美国名校在录取过程中，非常看重学生的申请论文（Essay）。这是除了标准化成绩和活动奖项以外最能体现申请人特质的材料了，一篇好的Essay完全可以使申请人脱颖而出。但恰恰这方面，是中国学生（也包括海外华裔孩子）最为显著的短板，我们都相对不擅长英文写作，更不擅长写Essay类的文章了。
我在纽约的一位朋友，她女儿今年被普林斯顿、康奈尔等名校录取，她真切感受到女儿申请大学过程中“Essay”的重要性，并专门写了一篇文章和大家分享她的观察和心得。她在文章中写道：“对于录取结果我们都相当满意，因为她的成绩虽然很好，但是并没有什么突出的大奖和成就。唯一可能让她有优势的应该是她花了很多时间写的申请论文。从录取结果上我们也看到申请文书的重要性：她自己觉得写得好的申请往往就如愿以偿得到了录取，而她觉得比较弱的论文也的确遭遇滑铁卢。这个难得的过程里也体会到美国大学对申请论文的重视是非常有道理的，在成千上万个分数不相上下的优秀学子面前，一篇让人耳目一新的文章是你在招生老师眼里出彩的最后机会，所以千万不可掉以轻心。”
那么，申请论文Essay是什么类型的文章呢？英文Essay是属于creative nonfiction类别，就是创作性的非小说类作品。一般而言，Essay有四个基本特点：1、Voice（声音）。通常的Essay都是用第一人称，写出你的心声，不过仅仅写出自己的体验是不够的，而必须写出你独特的视角。2、Form（形式）。Essay的写作形式是介于小说和诗之间的。Essay需要将你的体验用故事的方式说出来，并且有诗一样的文字技巧和语言美。3、Drama（戏剧性）。Essay所描述的每一个故事都应该来自于真实的生活，同时还要让这种生活充满戏剧性，让读者好奇和产生共情。4、Truth（真实或真理）。一篇小说可以没有Truth 或Point，但一篇Essay必须有Truth or Point,即反映出你对生活的看法和你的价值观。
“文如其人”，美国大学就是依靠学生的申请论文对申请人进行全面的了解，而以文科见长的藤校更是如此，据说其中的哈佛、哥伦比亚就格外地看重申请论文，需要体现出学生的思想、追求、艺术细胞等，或者必须是一篇与众不同的论文。现在为了分辨申请论文的真实性，有的大学甚至需要学生提交一份已经被老师打过分数的写作作业。那么，怎样的一篇Essay算得上一篇好文章呢？至少这三点很重要：第一，要写出真实的自己。也就是说，看完这篇文章后，能对你从内到外建立起一个印象来，当然是优秀的印象。所以，文章的素材必须来自于你真实的经历，要用心去写，切忌假、大、空。另外，这篇文章最好能和你的特长、活动等个人其它材料有所联系，因为要记得，这不是一篇孤立的文章，而是整个申请材料中的一部分。第二，要迅速抓住读者（招生官）。招生官扫视每一份申请的时间很短，所以，你的论文需要尽快吸引到他们的目光。可以说，你文章中的前两句话或第一段内容就决定了文章的品质和招生官的态度。除了开头要抓住读者外，优秀的申请论文还会加入一些幽默的成分或诙谐的语言。第三，要写出与众不同的想法。这就是说文章的选材一定要有新意，不落俗套，或者至少要有自己独特的视角和感悟。如果一篇Essay能够让招生官多思考一下，产生共鸣，那么这个学校就十有八九录取你啦。
如何能写出一篇好的Essay来？那只有“功夫在诗外”，平时多用心观察、体验、感悟和记录自己的生活，多看好书和优秀的Essay,从而不断提高自己的写作水平；如果有机会请到名校的招生官或在藤校读书的学生帮助指点一下，那就更容易达到茅塞顿开、画龙点睛的效果。
最后，这里转载两篇范文供参考。
范文1：申请哈佛大学的论文。
Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
The Losing Cycle
June 19th of this summer I woke up with a 4am missed call on my phone from my best friend, Darian. I immediately texted her to see what was the matter. She texted me back,“Get on Facebook.”A little confused,I followed Darian’s directions and went to my Facebook homepage.“Rest in Peace, Scott Smith”status updates from all my Center High School friends filled my computer screen.My stomach dropped.I just kept thinking,“Not Scott. Darian’s Scott…”
A young gunman had mistaken Scott for another Center High School student and killed Scott. Everyone who knew Scott mourned this reckless loss of his promising life, but for Darian the pain of his death was especially acute. Scott and Darian had been each other’s best friend, confidant, and even secret crush. They had the best brand of friendship. So when Scott died, it was like he took a part of Darian’s soul with him. I watched helplessly as my best friend of ten years rapidly faded into a mere shadow of herself. I tried to console her, but her grief was too deep for me to be capable of comforting her. I hated seeing her so depressed. I hated even more that I lacked the power to make her happier: I could not bring Scott back.
With the second highest homicide rates in the nation, Kansas City has struggled with gun violence for as long as I can remember. While I have always hated this fact about my city, I never tried to do anything about it because it had not ever affected me personally. However, the empty look in Darian’s eyes after Scott passed away this summer woke me from my slumber of passivity. I did not want anyone to have to endure the type of pain she felt ever again. Gun violence, especially among youth, is far too preventable for there to be so many unexpectedly grieving loved ones in Kansas City today.
Soon after Scott’s death, I met with my city’s youth leadership board, EngageKC, of which I am a member. I told the other board members that I needed to see changes in Kansas City’s approach to preventing youth violence. We could start by restoring the confidence of youth in their education and creating more job opportunities for them. “Maybe,” I said to my fellow board members, “If kids are working on the essay that’s due tomorrow, or pulling a shift until nine at night, they will be less inclined to walk around carrying a gun.”
Early September, EngageKC presented to the Kansas City Mayor six recommendations of ways he could better prevent criminal behavior in youth. He responded to our suggestions with great approval. Hopefully, the city will soon be able to turn our recommendations into a plan of action that will significantly decrease youth violence. Darian may have lost Scott, and I may have partially lost Darian, but Kansas City can slow down this losing cycle.
范文2：申请斯坦福大学的论文。斯坦福的申请论文一般都要求字数在100-250字以内，算是一篇很短的Essay啦。
Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — know you better. (100 to 250 words)
I consider myself to be mature and focused in my life; I have goals that I strive for and a strong commitment to my education. However, I do have my more humorous moments, just as everyone else. For instance, a few summers ago, my family and I were in Las vegas on vacation. The over-the-top looking-by-night, eyesore-by-day city was lighted everywhere, and masses of people were walking along the Las vegas Strip. One night, we went out to dinner and were walking back to our hotel. When we got to the entrance of the hotel, which had automatic sliding doors, there was a huge line waiting to get in, yet there were many other doors to its side unoccupied. So, naturally, I said aloud, "Why don't we just go through those doors," as I pointed towards the unoccupied doors. My family just waited patiently, but I decided to go by myself, so I did, and I walked straight into the EXIT door. I am not sure who was more injured, myself, or my sister who collapsed onto the foor in convulsive laughter. I still have not heard the end of this story, but at least now I can laugh at myself. Many times people get discouraged in their hectic and stress-flled lives, but sometimes you just need a dim-witted accident to occur to put everything in perspective.
（下篇文章预告——写在藤校发榜时（4）：父母是榜样！）
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