《紐約時報》採訪數百位“招生官”後，總結了留學申請的10大錄取關鍵！

留學申請是一個非常複雜的過程，也是一門藝術。

每個申請者都會想盡辦法調查心儀院校專業資訊，最佳化文書，絞盡腦汁揣摩招生官的喜好，傾盡所能“討好”招生官，就是為了博得招生官的青睞。

在一個申請季當中，一所學校收到的Application往往是上萬封，所以招生官會從成績、性格、經濟實力等諸多方面進行考量。

正是這種沒有統一標準的標準，有些時候會讓兩名看起來申請條件差不多的同學得到大相徑庭的申請結果，也會產生一些所謂低分高錄的現象。

究竟是哪些因素會主導大家的錄取結果呢？

《紐約時報》根據十年來對數百名招生官的採訪，依優先順序總結出美國大學錄取考量的十個方面，一起來看看吧。（以下10條，無論申請哪個國家，皆可參考）

錄取決定不完全和你本身狀態有關

Admissions choices aren't all about you

When colleges choose applicants, they’re juggling competing goals, like increasing diversity and bringing in more revenue. Admissions officers aren’t looking for students who fit just one deion — say, those who’ve earned all A’s or won the most awards. So don’t take rejection personally.

招生官在挑選申請人時，要兼顧互相矛盾的目標，比如提高多元化、滿足國際性、滿足地方保護、增加收入

等等。

招生官尋找的，不只是符合簡單描述的學生，這也就是為什麼有些各科成績都是A，或者獎項眾多的學霸級學生沒有收到錄取通知書。

因此不要認為，被拒絕就一定是你個人的原因。

成績和分數最重要

Grades and testscores still carry the most weight

Colleges often say they want to get to know the real you, but that’s probably true only if your academic accomplishments (and the rigor of courses you’ve taken) pass muster.

學校經常說希望瞭解真實的你，希望學生具有豐富的個人經歷，具有獨特的愛好和出色的特長。

但只有當你的學習成績（和你所上課程的嚴格程度）通過了學校的要求，才能進入學校的眼簾，才可能有機會進入學校。

你不僅僅是文書上的一些資料

You are more than a number

After colleges identify a big batch of students with outstanding credentials, differences among them become more important, admissions deans say. Among some of the attributes they tell me they would like to see evidence of (in essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations) are: leadership, risk taking, emotional intelligence, fire for learning, critical thinking, curiosity, empathy, optimism, grit, perseverance and the ability to overcome obstacles.

不少學校的招生辦主任說過，在學校找出一大批條件優秀的學生後，他們的差異性開始變得更重要。

他們在這裡會希望透過

文章、課外活動、推薦信等證據，看出學生的某些品質，例如領導力、冒險精神、情商、學習熱情、學習能動性、批判思維、好奇心、同理心、樂觀、毅力、克服障礙能力、堅持等等。

藉助不同手段，表現真實自己

Express your authentic self

Overwhelmed by slick, boastful essays, colleges are eager for what they call “authentic” glimpses of applicants — their experiences, passions and goals. Some deans believe they’ll get deeper insight through alternative formats like videos, pictures, audio files or documents (an Advanced Placement English paper, maybe). A handful of prestigious schools, including Yale, the University of Chicago, Pomona College, Reed College and the University of Rochester, recently introduced this option. As with essays, too much polish is no good, deans say, so you might think twice about hiring a professional videographer. At Yale, about 400 applicants (out of nearly 33,000) for this year’s freshman class sent in something in an alternative format. In at least one case, the submission — a video showing leadership and impact on others — was, the dean told me, a “difference maker.”

在華麗和自誇的文章如潮水般湧來的時候，大學渴望對申請人有真實的瞭解。比如他們的經歷、愛好和目標。

一些招生官認為，透過其他形式，如影片、照片、音訊、證書，也是一些不錯的方式。

世界頂尖名校，包括耶魯大學、芝加哥大學等都推出的這個選項。提交其他形式的申請材料是有可能起到作用的，只要有增加錄取機率的方式，都可以進行嘗試。

多元化的價值

Diversity counts

Are you a first-generation or low-income student? Many colleges are trying to increase access, so it can help to emphasize your background — and how your personal story relates to your achievements — in essays and interviews. Admissions officers are thinking harder about socioeconomic context, such as the quality of an applicant’s high school, to better understand the opportunities they’ve had and the challenges they’ve faced.

很多學校強調多元化，並試圖增加招收這類學生，因此在文章和麵試中強調你的背景以及個人故事與成績之間的關係可能會有用。

招生人員

會更加認真地考慮社會經濟背景，比如申請人所在高中的質量，以便更好地理解他們曾經擁有的機會和麵臨的挑戰。

錢仍然很重要

But money does matter

At many colleges, financial circumstances comes into play. Being able to pay all or some of the freight is a bonus. And some qualified students of limited means might get rejected for no reason other than lack of money.

在許多大學裡，經濟狀況是一個重要因素。

能夠支付全部或部分費用是加分專案，一些資格符合條件但經濟拮据的學生被學校拒絕，有可能只是因為財力不足。

地理位置在一定程度上決定命運

Geography is (partly) destiny

Many selective colleges want students from all over, ideally from all 50 states. Last year’s presidential election illuminated the urban-rural divide, which some colleges have been trying to bridge by paying closer attention to promising applicants from less-populous areas. Generally, a Northeastern college will look more favorably on an applicant from Montana than an equally strong one from the Northeast.

很多擇優錄取的學校希望招到來自世界各地的學生，但不得不說，有些學校的選擇凸顯的城鄉差距，有一些高校一直試圖透過加大對來自人口不稠密的地區的優秀申請者更多的關注，來彌補這種差距。

總體來說，

在同等條件下，學校可能會選擇來自城市化程度較高，或十分偏遠的地區，或非本地的學生。

家族背景不等於穩操勝券

Legacies aren't a shoo-in

Legacy status certainly helps, but big-name colleges reject plenty of these applicants. Don’t assume Mom or Dad’s connections alone will get you in.

二代身份的確有用，但大牌學校拒絕了很多這樣的申請人。

不要以為只靠關係就一定能讓你進入學校。

多行善

Do (real) great

A new initiative called “Turning the Tide” urges admissions offices to reward applicants for sustained community service. And some colleges, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are taking a closer look at what applicants have done to help others, be they neighbors or family members. You don’t have to fly to Belize to do good (admissions officers are often skeptical of these fleeting trips). Showing up to tutor someone at the library each week might be even more impressive, and rewarding.

學校正在加強對申請人日常表現的關注

，尤其是日常生活中為幫助他人做了哪些事情，產生何種行為。

招生人員正在對短暫的慈善活動或公益活動進行辨別並持懷疑態度。每週去圖書館當輔導老師比偶爾飛去某城市做慈善更令人印象深刻，也更為有用。

學校希望成為你的首選

Colleges want to be your first choice

About one in five colleges allot “considerable importance” to “demonstrated interest,” whereby applicants convey their willingness to attend the college they’re applying to. Open those emails. Connect with admissions officers. Let them know when you visit campus. Only those who are sure about their first choice and don’t need to compare financial aid packages should choose the strongest expression of demonstrated interest: applying early decision, which is binding.

大約五分之一的學校認為，表現出來的興趣相當重要。只有表現出對學校有十足的興趣，並對第一志願信心十足，不比較獎學金，才能讓招生官獲得共鳴。學生可以憑此表達他們申請學校的意願，開啟學校的大門。