【文书写作】美国本科留学CommonApp PS写作破题（转载）-新东方前途出国

　　之前也有很多家长这位同学都问过我这样的一个问题：PS里主要写什么?其实说的通俗一些，所有的个人品质和特点都无外乎归纳为三点：脑子好，心地好，会做事。所以说PS的内容也是和这三点紧密联系的。你可以讲其中的一点，也可以三者兼之。我给出建议的宗旨就是写那些只有你自己才讲的出的故事。高中申请者的经历其实一般都是体现在三个方面：学术/课外活动/个性，因此PS的主题也其实可以从这三个不同的角度去选材。

　　据美国CommonApp官方的消息称，去年刚改版的CommonApp上的申请文书PS的题目受到广大申请者和老师的一致好评和认可，今年也将延续这5个主题文书的使用。上一周我们大致地了解了这5个题目的基本内容，今天我将分别从上文提到的学术/课外活动/个性三个方面去分别举例分析一下五个题目中前两个题目的选材。

　　美国本科留学Essay Prompt One 第一个题目

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

　　有些学生有一个背景或故事，这个背景和故事是那么的重要，以至于没有这个背景和故事，他们的申请就不完整。如果这是你，请告诉我们你的故事。

　　可谈的话题如下：

　　一.美国本科留学ACADEMIC学术方面

　　1.Have you moved from one school to another in order to pursue greater academic opportunities?

　　你曾为了追求更好的教育机会而转校吗?

　　2.Has your pursuit of academics been influenced by your parents’ lack of formal education?

　　父母没有接收正规教育有影响到你对学术教育的追求吗?

　　3.Is your dedication to a particular academic area shaped by your life experiences (for example, has your interest in medicine stemmed from growing up with a sibling with chronic illness?)?

　　是因为 你的生活经历，你才选择某一特定学术的领域吗?(例如：你对医学感兴趣是由于在成长中你的兄弟姐妹有慢性病?)

　　二.美国本科留学EXTRACURRICULAR 课外活动方面

　　1.Is your identity entirely tied up in the music you’ve been composing and playing since you were five?

　　自你5岁起，你就开始从事音乐方面的创作和演奏吗?

　　2.Has your ethnic background led you to participate deeply and fully in the dance, spiritual, or culinary traditions of your culture?

　　你的民族背景有引导你积极参加如传统舞蹈，民族文明和烹饪传统文化方面的活动吗?

　　3. Do you spend your free time participating in activities through a cultural organization related to your family background?

　　你在空闲时间会通过文化组织参加与你家庭背景相关的活动吗?

　　三.PERSONAL个人方面

　　1.Do you come from a bicultural family? Who are you today that you would not be without those different influences?

　　你的家庭是双元文化的吗?没有这些文化差异的影响，你现在是什么样的?

　　2.Have you grown up in a family that has been challenged by poverty, illness, or other obstacles? How has this influenced your identity?

　　你成长的家庭有遭受到贫穷，疾病和其他磨难的困扰吗?这些是如何影响你的性格的?

　　3. Have your extended family’s values been transmitted to you in a unique and particularly powerful way over the years?

　　这么多年来，大家族的价值观有以独特和强有力地方式灌输给你并影响到你吗?

　　Essay Prompt Two 第二个题目

　　Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

　　描述你经历某一次失败的事件或者时刻，它如何影响了你，你从中学到了什么?

　　题目分析：如果你选择这一篇，在你描述了失败的经历之后，一定要表达出自这件事情之后，你的人生中积极的改变。

　　可谈的话题如下：

　　一.ACADEMIC 学术方面

　　1.Did you challenge yourself in an academic area that is not usually your forte, and find that it didn’t go the way you hoped it might?

　　你曾挑战过一个你不擅长的学术领域，然后发现它和你所想的完全不一样吗?

　　2.Did you seek a summer internship in an academic area you thought you’d like to explore more deeply, and find that you weren’t engaged in the way you wished?

　　你曾找过在学术领域方面的暑期实习工作，开始你认为你可以更深入的探索，结果却发现你从事的并不是你所希望的吗?

　　3.Have you submitted your writing, art, or lab results to a professional journal for publication, and received your first rejection letter? Or have you received what seemed to be negative feedback from a teacher and had to approach the subject in a new way?

　　你曾递交了你的原创作文，艺术作品或实验结果给专业期刊去发表，但却收到了你的第一封退稿信吗?或者你老师曾给过你类似否定的评价，使得你不得不重新开始这个课题吗?

　　二.EXTRACURRICULAR 课外活动方面

　　1.Did you believe that the serious injury you experienced in your sophomore year would derail your athletic career? Or did you fail to make the team in your sport of choice?

　　你是否认为你在高二时所受的重伤会扼杀掉你的运动生涯?或你曾在进入球队时有过失败的经历吗?

　　2.Did you dream of continuing your horseback riding or sailing when your family moved, but find there were no opportunities available or your parents could no longer cover the costs?

　　你搬家后，你有梦想继续你喜爱的骑马或远航，但却发现已经没有了机会或者你父母已无力承担这些费用了吗?

　　3.Did it seem like a great idea for you to follow in the footsteps of an older sibling and participate in his or her activities of choice, but then learn it didn’t work out so well for you?

　　你曾觉得效仿你的哥哥或姐姐并参加他们曾选择的活动是个好主意，但是最后知道这并不适合你吗?

　　三.PERSONAL 个人方面

　　1.Did you challenge yourself to a resolution, goal, or personal promise, and find you weren’t able to stick with it?

　　你曾叫板要做一个有决心，有目标，重承诺的人，但却发现你无法坚持吗?

　　2.Did you make an effort to reach out to people you hoped would become your friends, only to find they didn’t welcome you?

　　你有没有设法去结交那些你希望能成为你好朋友的人，结果却发现他们并不喜欢你?

　　3.Have you ever taken a close look at your character traits and personal qualities and hoped to make fundamental changes, but then realized those traits and qualities were inextricably tied to who you are?

　　你有没有看清楚你的性格特点和个人素质，并想做出根本性的改变，但却意识到江山易改本性难移?

　　以上对题目的分析是通过举例的方式比较直观地让大家了解并借鉴每个题目在选择时地基本方向和思路，然后结合自己的个人独到的经历去写出真挚感人的PS。PS的思考，选材，创作，修改到最后的定稿是个漫长的过程，大家可以及早了解，慢慢酝酿，提前准备。