各个学校自己的Common Application Supplement (补充申请表)里通常要求一篇Second Essay，题目各不相同。例如：

Second Essay (一般都是不超过500词的作文)

Yale U要求的Second Essay

Second Essay (required)

You have already told us about yourself in the Common Application, with its list of activities, the Short Answer, and the Personal Essay. While we leave the topic of the second essay entirely up to you, try telling us something about yourself that you believe we cannot learn elsewhere in your application. Please limit yourself to fewer than 500 words. Print your essay on a separate sheet of paper marked “Second Essay,” with your full legal name and date of birth at the top, and enclose it with your completed Supplement.

（在Common Application中你已经通过课外活动、Short Answer 、Personal Essay向我们展示了你自己。这篇作文的主动权将全部交给你，你可以自主决定写任何东西，告诉我们一些从申请文件的其它部分无法了解的你。文章篇幅不多于500单词。）

Cornell U要求的Second Essay

Cornell U要求的Second Essay更复杂一些，不同院系要求不同的College Interest Essay。如果同时申请了2个学院，那2个学院要求的Essays都要写。作文篇幅不超过500词。

College Interest Essay: Please respond to the essay question below (maximum of 500 words) that corresponds to the undergraduate college(s) to which you are applying.

✪College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) develops leaders committed to the improvement of life. Describe how your interest and related experiences have influenced your selection of major and how CALS will prepare you to be a leader in your chosen field.

✪College of Architecture, Art, and Planning:

How does the major you would like to study in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning match your intellectual, academic, and career interests? Discuss any activities you have engaged in that are relevant to your chosen major.

✪College of Arts and Sciences:

Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. Tell us how you will utilize the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences to further explore your interests, intended major, or field of study.

✪College of Engineering:

Engineers turn ideas (technical, scientific, mathematical) into reality. Tell us about an engineering idea you have or your interest in engineering. Explain how Cornell Engineering can help you further explore this idea or interest.

✪School of Hotel Administration:

What work and non-work experiences, academic interests, and career goals influenced your decision to study hospitality management? How will these contribute to your success at the School of Hotel Administration?

✪College of Human Ecology:

What do you value about the Human Ecology perspective and mission as you consider your goals and dreams? Rlect on our majors as you respond.

✪School of Industrial and Labor Relations:

Describe your intellectual interests, their evolution, and what makes them exciting to you. In your essay please address how the ILR curriculum will help you fulfill these interests and your long-term goals.

除以上三个Essays外，Common Application里还有一个备选的Additional Information，如果还有需要补充的信息，可以在这里补充。所以可以在这里提交一个Additional Essay。

4 Additional Information (备选。字数没有明确限制，但是一般控制在一页以内，也就是不超过500词。)

If there is any additional information you’d like to provide regarding special circumstances, additional qualifications, etc., please do so in the space below or on an attached sheet.

需要特别注意的是，在整套申请材料里没有体现出来的非常有价值的信息，可以通过Additional Information提供。但是一定不要提供重复信息。否则会有副作用。

整套申请材料里的Essays大概就是这些。也有些学校不使用the Common Application，但他们要求的Essays一般都类似于上述题目。例如，University of California(Berkeley and Los Angeles)要求两篇250-500词的Essays:

两篇250-500词essay:

1 Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. 250-500 words. (描述一下你所处的环境，如你的家庭、社区或学校，告诉我们你的环境是如何影响你的梦想和抱负的。)

2 Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are? *250-500 words. (告诉我们对你来说很重要的一项个人品质、个人能力、个人成就、个人贡献或个人经历，并说明这些品质或成就是如何让你感到自豪的？这些品质和成就对你的影响有哪些？)

不过，也有些学校为了彰显个性，会设置一些比较宽泛的题目。所以，在具体的申请过程中，一定要先选校，再准备文书。 文章来源留留学博客：www.aoji.cn

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