文书虐我千百遍, 我待文书如初恋。申请季一到, 成千上万的小伙伴们就开始日复一日的苦逼文书之旅。Why Essay是很多同学都会遇到的文书，今天就来讲解一番~
Why Essay
如果说Why Essay听起来有些陌生，那么大学申请文书中的Supplement想必经常见了，其实这就是所谓的why essay，大致上问学生“你为什么想来我们这所学校?” “我们这里哪里吸引你?”等等。这种问题用于区分学生是否真的对这所学校有passion或者fit。 要回答好这类问题，申请者必须展现出对学校的了解，学校文化/氛围的认可，和对自己未来展望的认知。
第一步了解学校
通过各种渠道去了解这个学校的特色，比如大学官网、www.shenqing.me、 usnews、Princeton review、 之前的校友，或者学校的巡展活动。找出这个学校吸引你的地方，不论大小都可以。
第二步了解自己
一般情况下，当申请者写到why essay 的时候应该已经到了申请中期，也通过头脑风暴或自我反思在一定程度上了解了自己。如果没有的话，花几分钟时间回顾一下过往活动，起码得知道自己的性格、学术上的长处短板在哪里。
第三步将学校吸引眼球的点缩减成特质并联系自己(找到自己和学校特质间的联系)
当申请者挖掘出那么一、两个吸引点后，要学会透过表面看事情本质。因为学校的特色和申请者不可能有直接关系，但是这个特色代表的意义可能和申请者自己的追求不谋而合，就会形成一个fit。
第四步融合和证明
证明不能只靠说的。当前三步骤做完后，就剩一篇有力度的文章去证明申请者的fit了。这里，每个申请者都有自己的风格和习惯。
下面举两个例子，大家可以参考一下Why essay到底怎么写?
学生1：西北大学
Because I intend to pursue a career in photojournalism, I see the Medill School of Journalism as the Holy Grail of education. Offering the impressive intellectual and technical resources of a prestigious research university, Northwestern would provide me the confidence of knowing that I would be getting the most forward-focused education in journalism... The quarter system and Medill’s internship requirements create an ideal confluence for exactly that experience ... Northwestern has a gorgeous location. When I visited the campus, I was smitten with Evanston’s cozy feel. Although I initially pictured myself in the heart of a city, Evanston eclipsed this vision. The small town environment is comforting without being limiting, offering plenty of cafés, restaurants, and shops to explore...Meanwhile, Northwestern’s scenic lakeside location is the perfect retreat for studying or relaxing... Brimming with enthusiasm, Northwestern has infectious school spirit. Because I assume leaving home after eighteen years will be difficult, I count on school pride to bring me a sense of community and belonging. From the famed painted rock to the fountain spewing purple water, the robust loyalty to the university captures my heart... In short, Northwestern is my dream school because it embodies everything I value: journalism, incomparable internship opportunities, dance, and an inspiring atmosphere ...
学生2：纽约大学
这篇文章，在Parke Muth的博客中也可以找到。
I’m done being a New Yorker born and raised in sheltered suburbia — I’m ready to get slapped in the face by the unforgiving hand of NYC and to become a true Noo Yawk-ah. While not an accurate representation of what all NYU students think, the NYU Secrets Facebook page constantly posts the thoughts of NYU students resenting the bittersweet independence of such a large, non-traditional school, but at the same time falling in love with the knowledgeable and nurturing faculty and classes. I’m done dancing around on the outskirts of the arena — I’m ready to plop myself right into the frenzied mist of action. No walls insulate NYU from the sprawling labyrinth of NYC, which is ideal for a unique and exciting college experience...