美国大学2022-2023申请文书题目解析

8 月 1 日，美国大学申请系统 Common App、新版 Coalition App，以及 加州大学 UC 申请系统，都正式开放了。

填写申请，最花时间的，自然是撰写文书。关于美国大学 2022-2023 申请的文书题目，老师特别为我们做了解析。

2022-2023 Common App 申请文书题目

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

2022-2023 Coalition 申请文书题目 Essay Prompts（推荐字数 500-650）

1. Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2. What interests or excites you? How does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future?

3. Describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. What were the challenges? What were the rewards?

4. Has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned? How did you respond? What did you learn?

5. What success have you achieved or obstacle have you faced? What advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience?

6. Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

今年的美国大学文书题目有没有新变化？

网申系统的文书题目很少有重大改变，今年也还是沿用去年题目。各学校的文书题目可能会有少许变化。

有一个趋势值得注意：

美国一些著名大学越来越关注 Diversity of Opinion，也就是观点上的多元化。

这是哥伦比亚大学近年新添的一题：

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia's diverse and collaborative community. (200 words or fewer)

生活在一个公平、包容，而拥有丰富多元化观点的学校社区，这是哥伦比亚大学的标志之一。请分享一个你自己的观点或经历。请描述，这个对你很重要的观点或经历，在富有多元化和协作精神的哥大社区，将如何塑造你的学习方式，以及为社区贡献的方式？（200字以下）

这个题目，特别提到 a wide range of perspectives，diverse，多元化和不同观点。

再来看耶鲁大学的一个文书题目（要求 400 字以下）：

Yale carries out its mission “through the free exchange of ideas in an ethical, interdependent, and diverse community.” Reflect on a time when you exchanged ideas about an important issue with someone holding an opposing view. How did the experience lead you either to change your opinion or to sharpen your reasons for holding onto it?

在一个多元文化与伦理共存的社区进行自由的思想交流，这是耶鲁大学的教育使命。回想一下你的一次讨论经历，话题很重要，而对方持相反意见。通过这次讨论，你如何改变自己的看法，或者，更明确、更坚持自己的论据？

这个题目，特别强调“对方持相反意见”。耶鲁大学曾有几次学生抗议教授言论，在校内外引起强烈反响。

给出这些问题，与 Z 世代特征很相关。

社交媒体伴随 Gen Z 成长。而社交媒体上常见的，是把一个完整故事，以极短篇幅剪辑解读，将单一观点极致化，以爆炸性速度发酵，引发强烈情绪。

忙碌的 Gen Z，常常被一个大标题、一个两分钟视频，而左右观点。因为一封电邮，否定掉一个学校。因为一句话，否定一位教授。

而这又是最多元化的一代，更敢于挑战固有思维，发出声音。于此同时，Gen Z 也抱怨，有太多人容易被他人之言冒犯到。

面对来自不同地域、不同文化背景的老师与同学，在出现不同、甚至相反意见的时候，能够善意体会其中的细微差别，能够以成熟而健康的方式，来参与讨论、进行交流。这才是大学在 Gen Z 中想要寻找的申请人。

从这两个题目可以看出，美国大学的文书题目，看起来简单平淡，其实，如何以区区几百字，即体现独立思考，又能体会题目的几层含义及其文化背景，更能充分展示自己为什么是这些名校的理想人选，这里，需要有很强的独立思考和思辨性写作能力。

文书中需要罗列成就清单吗？

不同的文书辅导老师会有不同看法。有的顾问说需要把自己最优秀的部分都罗列出来。但我们被哈佛、耶鲁录取的学生反馈，文书主要讲个人故事，不要重复活动清单里已经有的内容。这样的写法效果更好。

单讲自己有什么才华和成就，对于需要阅读大量申请的招生官来说，会比较乏味。

我们会辅导学员，即使问题没有问，我们也应该问自己，从这些成就中，自己真正学到了什么，有什么新的感受和发现，哪些对自己的成长最有帮助。

不同学生会有不同侧重。某些学生的活动清单已经非常精彩，那么，在文书中就不用再强调自己有多么优秀，可以用更加个人化的故事，来更加立体地展示自己。

UC 文书问题，每题最多 350 字。这么少的字数，够讲故事吗？

每年，UC 收到的申请多达 20 多万份。很多申请人成绩优秀。所以，文书非常重要，是能让申请人脱颖而出的重要衡量标准。甚至有估算称，文书在对申请人的评价中占比 30%。

挑选UC 文书题目时要注意，4 题不应该互相重复。应该挑选那些与申请人最相关的题目，从 4 个不同侧面，综合起来，最有效而立体地呈现申请人的优秀和独特。

每一个问题的撰写，都应该简短而精确。可以举例，但故事需要很简洁，直述核心重点。

比如，关于领导力，需要非常清晰地展示，你认可的领导力是怎样的，你是哪种类型的领导者，你如何展示你的领导力。字数少，可能只够写一个例子。没有空间去拓展、渲染。每一个字都很重要，需要有意识地布局。

UC 加州大学文书问题 Personal insight questions

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6.  Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

撰写文书，不要急，可以尽早与辅导老师开始头脑风暴。值得投入大量时间，反复阅读，听取反馈，修改编辑。

Common App 通用于 1 千多所美国大学，Coalition App 的文书问题和 Common App 很相似。可以先从 Common App 文书开始撰写，再为 UC 做简写版。各大学要求的额外文书问题，也需要认真对待。

UC 要求的 Activities 活动部分，比 Common App 要长。所以，活动部分可以先从 UC 开始。

请记住，大学给出问题，不是为了抬高难度，而是想看申请人，如何应答。这是充分展示自己的最好机会。