列舉,沒有把這些重要的內(nèi)容以邏輯的角度串成一條線,展示給錄取委員會。這和錄取委員會的思路就相距甚遠(yuǎn),極大影響了自己文章在他們心目中的質(zhì)量和水平。
3. 寫作風(fēng)格上
很多申請人在寫個人陳述的過程中,希望“語不驚人死不休”,力求將申請文書寫的完美,這一點(diǎn)本身沒錯,一篇優(yōu)美的個人陳述,是能夠給自己申請結(jié)果加上很多分?jǐn)?shù)的。不過,英語有一句話叫做“Substance over form“,意思是內(nèi)容重于形式,在閱讀申請材料過程中,錄取委員會其實(shí)也更注重申請人的實(shí)質(zhì)性東西,希望看到申請人的專業(yè)水平和研究工作經(jīng)歷。而很多申請人卻將大量的精力放到了如何使語言更優(yōu)美的方向上去,用的單詞生僻,讀起來不能朗朗上口,這實(shí)際上是本末倒置,無法得到錄取委員會的青睞。
我曾經(jīng)接觸過有些學(xué)生,寫的個人陳述好像是隔海臨風(fēng)的散文,而不是腳踏實(shí)地的文書,這種材料不是錄取委員會的思路,也很難獲得錄取委員會的青睞。
從上面三點(diǎn)來看,“換位思考”是一個很重要的申請概念,特別是在研究生申請個人陳述寫作方面,可以說是申請人必須要做的一個環(huán)節(jié)。故此,同學(xué)們應(yīng)當(dāng)盡量把錄取委員會的思維和自己的思維結(jié)合起來,對個人陳述進(jìn)行撰寫和調(diào)整,方能獲得理想的結(jié)果。
接著來看看個人陳述一般都寫哪些內(nèi)容。
申請?jiān)?/strong>
文書的最開始當(dāng)然是要交代自己的背景啦!
要讓admission看一眼就知道你遞交申請的原因是啥,簡單直接的表達(dá)會讓你的application在多如牛毛的personal statement里成為一股清流,還省去大學(xué)招生辦不少過濾廢話的時間!
短短的一段或兩段里,小伙伴們應(yīng)重點(diǎn)解決以下兩個問題:
為什么申請這個科系:何時開始對這個科目感興趣?你是否有逐漸加深對這個科目的了解?
你如何保持對這個科目的興趣?你對這個科目的興趣是否影響了你的未來甚至職業(yè)規(guī)劃?你為什么想要在大學(xué)階段選修這門科目?為什么選擇來美國求學(xué):過去有無接觸英式教育?如有,何時開始、為什么、是否對你的大學(xué)申請選擇有直接影響?如無,為什么選擇美國大學(xué)本科?
個人努力
然后,就是小伙伴們向大學(xué)證明自己真的輾轉(zhuǎn)反側(cè)、茶飯不思、懸梁刺股、炒雞炒雞想讀這個系的好時候啦!
我:報告大學(xué),我才不是思想的巨人,行動的矮子呢!我可腳踏實(shí)地啦!
大學(xué):那就證明一波唄。每年辣么多人申請,我干嘛非要招你?
我:那當(dāng)然是因?yàn)椤獙W(xué)術(shù)篇:上學(xué)期間你是如何儲備相關(guān)知識的=你選擇的A-Level(alevel)科目對你理解這個科目有什么作用?
課余你是如何儲備相關(guān)知識的=讀過的書、看過的電影、聽過的講座、follow過的節(jié)目?
平常有沒有多看書多讀報?
近期你申請科目的領(lǐng)域里有沒有發(fā)生什么大事件?你是否讀過相關(guān)的報道分析?這些事件如何啟發(fā)了你?
經(jīng)歷篇:(在你到目前的所有經(jīng)歷里找和報的科系關(guān)聯(lián)度最高噠!)你是否參加過任何活動或競賽?這些活動與你申請的學(xué)科有無直接關(guān)系?如有,你收獲了什么?如無,這個活動對你有什么特殊意義/對你起到了怎樣的幫助值得你寫進(jìn)文書?
你是否有過任何工作或社會活動經(jīng)驗(yàn)(包括班干部、學(xué)校圖書管理員啥的)?是有償或志愿?如有償,你工作的目的與對這個科目的興趣有關(guān)嗎?如無償,你認(rèn)為自己從中獲得最大的收獲是什么?是否有任何個人興趣愛好或特殊才能?這些特長對自己/未來對大學(xué)有什么幫助?
國際生:你認(rèn)為自己有足夠的英語水平應(yīng)對美國的大學(xué)課程嗎?你過去有完成過任何純英教學(xué)的課程嗎?有無任何證據(jù)能顯示你具備良好的適應(yīng)與交流能力(在美國高中參加辯論隊(duì)會是個炒雞好的例子?。??
附加信息
還有一些關(guān)于自己的額外信息,同學(xué)們千萬記得提供哦!
deferredentry:有g(shù)ap year的計(jì)劃嗎?如有,打算利用這一年完成什么事情?(記得要證明自己并沒有荒廢青春哦)已經(jīng)過了gapyear?過去一年都做了什么事情/為自己的大學(xué)生活做了什么準(zhǔn)備?
AS成績不太理想是否有任何非人為不可控因素的干擾?是否有任何證據(jù)能說服大學(xué)你的A2預(yù)估成績妥妥的?
國際學(xué)生這一條真不是歧視。但我們要用自己棒棒噠的英語表述證明自己一點(diǎn)都不比本地學(xué)生弱!分分鐘寫作水平還高過美國同學(xué)好嗎!
最后來看看參考范文。(哈佛大學(xué))
The Experience A couple years ago, I set a goal to purchase my first piece of real estate within three years of graduation from Harvard College. I realized this goal, two years and three months ahead of schedule when I closed on a charming one-bedroom condo in [lower Manhattan]. It was September 5th, 2001. Six days later, the world as I knew it changed when the World Trade Center towers collapsed, killing thousands, engulfing [lower Manhattan] in a cloud of debris, shattering apartment windows, and seeping signs of destruction in through my windows, onto my window sill, and all over my newly polished floors. I fled that day to the safety of [deleted] County and the security of my parent's house. Back at my parent's home I settled in front of the television. That day, I probably only moved from in front of the television twice. I was demoralized when the television provided the first glimpse of [lower Manhattan]. There sat my new home, encased in dust, surrounded by debris, and marred with shattered glass. A lot happened those first 24 hours in front of the television, prayers were said, thankfully prayers were answered, resolutions were made, and the most profound leadership experience of my life took shape.
The Leadership Role That day, while watching the news coverage, I vowed that I would move back to [lower Manhattan] and become part of the rebuilding effort. I have done this and more. Shortly after September 11th, I founded the [deleted] Association with three other residents (none of whom I knew prior to the disaster). We started out as a small Executive Steering Committee, concerned with assessing the immediate impact on the community, determining the safety of residents, confirming reoccupation dates for the displaced, and disseminating information. When the first wave of residents were allowed back into the neighborhood, the Steering Committee held a town hall meeting to assess the needs of residents and develop a rapport with the community that we had collectively pledged to help.
With time the scope and goals of our organization morphed to fit the needs of the community. In December of [deleted] I was appointed President of the [deleted] Association. With the majority of residents now back in their homes it was time for me to redefine the goals of the organization. Under my direction, the [deleted], lobbied public and government officials for economic relief, assisted the transition of residents back into the community, publicized the re-opening of businesses, secured resident access to the neighborhood past checkpoints, built strategic relationships with relief organizations, and provided transportation alternatives. Long-term, as President of the [deleted], I have been instrumental in the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. On a daily basis I convey the visions, needs, and voices of residents to the public, offer solutions and assistance to solve the problems of residents, provide information and resources to the neighborhood, and sponsor activities that foster community spirit.
The Leadership Lessons Serving as President of the [deleted] Association has been a defining leadership experience for four distinct reasons. 1) This experience has taught me how to concurrently serve the needs of thousands of individuals and give representation to multiple contingencies often with conflicting agendas. Accomplishing this task has been harder than I could have ever imagined. Representing a community of 12,000 to the press, elected public officials, businesses, and public is a difficult exercise in negotiation. 2) My time as President has been instrumental in teaching me how to manage a multitude of commitments. My work with the [deleted] Association is time consuming but forces me to find innovative solutions to balance my commitment to the [deleted], with my professional career, extracurricular commitments, and personal aspirations. 3) This experience and my solid record of accomplishments has been powerful in confirming to myself that not only do I enjoy leading but that I am a successful leader. And in the true mark of a leader, I have discovered that I have the innate leadership qualities necessary to mobilize specific individuals and large amounts of people behind my vision. And 4) and perhaps more importantly than knowing that I have the ability to effectively deliver results, over the past year and a half, through countless triumphs, setbacks, failures, and successes, I have learned that a community wrought with tragedy—can recover.