二、举一些例子，来说明如何准备面试。

Question 1: Why This College?

这个问题的重点是要显示出被面试的学生已经对该大学做了很深入地研究，和他 /她对于学校而言是一个strong match.

那么，如果该学生给了一个 generic response that can be applie to any school，这就不成其为一个好的答案。比方说，人家问你：Why Columbia? 你的回答是：“Columbia has strong acaemics an is in the mile of New York City”，就太泛泛而论了。

比较好的回答是，这个学生给了一个 response that showes some level of research but was not specific about why the school is a goo fit for him/her. 就好像这样的回答：“Columbia has very strong science programs an I want to stuy biology. I coul also participate in lab work. There is also so much for stuents to o because of the many on-campus clubs an organizations. ”

我认为，理想的答案是去 show这个学生的极强的enthusiasm for the school，并且给一些specific examples of what the school has to offer an how that irectly connects with the stuents interests. 我如果这样回答，你觉得怎么样？“I love Columbia for so many reasons but the top three are: Access to Research,the Core Curriculum,an an Active Stuent Boy. I hope to pursue my passion for science by working with Dr. Smith,who is working on Sleep Deprivation in Kis. Columbia’s unique core curriculum also really stans out to me. While I want to stuy in the sciences,literature is my secon passion. I want to stuy Socrates,Emerson an Bronte with the best. An finally,I want to surroun myself with an intellectually invigorating stuent boy. As an active member of my school community,I want to get involve in college. At Columbia,the NY Outreach Program will allow me to continue my love of working with young isavantage kis. ”

Question 2: Why Your Major？

大学一般都很清楚地知道，大多数高中生进入大学后，很可能会 change their major，但是，他们仍希望通过这一个问题能看出这个学生已经有一些sense of irection. 换言之，it is okay to be unecie,but the stuent shoul still escribe what majors are appealing.

于是，如果一个学生仅仅只是 states a major but oes not state why that major appeals to him/her，就像“I think I want to major in Chemistry” 之类的，显然这种答案是不能令人满意的。

较好的答案标准是，这个学生可以 states a major without truly unerstaning what the major is but can support it with some activities. 举一个例子，如果该面试的学生这样回答：“I want to major in something science oriente. Currently,I am consiering Chemistry because it is a goo combination of my passion for science an math.” 我认为，这还凑合吧。

优秀的答案，其标准应该是，这个学生 shoul emonstrate thorough knowlege of a major,evience of some pursuit of knowlege in that subject area an can connect it to the school well. 比方说，或许这样地回答关于major的问题：“Chemistry is most likely what I will major in. I have taken two Chemistry courses at my school an score a 5 on the AP test. I love Chemistry because it is the basis of almost everything that we use. This summer I worke with the Earth Science Department at Stanfor where I helpe a grauate stuent stuy the formation of ice on Antarctica. I ha to use many of the chemical principles I learne,such as the ifference between Oxygen 7 an Oxygen 8,to help ate the irt samples. I also realize that I love working in a lab,even though it can be teious at times. MIT also has one of the best Chemistry Labs an the new Calorimeter is suppose to be the best in the worl for ating samples. I want to be in that environment an learn from the best.”

Question 3: What o you o just for Fun？

在我参观 MIT的时候，他们的amissions officer告诉我，他们最引以为骄傲的是，他们的申请表和所有其它的学校最不一样的地方在于他们的第一篇essay就是问你，在业余的时间，不学习的时候，你喜欢做什么？那个Amissions officer对我说，很多亚裔的家长把孩子都包装得几乎完美，但千篇一律，缺乏个性。他们就是要通过这一问题，想看看学生们真正的本我。MIT不是光要 high score的学生，他们更看中学生的创造意识和创造能力。Caltech,MIT的功课，绝对比Harvar的要难念得多。在这两所学校里，零点几的课程需要你的脑子转得飞快！他们举例告诉我，有一个学生，在自家的后院里，按照所学的物理等原理，用干稻草做了一架飞机模型；还有一个学生，在自家的二楼卧房里，用电脑编写了一个洗衣程序，他不用下楼，通过他的电脑发出的alarm的叫声，便可知道他们楼下的洗衣房的洗衣机已经把衣服洗完了。MIT招生的人说：“我们需要什么样的学生？我们就需要这样的学生! ” 所以，那些high-en schools 问你“What o you o just for Fun ”这样的问题，其目的是要get to know the stuent outsie of acaemics. In another wor,what will the stuent bring to campus other than a transcript an resume?

如果一个面试的学生数说一些他 /她所做的事情，就是像watching TV or just hanging out with friens等，可想而知，人家会怎么评判你了。

对这一答案 OK的标准是，面试的学生liste off extracurricular activities but i not mention why they are FUN.

最 perfect的回答是，面试的学生应该show出自己的热情、热爱 for things he/she oes in free time. FUN things were not just extracurricular activities but also hobbies such as making moels,running marathons,singing karaoke,etc. 就像我上面提到的MIT的那些学生所狂热从事的爱好一样。

Question 4: What are your three greatest strengths？

其实这是给你一个机会 highlight what you want to the amissions committee. 你的回答应该是尝试着给人一种很thoughtful和nique的印象。千万别说：“I on’t really know what they are. Can we come back to this question? ” 如果你不能够很快地come up一个answer的话，这是很糟糕的一件事。

如果你只是给了 3个(或n个)很generic attributes without proviing etails on how those attributes have been emonstrate，it’s fine but not perfect. 好像“My three greatest strengths are: har-working,smart,an funny ”之类的。

The great response is that the Stuent mentions 3 attributes (or 3+ attributes) an escribes where each comes from an where they have exemplifie it.

举例，好像这样的一种回答： “My first strength is my compassion. I have been a peer counselor for the past 3 years an I have realize that I am able to connect with those that call. Many times people just want someone to listen to them without giving avice right away. I feel that,for the most part,I can fin that line by just tuning into what the other person nees. My secon strength is my ability to lea. For me leaership is not just forcing people to o something that I want but being able to buil a common goal an inspiring others to reach it. As Vice-Presient of the Humanity Club at my school,it was har to get people to volunteer their entire weeken to buil a house because my classmates are so busy. But I create a poster boar that tol the story of a family that lost their house because of a fire. They ha to live on the street an Habitat was helping them. I presente this family’s nee to my club an also promise lots of pizza an soa for coming out to help. We took lots of pictures an poste them on the website an our school paper wrote a story about it. The next time the opportunity to buil came up，we ha more than enough volunteers. An my thir strength is my curiosity. I love to ask questions an sometimes these questions lea to more questions than answers. But my curiosity is my rive to learn. I stay up late working on Physics problem sets not because I nee to get them one,but because I truly want to unerstan how vectors are use to buil briges. ”

Question 5: What are your favorite activities？

这是大学给你一个机会，让你去 highlight你的1-3个activities an emonstrate their importance.

如果你仅仅 list off several activities without showing why they are important an meaningful，这不算一个好的response.

【微语】留学是一个人的修行，在这里你看到了不同文化背景下的人生百态。