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As we review applications, several ideas guide our holistic evaluation including the central hallmarks of academic excellence, intellectual vitality and personal context.
Academic Excellence
The primary criterion for admission to Stanford is academic excellence. We look for your preparation and potential to succeed. We expect you to challenge yourself throughout high school and to do very well. The most important credential that enables us to evaluate your academic record is the high school transcript. Remember, however, that our evaluation of your application goes beyond any numerical formula. There is no minimum GPA or test score; nor is there any specific number of AP or honors courses you must have on your transcript that will secure your admission to Stanford.
Intellectual Vitality
We want to see your commitment, dedication and genuine interest in expanding your intellectual horizons; both in what you write about yourself and in what others write on your behalf. We want to see the kind of curiosity and enthusiasm that will allow you to spark a lively discussion in a freshman seminar and continue the conversation at a dinner table. We want to see the energy and depth of commitment you will bring to your endeavors, whether that means in a research lab, while being part of a community organization, during a performance or on an athletic field. We want to see the initiative with which you seek out opportunities that expand your perspective and that will allow you to participate in creating new knowledge.
Personal Context
Just as no two Stanford students are the same, no two Stanford applicants are identical. This means that as we review each application, we must pay careful attention to unique circumstances. We take into account family background, educational differences, employment and life experiences. By focusing on your achievements within context, we evaluate how you have excelled within your unique school environment and how you have taken advantage of what was available to you in your school and community.
开拓精神。 校方希望看到学生在拓展学术视野上的认真、专注还有自发的兴趣。作为与硅谷联系最为紧密的大学，斯坦福大学向科技企业输送了众多的人才，更有不少企业是由斯坦福大学的毕业生创办的。当初因为想要鼓励企业提供实习机会、鼓励毕业生创业，校长决定出租学校的空地，这使得斯坦福大学后来成为科技精神的象征。如果学生们不具备学术上广阔的视野和勇于开拓的精神，斯坦福大学就不会有走在时代尖端的实力。
优秀的学术和实践能力。 学校十分重视申请者在高中时期的优秀成绩和实践成就，特别是那些挑战自我的经历，对他们来说是最具吸引力的部分。最初创办学校的斯坦福先生就是以实业家的身份进入社会的，因此斯坦福大学一直沐浴在实用主义的教育理念下。多年以来，斯坦福大学将工业与研究相结合、将知识转化为技术、将技术转化为生产力的模式始终推动着学校和科技产业的共同发展。
求知欲。 包括对新知的强烈好奇和热情，不论是在课堂讨论上还是课余闲暇时，都能有对知识敏锐的嗅觉，善于发现和探索。
Short essays
Characters available 2,000, 250-500 (at least 250 words) each.
【类别】 相关经历型
【关键词】 intellectual vitality, idea or experience, important to your intellectual development
【题目翻译】 斯坦福大学的学生都拥有智能活力。谈一谈在你智能发展中起到重要作用的一个想法或者经历。
【题目分析】 “intellectual vitality”，即“智能活力”，在斯坦福大学的招生要求里被解释为：智能活力是我们在评估申请者时脑海中一直出现的主题或想法。总之我们寻找的学生是有智慧且对学习有激情的。因此，这种智能活力可以被拓展为求知欲、创造力与实践能力的统一。文章需要体现申请者思维的开拓性以及不可或缺的好奇心。招生官用这道题来考查申请者是否具有斯坦福学生的基本素质或潜力，从而看出申请者与学校的合拍程度。如果申请者对扩展自己的智能空间有真正的兴趣，并且能积极主动地将一次次奇思妙想变成可研究的课题或者现实，那么要选择合适的题材不难。但是，如果申请者是一个只会读书和重复他人想法的书呆子，那么，再多的无创造性的经历也无法打动招生官。
I was a big fan of a certain TV program which shared tips collected from people across the spectrum on reusing household items. I once changed one of my old tanks into a storage bag, following the steps outlined on that program. That program inspired my interest in invention or more precisely, reinvention, which can make our lives much easier and more interesting. I had a lot of fun.
One day when I went to visit my grandparents, I walked into their house and smelled a musty odor. It seemed to be emanating from their bedroom, so I suggested opening windows and letting fresh air in so the bad smell could be driven away. Grandma said that they almost never open the windows because there was a garden outside, and insects or mosquitoes might come in through the window. “What about the upper ones?” I asked.
She answered, “We do want to open the window, because fresh air is good for avoiding coughs, but I don't dare to stand on chairs to reach them, so yesterday I asked your grandpa to do it and he nearly fell off the chair! Fortunately, I had him supported!”
After that, the very first thing I did when I visited them was to open windows for them, but that was not a good solution for their problem since I was not always there. So I started thinking of a way to get the windows opened remotely. I happened to see a lot of solar collectors on the roofs in my grandparents' town. “How about using solar power?” I thought. I went to my physics teacher to discuss the idea and to see if there could be any feasibility in a plan using solar power. With his help and after a few weeks' work, I put a motor driver and a solar-powered battery pad in the frame of the window, and gave my grandparents a remote control. By just pressing a button, the higher window could be opened without any effort at all!
By studying and inventing the remote-controlled window, I felt true happiness for inventing something that is of big help to my loved ones. Step by step I am progressing, and I know I can go further. I also want to improve the set so that when someone presses the button the machine will make a sound to remind people that the window is either opening or closing. Also if I could add something to the set to make it smart enough to open windows when specific bad odors were sensed, or to close windows when it rained, I would feel like a true inventor! I am still working on it—wish me luck!
要体现智能活力，你可以阐述自己天马行空的想法或者是描述你的经历。
这篇文章从自己的经历出发，先说对发明、旧物改造等节目很感兴趣，偶尔会跟着做。然后是看到爷爷奶奶开窗不方便，于是产生了一个自己做发明的想法。这个想法得到了老师的帮助，再经过自己的努力而最终实现。最后，作者还阐述了自己想对发明进行升级的想法，表示自己有更进一步的构想。
这是一个从想法的产生到实现再到更进一步的想法产生的过程——既体现出申请者开阔的思维和良好的实践能力，又体现了科技服务现实的理念，比较好地做到了与学校的教学理念相结合。
【类别】 自我介绍型
【关键词】 a note to your future roommate, something about you
【题目翻译】 几乎所有斯坦福大学的本科生都住校。给你未来的室友写一张便条，透露一些关于你的事情，或者帮助你的室友——以及我们——更好地了解你。
【题目分析】 自我介绍型的题目重点是体现个人特质，并通过具体事例强化印象。题干给出的对象是“未来的室友”，因此选材上会比较建议偏重申请者平时生活中的性格以及个人品格的表现，比如乐观开朗的性格特征等。另一点需要考虑的是，撇开题目设定对象，实际阅读人还是学校招生官，因此，在偏重个人特点部分选材的同时，也要注意避开过于琐碎的内容和经历，要展示自己个性上的魅力或者是可接纳的不足之处。学校也会非常关心国际学生能否适应国外的生活，能否处理好与外国室友的文化差异，或是否具有较强的抗压力。所以，申请者可以重点从后面这几点出发，体现自己在适应环境以及处理个人交往问题上的能力。
To my dear roommate,
I have tried to imagine a thousand times what kind of roommate I will have when I get to Stanford. Who will I spend the next four years with? Will you like me? Where are you from? Tons of questions come to mind! I bet you feel the same way, right?
I have never had a roommate before, since I went to school in my hometown and lived at home. Because of this, I am really nervous about meeting you and living with you. But don't worry, even though I don't have roommate experience, I am definitely good at being a wonderful sister and friend, as I have been to my little sister who is nine years younger than me. I am her babysitter when my parents are both busy working. Getting along with an innocent baby sometimes can be a serious challenge, since she does things that are totally against the rules. By taking care of her, I have grown to be a person that is patient and careful, considerate of others, and respectful of others' feelings.
If you love party and like to invite friends over, I would love to meet and get to know them too. Making new friends is the most interesting thing in the world, since knowing a new person is like taking a trip. It gives us fresh eyes and minds. I met a 30 year-old man who quit his high salary job to take a year off, and now he is still in India traveling and exploring. He once told me that he enjoyed sleeping in railway stations and taking overnight flights, sometimes never closing his eyes for 35 hours. I have been able to see a lot of new places through listening to his stories, and can see what it's like to do something that you are really passionate about.
I am really easygoing and would love to offer you as much help as I can. I also have my own requests: I need some quiet when I talk to my families. I will call them every week and I hope you can understand my homesickness and desire to share my school life with them. I do not want to talk to them if I have to yell or shout over other loud noises in our room. If you want, I will introduce you to my family. They are all nice people, and you are going to like them.
Now I cannot wait to meet you! Let's face a fresh page at Stanford together!
由于是给室友的一封信，所以可以以平常、轻松的语气来讲述，重点在于向室友介绍自己。比如，文中说明自己喜欢结识新朋友，因为可以从新的朋友身上了解世界的更多面；同时也可以适当表达自己对他的一些期待，或者是要求，比如作者说自己希望在与亲人联系的时候有自己的私人空间，希望室友保持安静。
通过这种猜测室友是什么样的人的方式，一边介绍自己的性格，一边提出自己的要求，有效地传达了个人信息。
在这种比较私人的自我介绍中，请展现最真实的自己，因为这是学校最希望了解的东西。
【类别】 自由发挥型
【关键词】 what matters to you, why
【题目翻译】 什么东西是你在乎的，为什么？
【题目分析】 文章要求申请者阐述的是“你所在乎的事物”。通常来说，一个人在乎的事物能反映出这个人的内心世界。你所看重和坚持的东西，反映了你的信仰；你所鄙夷和不屑的东西，反映了你的底线。因此从这个角度来看，题目要求申请者通过描述自己所在乎的事物向招生官做一个自我介绍：从你在乎的一段成长经历中看到你的个人特质，从你在乎的一句话中看出你怎么对待这个世界。学校想从这些你在乎的东西中窥见你所持的世界观、价值观——这是人的精神世界中最核心的东西——从而借助这些来考量你是否与学校的价值观相契合。另外，就文章结构来说，“what”的选择并没有所谓的是非对错之分。申请者选择任何自己深有感触的东西都是可以的，但是要注意的是后面“why”的部分——申请者需要给出合理的理由且逻辑清晰。
In China, I am a part of the generation of people born between 1990 and 2000, which is commonly referred to as the “after 90s”. Some of the “after 90s” have impressed the public in a bad way, which has led to some negative stereotypes. Many people view us as being immature, dependent, and irresponsible. Most people, when talking about my generation, show a hesitant look; that is to say, we have lost a lot of our credibility in doing the right things.
I do not like the idea of dividing people into different generation groups and making broad conclusions about their abilities or characteristics. I care about this because it is prejudicial behavior. But it is a prejudice that has kept me away from the bad members of our generation. I have tried my best to associate myself with good adjectives, such as honest, responsible, and independent.
When I had just transferred to the best high school in my city, I did not fit in. The new school was run in a different way, and encouraged students to find their own interests and develop themselves while finishing the basic courses. The teachers only gave suggestions and left much freedom for students to explore what they liked. I discovered the girl next to me was the winner of the National English Competition for senior high students, and some of the boys were involved in national science and technology competitions. I felt a deep inferiority in those first few weeks since I was admitted into this school only because of my hard work and high marks in the competitive entrance examination. I was so confused that I had no clue what I was interested in since I was previously studying under the direction of my parents and teachers. They had always provided the materials and guidance on what I should read or recite, and I gave in to their discipline.
But now, it was much different! I even thought of quitting that school, but after talking with my personal tutor I gathered all my positive emotions and decided I could get through this hard time. I made a rough schedule about what I would do during my free time, and tried to explore and develop what I was good at. It was those free hours that brought me the greatest courage and confidence as I met difficulties. I also was careful to fully prepare before classes, and endeavored to be smarter and more active in studying. Meanwhile, I was not ashamed of asking classmates or teachers for help, which I would have never done before.
Two months later, I felt more involved and even felt comfortable. I shed my cloudy emotions and eventually made a bunch of close friends.
I will not deny my identification as one of the “after 90s”, but I do not agree with the prejudiced idea that frames our generation unfairly in people's subjective opinions, and I hope to buck that stigma going forward.
文中作者选择的内容是对“90后”这个标签的讨论。文章首先非常明确地介绍了大众为“90后”这个名词赋予的种种标签，并阐明自己为何会在意被贴上这个标签。作者通过讲述自己曾发生的转变以及过程中自己的想法，既展示了自己的个性与能力，又呼应文章主题，解释了正因为大众对“90后”的解读往往充满偏见，所以自己才会十分在意和反感。通过自己的经历可以展示出，“90后”有着自己独特的成长过程，他们也可以是进取、有责任感且优秀的一代。