Each University chooses how it will conduct its admission process. Some do it by committee. Some do it regionally. Some do it in a pyramid structure. Typically, it’s the Dean that determines how they organize their application process. In many cases, there is some sort of general screening of the students’ applications when they first arrived.  At Princeton, there was a small group of people who quickly assessed the students by giving them an academic and a non-academic rating. It was rare that a student was rated a 1-1. (That would mean they are nationally the best academically AND non-academically). Most students who were admitted were around the 2-2 or 2-3 rating. But in certain cases, students who were a 1-5 or a 5-1 could be admitted, depending on the goal of the University.

每所大学的录取过程不尽相同。有些是招生委员会共同完成，有些是招生官根据地区分别进行，也有有些以金字塔结构进行。通常情况下，学校招生部门负责人（Dean of Admission) 能够决定学校如何组织申请流程。在许多情况下，学生申请一开始提交之后，招生部门会先对这些申请进行一轮基础审查。在普林斯顿大学，招生官会通过学术和非学术两方面来快速评估学生。很少有学生被评为两个方面都是最高的1-1。（1为最高等级，这意味着他们在学术和非学术两方面都是最好的）。大部分被录取的学生的评分约为2-2或2-3。但是在某些情况下，根据大学的特殊需求，可以录取评分为1-5或5-1的部分学生。

The first things colleges look at (and the first thing we always looked at Princeton) is the rigor of a student’s academic program and how well the student does in that program. The most important thing is to find a balance when choosing courses. Colleges understand that sometimes students have to make choices and decisions based on either scheduling conflicts and what is available at your school; just be sure to pick the hardest courses you can take that you can still get good marks.

Students always ask: what classes do colleges want me to take? The answer is they want you to take classes that are important to you.

A good test for the students is this: Please explain why you _________________________ (doubled up on science, dropped a language, didn’t take history senior year, etc). Students can practice saying out loud what they have made certain academic decisions. 

大学首先要看的（也是普林斯顿大学首先会评价的），是学生学术课程的挑战度以及学生在课程中的表现。因此对学生来说，最重要的是选课时要找到一个平衡点。当然有时候学生也得考虑日程安排和学校提供的课程是否冲突，从而做出选择和决定，这一点大学是了解的；关键是学生需要确保在获得良好的成绩同时，选择自己能力范围内最难的课程。学生总是问：大学希望学生上什么课呢？答案是他们希望你参加对你本人重要的课程。学生可以这么问自己：解释一下我为什么_____________（同时选择两门科学课，或者放弃一门语言课，或者11年级没选历史，等等）。如果你能给出明确而令人信服的答案，那么你的决定就是正确的。当你自己做出的学术决定的时候，锻炼一下大声说出自己的理由。

Although the first and most important thing colleges look at might be your classes and grades, but colleges are also trying to learn about how students spend their time outside of the classroom. People always ask, what kind of activities do colleges want to see in students? There is no correct answer to that. Colleges want to see students doing what is really meaningful to them and is making an impact on the world, their community or even their family.  So my first advice for students is to spend your time wisely and dedicate to those activities that are important to you. 

The types of activities that students who get into highly selective schools often include research, competition, sports, clubs, internships, volunteering, jobs, music, arts and family responsibilities. 

Another thing is that universities want both the well-rounded students and those with specialties. Typically, as students grow older, they should find and focus more on what is really important to them. In freshman and sophomore year, students try a lot of different activities like sports, musical instruments, etc. In higher grades, they take more leadership roles. That does not mean you are quitting an activity; it simply shows that you have explored and is being a leader or an innovator. 

Take two of the Asian students I have worked with as an example. One girl told me that she did not have any activity, I don't have time. While her parents work, she is responsible for taking care of her autistic sister. That is more important than any model UN, or soccer team. I encouraged her to raise that up as a very important activity. Another girl, who is from China, told me that after school she helps taking care of the stray cats. She felt it was rather informal to write on her list, but I pushed her to think about how she can take an impactful move, such as asking friends to join, raising money or contacting an organization, to take her activity to the next level. 

尽管大学首先考虑并且认为最重要的事情是你的课程和成绩，但是大学也希望了解学生如何度过他们的课余时间。人们总是问我，顶尖大学希望看到学生做什么样的活动？这个问题没有正确答案。大学希望看到学生做对他们真正有意义的事情，并且正在对世界，他们的社区甚至他们的家庭产生影响。因此，我对学生的第一个建议是明智地分配课余时间，并将精力放在对你来说真正重要的活动上。

进入录取率很低的顶尖大学的学生，通常做过以下这些类型的活动：学术研究与竞赛，体育，学生俱乐部，实习，志愿服务，工作，音乐，艺术和家庭责任。

大学既喜欢全面发展的学生，也喜欢某个方向精专的学生。通常，随着学生年龄的增长，他们应该找到并更多地关注对他们真正重要的事情或者活动。在9和10年级的时候，学生会尝试许多不同的活动，例如各种体育，乐器等。而在高年级，他们会扮演更多的领导角色。这并不意味着你是退出了一项活动；而只是表现你已经探索过了不同领域，并且正在某项活动中成为领导者或创新者。

以我曾经辅导过的两个亚洲学生为例。一个女孩告诉我她没有任何活动，她没有时间。在父母工作期间，她要负责照顾自闭症的妹妹。这其实比任何模拟联合国或足球队的活动都重要。我鼓励她将其作为为一项非常重要的活动写到申请当中。另一个来自中国的女孩告诉我，放学后她会去照顾流浪猫。她觉得这不算是正式活动，不好写在申请的活动列表中；但是我要求她考虑一下如何进一步采取有影响力的举动，例如邀请朋友加入，筹集资金或联系动物保护组织，以将她的活动提升到一个新的水平。

The essay, often called the personal statement, is probably the best opportunity for you to share something personal and important about yourself. The topics that students choose rinse the spectrum. Before picking a topic, ask yourself: What do I want the reader to say about me after they finish reading my essay. This is the very first thing I did at Princeton: I would write up a couple of sentences about what the essay has taught me about this student, such as Billy is ______________.  And then think of what story that is interesting and compelling you can tell that helps convey that message.

Essay topic can be about an activity, but it does not have to be. It should not sound like a school essay or thesis. It is even ok to use incomplete sentences. For example, if a student uses a very short sentence like "But I didn't", this can actually be a very compelling sentence that can impress your readers. Also, there is actually people at the admission office, so your essay needs to be interesting to read. A good essay should wake a sleepy admission officer after lunch. It can be funny, personal, sad or brave, and make a reader want to continue reading it. 

It also should fit with the essay prompts. Take a look at the prompts given this year, they can help guide you in how to answer those questions. 

In terms of the supplements and the essays, it should be something only you can write. Don't tell the university that because you are in a big city with great museums and shows; they know that. Explain why the university is important and a good fit to you, and only you. 

Here are some of the interesting essay topics that students I have worked with chose. They were all admitted to very competitive universities. 

Yale: Reviving and expanding her school’s science magazine.

Harvard: Being told by her gymnastics coach that she was too fat.

Princeton: Heartfelt efforts to save the environment.

Princeton: Trying a Durian fruit for the first time.

Stanford: Discovering her love of language through visits to South Africa, Europe and South America.

Harvard: Helping a friend who was struggling with mental illness.

Emory: Convincing her mom to go to the dentist.

Amherst: Letting her fashion sense demonstrate her uniqueness.

Brown: Baking with an elderly neighbor – and discovering that her own secret ingredients were lemon and vanilla.

主文书（通常也被称为个人陈述）可能是学生分享个人重要故事和价值观的最佳机会。学生选择的主题范围非常宽，各不相同。我总是会建议学生在选择主题之前，先问自己：当读者阅读完我的文书后，我希望读者对我有什么样的印象。这也是我在普林斯顿大学会做的第一件事：我会写几句话总结下这篇文书告诉了我学生哪些信息，例如比利（Billy）是__________样的一个人。确定了这一点后，学生就可以思考哪些有趣且引人入胜的故事可以帮助你传达这一信息。

文书内容可以关于一段活动，但不一定要如此。大学申请文书千万不要写成学校的论文或报告的形式。有时候学生在申请文书里甚至可以使用不完整的句子；例如，如果你用一个短句，“但是我没有”，这可能反而非常引人注目的，可以打动招生官。另外，学生需要明白的是招生官也是人，他们也喜欢有意思的文章。一篇好的文书应该可以让一个午饭后昏昏欲睡的招生官瞬间清醒。你可以把文章写得有趣，真诚，悲伤或勇敢，这样读者才会想要继续读下去。另外，你的故事需要和Common App给出的文书题目相符合。学生应该先看一下今年给出的文书题目选项，它们会帮助指导你的写作方向。

在补充文书和其他小文书方面，一定要注意，内容一定要从本人出发，有极高的独特性。不要告诉大学，你们在大城市，有许多博物馆和表演；学校知道他们自己的优势。学生要做的是清楚地解释为什么这所大学对你（并且只是对你）很重要并且很适合自己。

下面列出了几个我辅导过的学生选择的一些有趣的论文主题。他们都进入了非常优秀的大学。

复兴学校的一本科学杂志并且扩大杂志的影响。（学生录取了耶鲁大学）

体操教练告诉学生她太胖了。 （学生录取了哈佛大学）

对于保护环境的热爱。（学生录取了普林斯顿大学）

第一次尝试榴莲。（学生录取了普林斯顿大学）

通过访问南非，欧洲和南美发现对语言的热爱。

（学生录取了斯坦福大学） 

帮助一个患有精神疾病的朋友。 （学生录取了哈佛大学）

说服妈妈去看牙医。 （学生录取了埃默里大学）

利用时尚感彰显自己的独特性。 

（学生录取了马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校大学）

和一个年迈的邻居一起烘焙–发现她的秘密成分是柠檬和香草。

（学生录取了布朗大学）