寄宿学校SAO申请系统文书全解析 | 建议收藏

本文授权转载自： Nanson南森留学，ID：Nansonedu

美国传统寄宿高中250所有余，其中近200所高中都可以通过SAO系统申请。SAO系统申请需要学生完成学生文书（Student Statement）及部分学校（10所左右）需要完成自己的补充文书（Supplement）。

现在我们将今年SAO学生文书进行了整理（这是2017年SAO申请系统更新后的学生文书），并对学生文书的5个大题目进行逐一解析。

What reading have you enjoyed most in the past year and why?   

你去年读过最有趣/吸引力的书是哪本书，为什么？

1. 选书最好是英文小说，最好带有一定文化深度的小说；不能只是中文翻译版的科幻小说。

2. 注意选书是去年看过的书，不是小时候看过，或者现在正在看还未看完的书。

3. 选书是符合自己个性的，让自己很感动或给自己启发特别大的书。我们会教如何'Writing for Reading“的阅读小说方法及写书评的方法。

4. 切记进行“百度或豆瓣书评”的翻译。

   这个问题是很好展现学生学术潜力和思考深度的问题。

Describe an academic or extracurricular achievement of which you are most proud of or a challenge you have faced. if you select an achievement, what did it take to accomplish this achievement? If you select a challenge, what did you laern from it and how did you overcome it?                                                                  

跟我们描述一个你感到最骄傲的学术成绩或课外活动成就，或一个你曾经面临的挑战。如果你描述的是成就，跟我们说一下你做了什么？如果你选择描述一个挑战，跟我们说一下你从这个挑战中学到了什么以及你是如何战胜这个挑战的？

1. 学术成就最好不要提托福和SSAT备考，这本身就不是招生官想要看到的内容。

2. 课外活动成就最好是公认很棒的一个活动，比如某比赛世界级别的奖项，或一个发自内心的公益项目；结果一带而过，关键是要展示完整的过程。

3. 挑战可以是学术挑战或活动挑战。挑战本身是一个个人化的感受，每个学生对同样一个事情的舒适圈的承受度是不同的，关键是写清楚自己通过怎样的心路历程、做了什么事情，去克服了这个挑战。

   这个问题是很好展现学生个性和潜力的问题。

Each person has a unique set of character skills they learn and develop over time. These characteristics affect they way they think, feel, and behave. Examples are things like cooperation, open-minded, curious, thoughtful of others, responsible,etc. Take a moment to think about the character skills that make you who you are. Describe one of your character skills and a time or situation when that skill came in handy.   

每个人在成长的过程中都慢慢行程自己的多种性格。这些性格影响人如何思考、感受以及做事情。人的性格可以包括合作的能力、思想开放度、好奇心、关心他人、责任感等。花点时间想想你有什么性格和能力，然后跟我们描述一下你的某个性格或能力，并同时跟我们描述一下在哪个时间点或在哪个情况下，你的这个性格和能力成为你的一部分。

1. 这是更新后的SAO学生文书的新问题，也是一个比较难回答的问题，要学生理解自己。

2. 这个问题可能需要家长的协助，将学生可能已经不记得的小时候的事情用于启发学生。

3. 这个问题的解答关键在于找到自己一个“蜕变”的时刻，这个“蜕变”对自己今后（在美国）有什么正面的影响。

4. 这个回答的内容要条理清晰地写出来，不要冗长废话，不着重点；不要假大空。

   这个问题很好地展现了学生丰富的外在经历和内在的思考力。

What are the reasons you want to attend an independent school? What do you believe you will contribute to a school community?                                                  

你为什么想在私立学校就读？你相信你可以为学校所在的社区贡献什么？

1. 这是一个特别好的问题，要学生成熟地思考去美高读书这个重大的决定。

2. 这是一个关于学生教育经历和教育认同感的问题；看看学生是做好足够的功课有很强的欲望才申请美高还是只是盲目逃避国内的学业。

3. 对社区的贡献是一个基本的概念，需要学生了解他们可以做和愿意做什么。

   这个问题很好地展示了学生未来美国学校和社会融入度的问题。

从下面五个话题中选一个话题，写一篇文章（250-500字）

（1）Describe a person you admire or who has influenced you a great deal.        

描述一个你崇拜的人或一个对你有重大影响力的人

（2）If you could spend the day with any 2 people - real or fictional, living or not, famous or not - who would those 2 people be and why would you choose them? How would you spend your day and what topics would you talk about？

 如果你可以跟两个人一起过一天，这两个人可以是真实存在的也可以是小说里的人物，现在活着的或已经去世了，有名的或没有名的，你会选择哪两个人，为什么你想要选择跟他们两人过一天？你打算这一天怎么过？你打算跟这两个人聊什么？

（3）Explain the impact of an event or activity that has created a change in your life or in your way of thinking.  

解释一下对你的生活或者对你的思维方式有重大影响的事情或活动。

（4）You have found a time-machine and traveled  40 years into the future where you are able to meet and interview your future self. What did you do in the years following high school? Where do you find yourself living in the future and what is your life like?               

你可能找到了一个时间机器，这个时间机器带你见了40年后的你。你高中毕业后的40年你可能会做什么事情？40年间你会住在哪里，那个时候你的生活是如何的？

（5） Imagine you are spending the weekend with your family in a location with ZERO technology-no phone, TV, computer, video, radio, etc. How will you spend your weekend? Describe some of the activities you will do to pass and enjoy the time.

想象一下，你和你家人一起过周末，你们没有手机、电视、视频、收音机等现代极其发明。你们会如何度周末？描述几个你们会一起做的活动。

1. 这个小文章有两题也是SAO系统更新后的新问题。

2. 选其中一个自己最得心应手、可以侃侃而谈的问题，需要学生结合自身的感悟、思考、爱好等来写。

   这些问题很好地展现了学生综合的品味的问题。

以上是SAO的所有学生文书的题目及解析。在国内公立体系下的学生在回答问题前，尤其需要了解自身的优势、个性以及美国寄宿高中普遍的情况。头脑风暴后，再开始答题会事半功倍。

以下是几所寄宿学校的补充问题，主要是看学生是否适合学校。

1

Peddie

1.   What is your favorite book?

2.   What is your favorite movie/TV show?

3.   What is your favorite song or musical artist?

4.   What is your favorite food?

5.  Which extracurricular activity that you have not yet tried would you like to try at Peddie? Why?

6.   What superpower or extraordinary ability do you wish you possessed?

7.   Do you have any pets? If so, tell use about them.

8.   Are you a morning person or a night owl? Why?

9.  What characterstics or quality do you admire the most in your best friend?

2

Berkshire

1. You have been chosen to teach the Pro Vita class of your dreams. Please write the course description that will appear in the catalog.

2. You have the ability to travel in time. What time period would you visit, where would you go and what would you do there?

3. You are back at Berkshire for your 20th reunion. Describe your journey since graduation.

4. Tell us about a challenging moment in your life and what strengths you used to face this adversity.

5. How would your favorite teacher describe you and the impact you would have on the Berkshire community?

3

St. Mark’s（部分）

1. Briefly discuss your strengths and weaknesses.

2. We all face obstacles in our lives. Describe a specific challenge you have faced and explain what you learned from this experience.

3. In the space provided, please tell us briefly about yourself by completing the following statements.

I am happiest when... 

My greatest fear is...

Three words to describe me are:

My favorite academic subject is __________ because...

My favorite musician, group, or composer is __________ because...

4

Northfield Mount Hermon 

1.   Please list other schools to which you are applying:

2.  Please tell us about the extracurricular activities in which you currently participate, including art, drama, music, and athletics.

3.   What does the NMH mission mean to you?

4.  If you could solve one global issue at home or abroad, what would it be and why?

5

Western Reserve Academy

1. What are your goals for high school?

2. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your future?

3. Tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult choice.

4. What is the most significant problem facing the world? How would you solve it?

6

Stevenson

1. The Stevenson community is guided by values of safety, trust, respect, belonging and inclusion. Please select two to three values that resonate most deeply with you and share how you promote and live these ideals within your community.

2. When was the last time you had to be brave? How did you overcome the challenges you faced and what did you learn in the process?

3. Can you think of a place which holds a special meaning to you; an environment where you feel connected on multiple levels? Describe this place and share how it has helped define your perceptions of yourself as well as the world around you.

7

George School

1.  George School encourages students to embrace the Quaker goal of “letting their lives speak.” This means being open-minded, open-hearted citizens of the world who are able to take on challenges and lead by doing. We expect students to “talk the talk and walk the walk.” What do your actions “speak” about you? Recommended response length: 150 words.

2. George School is a remarkable place where teachers, staff and students will challenge you, laugh with you, listen to you, and learn with you. Given the important role you will play in this exchange, what should we know about you to make sure you thrive at George School? Recommended response length: 150 words.

8

Athenian

Describe your educational experience to date and what now interests you about The Athenian School. In what ways do you think you could contribute to The Athenian School.