來自斯坦福大學招生官的信

引言

在申請美國的本科、碩士、博士時，有很多需要準備的材料，這裡先不說到底有哪些細節材料，先來說說整個材料包中最重要的 – 文書。

不管任何學校、專業、學位，招生官都會讓每一個申請者提供文書，文書的目的則是讓學校了解你這個人。所以不管文書是什麼樣的題目，本質上學校就希望你回答三個問題：為什麼你要來讀這個學校、這個專業？為什麼是你？你的職業規劃是什麼？而這三個問題本質上都指向一個最終問題 – 你到底是誰，你到底想成為什麼樣的人？

Natasha在此處就先給大家帶來一篇權威的文章，文章的作者是斯坦福大學MBA項目的招生官，看完這篇文章，大家可以回過頭去再去看一遍「留學內功心法篇」，便會有新的感悟。

Effective Essays

寫有效的文書

Regardless of the outcome of thea dmission process, I believe strongly that you will benefit from the opportunity for structured reflection that the business school application provides.

不管最終錄取結果如何，我都堅信你將會從申請商學院給你提供的系統性反思你自己的機會中有所收穫。

I hope that you will approach the application process as a way to learn about yourself — thats the goal — with the byproduct being the application that you submit to us.

我希望你把準備申請學位的過程看成是一條「認識你自己」的道路，這才是最重要的目標，而遞交的申請材料不過是申請過程的副產品。

Rarely during our lives are we asked to think deeply about what is most important to us. Stanford Professor Bill Damons book, The Moral Advantage: How to Succeed in Business by Doing the Right Thing, contains the following passages that might help you maintain the larger context as you delve into the essay writing process.

在我們一生中，我們很少會有機會被要求去深刻思考：什麼對我們來說是最重要的？斯坦福教授Bill Damon的書 - The Moral Advantage: How to Succeed in Business by Doing the Right Thing 中有一個章節的內容可能會幫助到你，讓你在寫文書時能獲得更寬闊的意境。

「We are not always aware of the forces that ultimately move us. While focusing on the『how』questions — how to survive, how to get ahead, how to make a name for ourselves — often we forget the『why』 questions that are more essential for finding and staying on the best course: Why pursue this objective? Why behave in this manner? Why aspire to this kind of life? Why become this type of person?

我們不會總是感受到最終打動我們的力量。當我們執著於回答「如何」此類的問題時– 比如：如何活下去，如何超越別人，如何為自己爭取到一席之地 – 我們經常忘記「為什麼「這個問題，而問」為什麼「這個問題卻對找到並持續走在最優的道路上至關重要的。我為什麼想要的得到這個東西？我為什麼要如此表現？我為什麼要去追求這種形式的生活？我為什麼要變成這種類型的人？」

「These『why』questions help us realize our highest aspirations and our truest interests. To answer these questions well, we must decide what matters most to us, what we will be able to contribute to in our careers, what are the right (as opposed to the wrong) ways of behaving as we aim toward this end, and, ultimately, what kind of persons we want to become. Because everyone, everywhere, wants to live an admirable life, a life of consequence, the『why』questions cannot be ignored for long without great peril to one』s personal stability and enduring success. It is like ignoring the rudder on a ship — no matter how much you look after all the boats other moving parts, you may end up lost at sea.」

這些「為什麼」的問題幫助我們探索到我們至高的追求和真正的興趣所在。想要把這類問題回答好，我們必須決定什麼對我們來說是最重要的？在我們的職業生涯中我們將會做出怎樣的貢獻？為了達到最終的目標，什麼才是正確的行事方法？以及最終我們想要成為怎樣的人？因為這個世界上每個地方的每個人都希望擁有一個令人尊重的人生，一個有意義的人生。如果一個人想要獲得長久的成功，那麼他就不能長時間忽略這個「為什麼」的問題。忽略「為什麼」這個問題，就跟無視船的舵一樣，不管你如何照看這艘船的其他部件，忽視船舵最終你會迷失在大海里。

寫好文書的哲學

Essay Philosophy

Your Stanford MBA Program essays provide you an opportunity to reflect on your own「truest interests」and「highest aspirations.」 While the letters of reference are stories about you told by others, these essays enable you to tell your own story.

斯坦福MBA項目的文書題目給了你一個反思自己「真正的興趣」和「至高追求」的機會。推薦信是別人講述的關於你的故事，而文書則讓你有機會講述自己的故事，什麼對你來說是最重要的？為什麼這件事情對你來說是最重要的？你準備如何對社會做貢獻？

Please think of your Stanford essays as conversations — when we read files, we feel that we meet people, also known asour「flat friends」 — and tell us your story in a natural, genuine way.

請將斯坦福的文書看成是紙上的談話 – 當我們讀到這些文檔，請讓我們感到就跟你面對面一樣，然後用一種自然的、坦誠的方式向我們講述你的故事。

Our goal is to understand what motivates you and how you have become the person you are today. In addition, were interested in how the Stanford MBA Program can help you better yourself.

我們的目標是想了解，是什麼觸動了你，你如何變成了現在的你，以及斯坦福的MBA項目如何能夠幫助你成為最終想成為的人。

Reflective, insightful essays help us envision the individual behind all of the experiences and accomplishments that we read about elsewhere in your application.

充滿反思的，睿智的文書可以幫助我們勾勒出在所有經歷和成就背後一個人的形象。

The most important piece of advice on these essays is extremely simple: answer the questions — each component of each question.

關於寫文書最重要的建議其實非常簡單：回答這些問題 – 每個問題的每個部分。

An additional suggestion for writing essays is equally straightforward: think a lot before you write. We want a holistic view of you as a person: your values, passions, ideas, experiences, and aspirations.

另外一個建議也同樣直白：在寫之前反覆琢磨。我們希望看到一個完整的人：你的價值觀、你的熱情、你的經歷和你的追求。

EssayA

文書一

In the first essay, tell a story — and tell a story that only you can tell.

在第一篇文書里，講述一個故事 – 並且這個故事只有你能講述。

Tell this essay in a straightforward and sincere way. This probably sounds strange, since these are essays for business school, but we really dont expect to hear about your business experience in this essay (though, of course, you are free to write about whatever you would like).

用最直接和鄭重的方式去寫這篇文書。這很可能聽起來比較奇怪，這些文書是申請商學院的，但我們並不真正期待在這篇文章里看到你的商業經歷。

Remember that we have your entire application — resume, work history, activities and interests, letters ofreference, etc. — to learn what you have accomplished and the type of impact you have made. Your task in this first essay is to connect the people, situations, and events in your life with the values you adhere to and the choices you have made. This essay gives you a terrific opportunity to learn about yourself!

請記住：我們有你整個的申請材料 – 工作經歷、推薦信等等 – 從這些材料中我們能看到你取得了什麼成就以及你做出了什麼貢獻。你第一篇文章的任務是將你生命中出現的人、事件以及做的選擇、和你的價值觀聯繫起來。這篇文章給了你一個絕好的自己去認識你自己。

Many essays describe the 「what,」 but good essays move beyond this and describe how and why these 「whats」 have influenced your life. The most common mistake applicants make is spending too much time describing the「what」at the expense of how and why these guiding forces have shaped your behavior, attitudes, and objectives. Please be assured that we do appreciate and reward thoughtful self-assessment and appropriate levels of self-disclosure.

很多「不錯」的文章描述的是「做了什麼」，但是「精彩」的文書更進一步描繪的是「如何」以及為什麼這些「做了什麼」影響了你的人生。申請人犯的最常見的錯誤就是花了太長時間去描述「做了什麼」，但卻並沒有足夠的時間去描述「如何」以及「為什麼」這些事情在生活和工作中塑造了你的行為、態度和目標。請放心我們非常感謝並且願意回饋充滿思想的自我審視和適當的自我披露。

Essay B

文書二

In the second essay, please note that there are two separate but related questions. Answer both! First, we ask you what you want to do – REALLY. Tell us what you aspire to do. You do not need to come up with a 「safe」 answer because you are worried that your true aim is not what we want to see. REALLY. What are your ideas foryour best self after Stanford? What, and how, do you hope to contribute in your professional life after earning your MBA?

在第二篇文書里，請注意有兩個分開的但是相互關聯的問題，請都回答。

第一：我們想要問的是你真正想做的是什麼– 真正的！告訴我們什麼是你有追求去做的。你不必要因為擔心你給出的回答不是我們想要的，就將就的寫出一個「安全」的答案。你從斯坦福畢業之後對最好的自己是怎樣勾勒的？什麼，以及如何你希望你自己可以在斯坦福MBA畢業後的職業生涯中做出貢獻？

Tell us what, in your heart, you would like to achieve. What is the dream that birings meaning to your life? How do you plan to make an impact? We give you broad license to envision your future. Take advantage of it. You may, however, find it difficult to explain why you need an MBA to reach your aims if those aims are completely undefined. Be honest, with yourself and with us, in addressing those questions. You certainly do not need to make up a path, but l level of focused interests will enable you to make the most of the Stanford experience.

告訴我們，在你心底深處，你希望獲得什麼？什麼夢想可以賦予你生命以意義？你將如何為社會做出影響？我們給予申請者最大的空間來想像你的未來。好好利用它。也許你很可能發現，解釋你為什麼需要一個MBA學位來達到你的目標有些困難，特別是當你的目標還沒有完全清晰時。但在回答這些問題的時候，請對你自己和我們坦誠。你並不需要給出清晰的道路，但是一定程度的專註的興趣可以讓你更好的利用在斯坦福的經歷，使這種經歷效用最大化。

Second, we ask why Stanford. How will the MBA program at Stanford help you turn your dreams into reality? The key hereis that you should have objectives for your Stanford education. How do you planto take advantage of the incredible opportunities at Stanford? How do youenvision yourself contributing, growing, and learning here at Graduate Schoolof Business? And how will the Stanford experience help you become the personyou described in the first part of Essay 2?

第二：為什麼你要來是斯坦福？這個斯坦福的MBA項目將如何幫助你實現夢想？這裡的關鍵是你必須對自己未來在斯坦福的教育有一個明確的目標。你將如何利用斯坦福的教育資源？你對你自己在商學院所能做的貢獻、獲得的成長和學習到的知識有什麼預期？以及斯坦福的經歷將如何幫助你成為在文書二的第一部分中所描述的希望成為的人？

From both parts of Essay 2, we learn about your dreams, what has shaped them, and how Stanford can help you bring them into fruition.

在文書二的兩個部分中，我們希望了解你的夢想，什麼塑造了它們，以及斯坦福怎樣可以幫助你實現這個夢想。

以上。

By Natasha

寫於2017/3/10

敬請期待後續文章。

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

「知焉工作室」由美國常青藤大學校友共同創建，我們在傳統中國文化中成長，也接受過西方精英教育的洗禮。

我們相信教育的目的是把學生培養成自己的人生導師，我們立志幫助每一位希望擁有海闊天空的學生找到適合自己的發展道路，成為一個有趣、內心豐富、成功的人。

如果你喜歡我們的文章，支持我們的想法，記得關注微信公眾號：知焉工作室（ID：StarOcean_Education），讓我們一起尋找星辰大海。

推薦閱讀：