The "Why Do You Want to Come Here” essay can be your best chance to give the sales pitch for why the college should take you.
关于“为什么来我们学校”的文书可能成为你向心仪的学校推销自己的最好机会。
To best answer the question, carefully study the literature about the college and cite specific academic programs, courses, professors, activities, opportunities, and/or the philosophy of the university as primary reasons to seek admission. In addition, an aggressive (very serious) candidate will have visited the campus, sat in on courses, perhaps even met with professors or administrators, and (in extremely rare cases) worked with a professor or professors as part of an internship. Most serious students will cite sound academic reasons for being drawn to the college.
为了给出最佳回答，你应该认真查阅该校资料，包括具体院系，课程，教授，活动，发展机会以及学校的办学宗旨。除此之外，积极主动（也就是非常严肃）的申请人可能还会在条件允许的情况下参观校园，旁听课程，甚至和教授及其他管理人员有过交流。在个别情况下，甚至有学生会争取到与某些教授一起工作的实习机会。最认真的学生会提供充分的学术理由说明自己对某一学校的向往。
Remember: The college seeks to admit students who specifically need what only this particular college has to offer. The college would rather that students who don't need this college go elsewhere, where their need can be addressed equally or possibly even better.
记住：每所大学都力求录取对自己学校情有独钟的学生。什么是只有这所学校才能提供的独一无二的东西？对于那些对某个学校并无特殊需求的学生，学校宁可他们另作更好的选择。（译者按：选校旨在双赢，这就是为什么一所大学拒绝一个学生，却录取另一个成绩资历不如他的学生。录取委员会希望看到你申请的诚意，因为没有哪个学校愿意作你的备胎。）
A naïve or unprepared applicant will cite obvious features of the college or campus: the location, climate, reputation, history. Nobody needs to even leaf through the view book to cite these features. This applicant will not have done any extensive research on the specific opportunities offered by the college-the course requirements, activities, unique facilities, internships available-and that, in turn, is viewed as an indicator of how unmotivated the student may be throughout college. This student will not present a solid case on why she needs this particular college. (You can't say "I need this college because I require a warm climate.” College admissions officers will think to themselves, "Apply to the other hundreds of colleges in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, etc., or put on a sweater.")
在回答这个问题时，一个缺乏经验或未作准备的申请人会列举对方显而易见的一些特色：地理位置，天气，学校声望及历史等等。然而这些都是随便翻翻学校的介绍材料就众所周知的。很明显，这样的申请人对于学校具体提供的各种机会-包括课程要求，活动，独有的设施，可能的实习机会等未作任何深入的了解，录取委员会由此可以推断该生在大学期间不会具有学习的积极性。这样的学生说服不了录取委员会他/她为什么专门选择这所学校。（你不能说“我要去气候温暖的地方，所以选择这所学校。”录取委员们会想：“那么去申请加州，弗罗里达，佐治亚或者德克萨斯的成百上千所大学吧，或者，穿毛衣。”）
In this essay, the applicant should not try to flatter the college or admissions staff. College admissions people don't need hear that their college is prestigious or that their name would really impress the other kids. They don't need to hear that their campus is pretty. They get hundreds if not thousands of applications reminding them of this, and they’re not impressed with shallow applicants who only seek prestige, good weather, aesthetics, or to "fit in."
在这篇文书里，申请人要避免吹捧学校或录取委员会。大学录取委员会不需要听任何尽人皆知的溢美之词。他们看到的实在太多了，而不会垂青那些只追求名气，好天气，审美或合群的肤浅学生。
When mentioning a course of interest, the applicant should cite the course by name, and get the name right. He should not be vague about the department or the course. It's better to cite a bunch of classes that interests him, so it's clear that he won't lose interest after just one class. When mentioning a particular professor or professors with whom you want to study, mention them by name. Again, it's better to mention more than one professor in case the one professor who most interests you suddenly moves to a different college or announces a sabbatical. Also, you should explain why you want to work with the professor(s). Did you read the professor(s)’s work? If so, you should demonstrate that in the essay and be specific, citing aspects of the professor(s)’s work that excited you. Did you attend one of the professor(s)’s classes when visiting the campus? You should prove it in the essay by discussing what impressed you most in the class on the day that you attended.
当谈到一门感兴趣的课程时，申请人应该写明课程名称和系别。应尽量多列举一些感兴趣的课以证明该学生不会在只听过一堂课之后就失去学习兴趣。提到感兴趣的教授时也要点名，同样，最好列出不止一位教授，以防你最感兴趣的教授调离或休假。同样，你应当解释你为什么希望在这位教授的指导下学习。你读过他（她）的学术论文吗？如果读过，具体阐述该教授研究兴趣的哪些地方特别吸引你。你曾经在参观校园的时候旁听过该教授的课程吗（译者按：现在出国旅游或游学已经相当普遍，最好是利用此机会针对确实心仪的学校下一番功夫。与其走马观花，不如实实在在去旁听几门课程，如果能事先和教授套上瓷更佳。）
When mentioning facilities of particular interest，you can cite specific building names or even pieces of equipment-a specific micro-scope in the nanotechnology lab，a telescope in the campus observatory, a cutting-edge exercise machine in the state-of-the-art computers in the Computer Animation Department- with which you were impressed. You could cite conferences that are held on campus or that are run by the college-academic conferences that you aspire to take part in or volunteer for. (…this is not a time to express an interest in starting an activity that has been offered at your high school but that you haven’t shown an interest in during high school. That looks phony. You may, however, express an interest in joining an organization or conference to you had no access at high school.) When mentioning an activity or club of interest, you should cite the name of the club and explain what is so appealing about the particular group. Check things out on the internet and try to be persuasive. In addition, as far as imagining your role within a specific activity is concerned, you should not simply say anything empty such as “I’d like to work for the prestigious U newspaper.” You’d better say something like “I envision myself as one of the film critics for the Prestige U Weekly News and would like to someday introduce a column devoted to Sci-fi films.”
当谈到感兴趣的设备时，最好点出具体设施所在的楼名及设施名称，例如纳米实验室一个特殊的显微镜，学校天文台的一架特定天文望远镜，计算机动画部最先进的一台令你心仪的健身器材。同样，你也可以提及自己作为志愿者参与的校内学术讨论会等。（请务必注意，这时候不要提及高中时你加入但却并非真心喜欢的活动。那实在太假了。不过你完全可以提及在中学时代感兴趣却没有条件加入的组织和活动。如果是感兴趣的曾经加入的社团，要说具体些，不要只是说“我参加过学校的合唱团。”）要明确说出社团的名称，特点，究竟哪里吸引你。信息都可以在网上查到，好好做足功课。另外，当提及自己对于某项活动意愿的时候，一定要有说服力，不能只是说：“我很想在学校著名的xx报刊组工作。”更好的说法是：“我愿意在我们学校著名的周刊做一名电影评论员。而且我希望以后开辟一个关于科幻影片的专刊。”
I suppose you get the idea. To find a niche or angel is crucial. In doing your research, find out what the college does not already have and might like to add. For example, if you are able to make conversation with a total stranger, you might phone a college band director to ask if the band is badly in need of a French horn player this year. Or you might call the classics department to ask if there’s any particular type of student that they are seeking (maybe someone who can speak Ancient Greek and is interested in conducting research in that department). During the communication, you should remember to gradually work your way into a discussion of the specific department’s needs and what you could contribute. Also, on the application, avoid writing about some niche that another student already fills. Avoid sounding too dramatic.
说了这些希望你们有概念了吧？为自己找到一个独特的卖点至关重要。还是一句话，要事先做好功课，最重要的就是要充分了解这个大学到底需要什么，不再需要什么，想增添什么。比如，假设你和一个陌生人聊天，知道他是一个大学乐队的主管，你可能会打电话了解一下这个乐队要不要一个吹小号的乐手吧，因为你擅长？或者如果他是古典文学系的教授，你是不是该事先了解一下他们要不要一个会古希腊语的学生，因为你会？在整个交流过程中，记住要循序渐进地了解到学校甚至某个具体系别的特殊需求，还要让他们知道你能贡献出什么别人没有的东西。切记避免和别人雷同或者说大话。
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