如何準確拿捏美本面試思路?看這一篇就夠了!
發布時間:2023-10-24 作者:admin
對正在準備美本申請的同學們來說,除了準備學術、活動和文書,還有一個不得不面對的挑戰,那就是面試。在申請美國大學時,學校常常會邀請申請者進行面試,例如大學招生官面試,校友面試或是第三方面試。
面試是一個表達對大學的興趣并展示自我的良好機會,雖然很多學校并不強制要求面試,但不少好大學都非常鼓勵學生參與。盡管面試對申請結果不能起到決定性作用,但是好的面試表現必然是能為你“錦上添花”的。
許多初次參加面試的學生,腦海里可能會盤旋著這些問題——他們會問些什么問題?我該如何準備?我該怎么回答呢?怎么才能給他們留下好印象呢?哪些該說,哪些不該說呢?
根據往年經驗,面試的考核大多會集中在以下維度:個性與背景、愛好與活動、未來規劃、高中經歷、大學與專業選擇等等。
針對每一類型的問題,我們將給出思路以及回答示例,給到大家參考。
01
關于學生個性與背景
簡單介紹一下你自己
聊一聊你的家庭
你的優點和缺點是什么?
你克服過什么重大困難?
你人生中經歷過哪些重大事件?
你的獨特之處是什么?
你有沒有什么別人猜不到的特點?
你的朋友會怎么描述你?
你近期嘗試過什么新事物?
談談你經歷過的一次失敗
你的主要動力是什么?
……
面試官想通過這些問題看到你能反思和探索自我,回答這類問題時,除了用形容詞描述,還要對此舉例說明,比如如何利用自己的優勢完成了某件事。
Tell me about yourself. 談談你自己吧
這是常見的面試問題之一,面試官經常從這個問題出發,對申請者進行初步的了解。越簡單的題目往往陷阱越多,切忌像個機器人一樣,喋喋不休地談論自己的事跡,重要的是選擇一兩個核心話題,并將其與申請這所學校的原因聯系起來。
回答示例
I’ve always loved the ocean, as I’ve spent most weekends of my life on the water with my parents fishing, crabbing, shrimping… the list goes on, really. For me, it’s not just about the sound of the waves or watching the sunset over the water, but more about that connection between my personal life and the ocean. That’s actually what led me to Bowdoin in the first place.
I was researching colleges near the coast, and what I immediately noticed about Bowdoin is that the college doesn’t just happen to be near the water, but actually works to make the location part of its students’ experiences through things like the summer fellowships offered through the Environmental Studies department.
What makes you unique? 是什么讓你與眾不同?
這是一個類似自我介紹的問題,在同一次面試中,由于時間有限,可能不會被問到所有的問題。但如果面試官想進一步了解關于你的具體信息,就會問到一些更為具象化的問題。
回答示例
I can’t ride a bike, but I can ride a unicycle. When my parents took me to get my first bike, I just wouldn’t let go of the unicycle, and had no interest in the bikes. Everyone always tells me that I’d be able to learn super easily, since I have good balance, but I’ve never seen the point. I’m perfectly happy with just one wheel!
What makes you unique? 你的優勢是什么?
始終要記住,面試以及整個申請的主要目的,就是展示自己的獨特之處。沒有必要談論自己的聰明才智以及勤奮好學,不是因為這些不值得驕傲,而是因為大多數其他申請者也會這么形容自己。因此,選擇能夠展示為學校做出貢獻的品質,反而更能吸引目光。
回答示例
I consider myself to be a very empathetic person, which shapes how I approach so much of my life. At school, I try to bring in cookies on days where we have big tests or projects due—sometimes I don’t have time, but I always try! And at home, when I get up on the weekends, I always feed the cat before I make myself breakfast, as it’s my decision to sleep in later, and she shouldn’t have to be hungry because I’m lazy!
02
關于與學校/專業匹配度的問題
你為什么想申請這所大學?
你為什么申請這所大學的這個學院?
你為什么認為這所大學適合你?
這所大學能如何幫你實現學術和職業目標?
你還申請了哪些別的學校?為什么?
有沒有你沒學過但很想在大學嘗試的科目?
你在選校時看重什么因素?
你希望學習什么專業?
你希望從大學生活中獲得什么?
你能為我們的校園帶來什么貢獻?
你有沒有申請材料之外的信息想讓我們知道?
……
這類問題對于高中生來說是很好的機會,以表明對學校的真實興趣。回答時需要談論自己對這所大學的了解,以及為什么適合自己,這一切的前提都是提前研究這所學校,不要只是泛泛而談,試著給出詳細、深思熟慮的理由。
Why do you want to attend this college? 你為什么想要加入這所大學?
在回答問題時,要確保突出學校的具體特點,說明自己為什么適合在這所學校學習。可以提及特定的學術項目或課外活動機會,借此向面試官表明,自己對學校的興趣不是浮于表面的。
回答示例
I’ve always been interested in languages, as both of my parents come from multilingual families. However, I only speak English myself, and one of my college goals is to learn at least two new languages. Dartmouth is the perfect school to help me with that because of its use of the Rassias Method in intro level language courses and its range of language-focused study abroad programs.
What do you hope to study in college, and why? 你希望在大學里學習什么專業?為什么?
要回答好這個問題,與其說是要表明你確定自己想主修什么專業、從事什么工作等,不如說是要表明你對知識充滿好奇心。
回答示例
Currently, I’m planning on either double majoring, or doing a major and a minor, in history and Spanish. I’ve always liked figuring out how threads from the past connect to things happening today. I also have an aunt in Spain, and I often wonder why Spanish culture and cuisine isn’t as celebrated in the U.S. as French or Italian culture. Hopefully the skills I learn studying history will help me work towards answering that question, and studying Spanish will allow me to read relevant texts in their original language.
What are your goals for college? 你上大學的目標是什么?
與其把整個回答的要點放在面試的學校上,不如先談談你希望從大學中獲得什么,然后解釋你認為這所學校如何幫助你實現這些夢想。
回答示例
I’ve always known that I want to work in medicine, but I’m not sure if being a doctor would be right for me or if maybe doing research or working on new technologies would be a better fit. During college, I’d like to figure out which career I’m best suited for, and I think the University of Washington would be a great place to do that. UW’s med school and the hospital affiliated with the University would allow me to get a sneak peek at life as a doctor, and in Seattle I’d be right down the street from tons of biotech startups, so I’d also get to see what that world looks like.
03
關于活動/興趣的問題
你放學之后一般會做什么?晚上呢?周末呢?
讓你有滿足感的課外活動是什么?
在剛剛過去的這個暑假,你做了什么?
你讀了什么課外書或者雜志?
你會看什么電視節目?
你喜歡的小說人物是誰?
你喜歡的食物是什么?為什么?
你喜歡的節假日是什么?為什么?
你現在關心什么時事?
你有沒有崇拜的偶像?
……
凡是在面試中出現個人興趣、愛好的問題,都是面試官在釋放想要進一步了解你的信號,也并不是所有問題都與學術相關。在形成答案的時候要考慮清楚“為什么”:為什么這些活動是有意義的?為什么這本書是你的愛?……
Tell me about what you like to do outside of school. 說說你在課余時間都喜歡做什么
在回答時,不要只單純羅列做過或喜歡做的每一件事,而是選擇一兩件特別能體現自身個性的活動。你可以隨意提及一些沒有出現在你的活動列表中的事情,這些看似不起眼的小事在某些方面可能更能說明你是一個什么樣的人。
回答示例
I’m really involved with my school’s sports teams as a volleyball player and as a manager for the football team. As manager, I take stats during games and help the coaches break down film during the week. A lot of people are surprised that, as a girl, I’d want to spend so much time around a men’s team, but everyone has always been really welcoming to me. Besides, I’ve been playing fantasy football since 4th grade, and I’ve won my family’s league twice in that time, so it’s not like I’m totally out of my element.
What’s your favorite book/movie that you’ve read/watched recently? 你近期看過的喜歡的書/電影是什么?
面對這種問題一定要遵從內心,如果你從未讀過《傲慢與偏見》,或者讀過但無感,就沒有必要提及了。選擇你發自內心喜愛的書/電影,并清楚說明喜歡的原因。
回答示例
I recently read The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens for the first time, and my favorite thing about it was how deeply it made me think about character construction. Dickens actually died halfway through writing the book, and left no notes saying how the mystery is solved, which I didn’t know before starting the book. So, as I was flipping back through the pages, all I could think about was which suspects were actually suspicious, and which ones were only suspicious because Dickens wanted them to seem that way.
Who is your role model? 你的榜樣是誰?
無論是家人、導師還是名人,你所仰望的人都能在一定程度上說明你是一個什么樣的人。回答問題時應該側重于這個人是如何幫助你成長的,而不僅僅是這個人本身,畢竟申請大學的人是你,而不是你的榜樣。
回答示例
My role model is a girl named Sarah. We were on the same soccer team when she was a senior and I was a freshman. She won basically every award for best player in the state that year, but the main reason I admire her is how she carried herself while having all that success. She was always positive at practice, would pass the ball to anyone, even me, and never talked about her achievements.
We weren’t that close, but at the end of the season I thanked her for always being so kind and inspirational simultaneously, because I figured that if someone makes that big of an impact on you, the least you can do is take the time to let them know how much you appreciate them.
04
非常規問題
如果你能改變你學校的一件事,你會怎么做?
如果你有一千美元可以送人,你會做什么?
如果你能與三個人共進晚餐,無論是活著的還是過世的人,你會選擇誰,為什么?
如果你是一塊糖果,你會是哪一塊,為什么?
哪首歌能概括你過去一年的生活?
……
雖然出現的概率不大,但是這些意想不到的問題往往讓人措手不及,這些問題之所以出現,是因為面試官想知道你是否是一個見多識廣、善于思考的人。
If you could have dinner with any three people, who would they be? 你想和哪三個人共進晚餐?
對于這類“奇葩”問題,重要的是不要過于糾結于問題本身,而是把它當作一個分享的機會,讓面試官看到你的應變能力和思考能力。
回答示例
I’d love to talk to Taylor Swift about songwriting, because I love to write, but music has always been totally beyond me, so I want to know how she combines the two things. I’d also like to have dinner with the Latin poet Ovid, as I’ve studied Latin for all of high school, and the way he takes advantage of Latin not having a fixed word order is something that’s always fascinated me. Finally, I’d want to have Viola Davis at the table, as she’s one of the only people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, and I’d love to pick the brain of someone so talented and so versatile.
If you were a candy bar, which one would you be, and why? 如果你是一塊糖果,你會是哪一個,為什么?
請記住,與面試官從你的回答中對你的了解相比,你在回答非常規問題時,所提及的細枝末節并不重要。
回答示例
I’d like to be a Reese’s peanut butter cup, because there’s two of them in every packet, so hopefully whoever is eating me is at least sharing that happy moment with someone else.
對于面試問題有了大致了解之后,還有一些面試技巧也值得同學們掌握。
無論你的英語表達能力是強還是弱,是面霸還是社恐,都要提前做好充分準備。比如對目標學校進行細致的調研,對于自己想要表現的內容做一個梳理,甚至準備好想要展示的材料。同時,部分高校官方網站上有給出詳細的面試避雷和推介的內容,比如賓夕法尼亞大學、杜克大學、羅切斯特大學等,大家可以前去更加詳細地了解一番。
雖然大家都不想表現得像背劇本,但是對于不太擅長口頭表達的同學,一定要提前演練,建議是找老師或是外教模擬面試,提升口頭表達的熟練度,加強英語語感,以免正式面試時太過緊張。
面試官想看到的是一個有想法有朝氣的青年人,而不是一個沒有感情的“回答機器”,因此需要肢體語言和表情管理,來塑造一個更加有自信的申請者形象。比如,目光保持注視著面試官的臉,而不是亂飄,即使很緊張,也請盡量提醒自己放松和微笑,此外,還可以適當配合一些手勢。需要注意的是,人在緊張的時候容易出現很多小動作,例如坐在椅子上不停地轉椅子,一定要留意自己的面試狀態,盡量不要有太頻繁的小動作。如果對此不太自信的同學,可以通過提前反復練習。
盡管面試有技巧,但是重要的是永遠真誠,be your best self。面試思路和技巧可以參考,但是不要試圖根據你認為面試官想聽的內容來回答問題,在輕松友好的談話中充分展示自己的個性就好。
希望大家都能在面試中發揮出佳水平,離夢校更近一步!更多美本面試問題,或本科留學申請和規劃問題,可以掃下方二維碼加小助手進行咨詢哦~
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