申请2004 最新攻略

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发信人：[kzeng], 信区：新东方论坛留美申请
标题：[申请2004] 最新攻略：P★  


到了美国后对申请本身有了一个新的认识，特别是和在Admission Committee的几个朋友聊过之后发现原来的想法有很多误区，在国外的类似新东方的网站上摘抄了一些比较好的文章转贴过来，因为本论坛不支持HTML语言和上传功能所以一些有用的图片和文件（譬如一些有批改的PS等等）无法贴过来，还有就是这些东东都是英语的，看起来可能会比较麻烦，不过可以给一些同志作个参考吧。我会陆续把这些东西“汉化”还有一些文件贴到我主页上去，或是制作成电子书……

下面是两片比较好的文章，一篇是关于录取的五个要点的，另一篇是关于如何使你的申请材料能发挥最大的效用。看看先：）

第一篇：
1. Whether you're writing a statement of purpose or having conversations with faculty, it's a good idea to have done your homework. Know the professors in the department you're applying to, and know the major players in the field that you're pursuing. But don't feel that you need to sound like a professor yourself. Stretching your knowledge to make yourself sound wiser than you are is a sure-fire to sound silly. You're better off talking about topics closer to home in which you really are knowledgeable.  

2. It's a chronic failing of professors that they talk to people as though everybody shared their level of expertise. This can be quite intimidating, or even embarrassing; it can make you spend a lot of time explaining that, no, you've never actually read that book, and who is that author again? Nevertheless, most professors don't really expect prospective graduate students to be experts. Remember as well that, often, the best way to display your intelligence is to ask questions
3. "Never apologize, never explain," runs the classic advice. The idea is that you should never bring up your faults yourself; it emphasizes your flaws, even when your purpose is to justify them or explain them away. This advice goes double for grad-school application. It's one thing to discuss briefly some difficulty you have had to overcome to arrive where you are today; that often creates a positive impression. It's another thing altogether to bring up something you've done wrong, such as bombing an exam or a whole semester, and try to explain it. Never do that.

4. Stick to the positive when you talk about yourself, whether in person or in writing. You should be prepared to discuss your mistakes if other people bring them up, but don't volunteer them yourself. If you stick to what's good about yourself, the bad stuff may never come up at all.

5. As far as shortfalls go, such as the fact that you've never studied an important area of your field, think of them as "not yet" categories rather than shortcomings. If asked, present them as areas that you're looking forward to doing work in and learning more about; then try to shift the discussion back to an area in which you are already knowledgeable. After all, no one is expected to enter grad school already knowing everything there is to know about a field.

第二篇：
Your Ticket to a Great Graduate Program

The paperwork required for admission to an engineering program isn't nearly as daunting as it is for undergraduate school. This time around you'll have only a few, but very key, forms to fill out--and have filled out. Once you've received admissions materials, read through them and begin to think about how you'll handle the important components: your personal statement, the general forms, recommendations, transcripts, Graduate Records Examination (GRE) scores, and possibly an interview in person or by phone.

Once your application is filled out, it will end up in the hands of a departmental admissions committee--typically three to five faculty members, and a doctoral student in some cases--that decides whom to admit. Most committees look at an application as soon as they receive it, rendering the applicant a yes, maybe or no (wait lists are uncommon in graduate programs). The first pile is generally the smallest, and the second the largest. Once an application hits the yes pile, it doesn't come out again, and there's one fewer vacancy for the applicants who follow. That's a case for getting your application in early. Here's what you need to know to fill out your application successfully.

The Admissions Committee   

Each department has its own admissions committee, which is principally responsible for the decision to admit or reject any applicant. Even when your application is submitted to a central graduate-admissions office, it's quickly routed to the department that administers the program you're applying to.

The Departmental Secretary  

Every academic department has a single, central administrator (man or woman) who basically knows everything. The job title may vary--graduate secretary or graduate administrator--but the job doesn't. She knows all the goings-on of the department. She has a good general understanding of the major fields and knows what research each professor and graduate student is doing. To a great extent she is personally responsible for keeping the department running. Her importance must not be underestimated.

If you follow the application process right, you'll talk to this departmental secretary a number of times: to request information and materials, to verify the receipt of application documents, and to find professors and graduate students working in your field. The secretary can actually help you with your admissions strategy. She is also an esteemed member of the department whose opinions are respected by the faculty. Always remember to be polite and respectful.
Deadlines  

First things first: meet all deadlines. You'll kick yourself if you're rejected from a school simply because your application was late. Double-check all deadlines. Be aware of separate (usually earlier) deadlines for financial aid. Although most graduate funding is merit based, you have nothing to lose by applying in time to be considered for financial aid.

Application Fee   

Application fees range from $20 to $70 and are designed to discourage less serious applicants from bombarding busy admissions committees. Occasionally, the fee can be waived because of financial need. Check with graduate admissions to find out if you qualify for a fee waiver.

Test Scores  

All engineering schools ask applicants for applicable standardized test scores. All want a GRE score, while only some require GRE Subject Tests, or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Here again you must check with individual departments to be sure you meet their specific requirements.

Letters of Recommendation  

These are often the most influential part of your application. Through them, admissions officers can see you as something other than a file full of papers. Excellent recommendations often push a borderline student into the acceptance pile.

Getting letters of recommendation requires initiative. Admissions officers don't want to read letters that simply reiterate information they can get from your transcript. They want insight into your character, integrity, motivation, self-discipline, analytical abilities and creativity.

Think carefully before you choose someone to write a letter for you. If you're still in school, ask a professor. If you're already out of school, contact a professor who remembers you--or ask an engineering professional you've worked with.

Your recommenders should know you and your plans and goals well. If possible, they should be familiar with each institution to which you are applying--ideally, they have attended the school themselves or know someone currently affiliated with the program. They should also rate you in comparison to others with the same experience and training as you.

Personal Statement   

Most engineering programs require a personal statement--most commonly, a well-written, clear and logical one-page statement of interests and goals. They aren't looking for great wit or a knockout writing style but for a glimpse of how you think, how well your plans for graduate school are conceptualized and how strongly your interests and strengths mesh with their school's programs.

The Interview  

Interviews are not usually required, but as a general rule you should set one up if faculty members are available. An interview is unlikely to hurt your chances and can help you out a great deal. It gives you a human dimension in the minds of the admissions committee and the opportunity to talk about some of your strong points that aren't addressed on an application form. You can also use the time to try to explain dubious items in your transcripts or other records.

Your Unwritten Application  

A large part of your application is never put down on paper. The contacts you made with faculty and the impressions you made on them are key in gaining admission.

With all the piles of paper involved in applying to graduate school, it's easy to conclude that paperwork is what it's all about. You spend weeks poring over faculty listings, course offerings and graduate bulletins to choose your schools, and then you start filling out application forms, requesting transcripts and writing essays. Of course, all these documents are important. But in the graduate-admissions game, you have a big advantage if you talk to people.

A typical graduate engineering program receives only hundreds--not tens of thousands--of applications each year. Out of these hundreds, a program might extend offers of admission to just a few dozen, expecting some to choose other schools. With so few students applying, the admissions committee often expects to meet, or at least talk to, a fair number of them. The better you convey--on paper and in person--that you're the student their department wants to work with and teach, the greater become your chances of acceptance.

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