盤點留學申請中出現的奇葩文書題目！

原標題：College Essay Prompts Get Absurd. ‘So Where Is Waldo, Really?’

原作者：Isabelle Sarraf

原刊於(yu) ：Wall Street Journal

開始了新的一年的美本申請季。

文中討論了幾個(ge) 學校的“absurd”或者說“creative”的文書(shu) 標題。

第一個(ge) 提到的是 University of Chicago 的，有要求寫(xie) 一個(ge) 關(guan) 於(yu) 智齒的文章   “What advice would a wisdom tooth have?”   覺得沒思路，也可以挑選其他的。上麵這個(ge) 是學校6個(ge) Essay Options 裏的其中一個(ge) 。

隻是其他5個(ge) 也是差不多路數的

Question 2: Extended Essay (Required; Choose one)

Essay Option 1

Was it a cat I saw? Yo-no-na-ka, ho-ka-ho-ka na-no-yo (Japanese for “the world is a warm place”). Może jutro ta dama da tortu jeżom (Polish for “maybe tomorrow that lady will give a cake to the hedgehogs”). Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory. - Inspired by Leah Beach, Class of 2026, Lib Gray SB ’12, and Agnes Mazur AB ‘09

Essay Option 3

You are on an expedition to found a colony on Mars, when from a nearby crater, a group of Martians suddenly emerges. They seem eager to communicate, but they're the impatient kind and demand you represent the human race in one song, image, memory, proof, or other idea. What do you share with them to show that humanity is worth their time? —Inspired by Alexander Hastings, Class of 2023, and Olivia Okun-Dubitsky, Class of 2026

Essay Option 4

UChicago has been affiliated with over 90 Nobel laureates. But, why should economics, physics, and peace get all the glory? You are tasked with creating a new category for the Nobel Prize. Explain what it would be, why you chose your specific category, and the criteria necessary to achieve this accomplishment. —Inspired by Isabel Alvarez, Class of 2026

Essay Option 5

Genghis Khan with an F1 racecar. George Washington with a SuperSoaker. Emperor Nero with a toaster. Leonardo da Vinci with a Furby. If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together? -Inspired by Braden Hajer, Class of 2025

Essay Option 6

And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!

從(cong) Inspired by 的部分可以看出來，這些文書(shu) 題目都是前幾屆的同學選送的，學校也說了：Each year we email newly admitted and current College students and ask them for essay topics.   University of Chicago 當然也有常規的文書(shu) ，上麵的的幾個(ge) 都是Question 2， Question 1 如下

Question 1 (Required)

How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.   其他文中還有其他的比較“別致”的文書(shu) 題目

University of Maryland（2021-22 申請年份）：   has asked students to detail their favorite thing about…last Tuesday.   Princeton University （2021-22 申請年份）：   “What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?”

Pomona College（2021-22 申請年份）：   “Marvel or DC? Pepsi or Coke? Instagram or TikTok? What’s your favorite ‘this or that’ and which side do you choose?”

Wake Forest University（2021-22 申請年份）：   has asked students to give a top 10 list with the theme of their choice.   當然這些看著開放可以展現創新能力的題目，真的要讓自己的回答別出心裁還是比較困難的。

比如 Rice University 的有個(ge) 保留文書(shu) 題目叫"THE BOX"

The Rice Box: In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you.

有同學會(hui) 發一粒“米” 的圖片給學校，會(hui) 這麽(me) 做的申請者大概是想抖一下機靈，但殊不知有這個(ge) 想法的申請者太多了。

Yvonne Romero DaSilva, vice president for enrollment at Rice, says more than a few applicants have sent a photo of rice—the actual grain.   “One might consider that clever,” she says. “But it’s been done so many times that it proves to be unoriginal.”

學校當然想把申請的過程弄的玄些，一來有宣傳(chuan) 噱頭，二來確實招生辦的確實閱讀起來也會(hui) 多少增加點趣味。

隻是“機靈”，或者創意這個(ge) 東(dong) 西，   當我們(men) 硬實力過硬的時候，這個(ge) 叫“有趣”； 當我們(men) 硬實力不夠的時候，這個(ge) 叫“油膩”。

申請中的一些元素是可控的，一些事不可控的。有先把那些可控的拿到了。

穩而靠譜。