在一个申请季当中，一所学校收到的Application往往是上万封，所以招生官会从成绩、性格、经济实力等诸多方面进行考量。
正是这种没有统一标准的标准，有些时候会让两名看起来申请条件差不多的同学得到大相径庭的申请结果，也会产生一些所谓“低分高录”的现象。
究竟是哪些因素会主导大家的录取结果呢？
《纽约时报》根据十年来对数百名招生官的采访，依优先顺序总结出美国大学录取的10大关键因素，一起来看看吧！（任何学校均可参考）
1.录取决定不完全和你本身状态有关
Admissions choices aren't all about you
When colleges choose applicants, they’re juggling competing goals, like increasing diversity and bringing in more revenue. Admissions officers aren’t looking for students who fit just one deion — say, those who’ve earned all A’s or won the most awards. So don’t take rejection personally.
招生官在挑选申请人时，要兼顾互相矛盾的目标，比如提高多元化、满足国际性、满足地方保护、增加收入等等。
招生官寻找的，不只是符合简单描述的学生，这也就是为什么有些各科成绩都是A，或者奖项众多的学霸级学生没有收到录取通知书。
因此不要认为，被拒绝就一定是你个人的原因。
2.成绩和分数最重要
Grades and testscores still carry the most weight
Colleges often say they want to get to know the real you, but that’s probably true only if your academic accomplishments (and the rigor of courses you’ve taken) pass muster.
尽管学校强调希望了解申请者真实的个性和丰富的个人经历，鼓励展示独特的爱好和出色的特长，然而在留学申请过程中，学术成绩通常是学校首要关注的因素之一。
学校在初步筛选申请者时会优先考虑学生的学习成绩以及所选课程的难度和挑战性。这些成绩被视为学生是否能够适应学术挑战的关键指标。
3.你不仅仅是文书上的一些数据
You are more than a number
After colleges identify a big batch of students with outstanding credentials, differences among them become more important, admissions deans say. Among some of the attributes they tell me they would like to see evidence of (in essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations) are: leadership, risk taking, emotional intelligence, fire for learning, critical thinking, curiosity, empathy, optimism, grit, perseverance and the ability to overcome obstacles.
不少学校的招生办主任说过，在学校找出一大批条件优秀的学生后，他们的差异性开始变得更重要。
他们在这里会希望通过文章、课外活动、推荐信等证据，看出学生的某些品质，例如领导力、冒险精神、情商、学习热情、学习能动性、批判思维、好奇心、同理心、乐观、毅力、克服障碍能力、坚持等等。
4.借助不同手段，表现真实自己
Express your authentic self
Overwhelmed by slick, boastful essays, colleges are eager for what they call “authentic” glimpses of applicants — their experiences, passions and goals. Some deans believe they’ll get deeper insight through alternative formats like videos, pictures, audio files or documents (an Advanced Placement English paper, maybe). A handful of prestigious schools, including Yale, the University of Chicago, Pomona College, Reed College and the University of Rochester, recently introduced this option. As with essays, too much polish is no good, deans say, so you might think twice about hiring a professional videographer. At Yale, about 400 applicants (out of nearly 33,000) for this year’s freshman class sent in something in an alternative format. In at least one case, the submission — a video showing leadership and impact on others — was, the dean told me, a “difference maker.”
在华丽和自夸的文章如潮水般涌来的时候，大学渴望对申请人有真实的了解。比如他们的经历、爱好和目标。
一些招生官认为，通过其他形式，如视频、照片、音频、证书，也是一些不错的方式。
世界顶尖名校，包括耶鲁大学、芝加哥大学等都推出的这个选项。提交其他形式的申请材料是有可能起到作用的，只要有增加录取几率的方式，都可以进行尝试。
5.多元化的价值
Diversity counts
Are you a first-generation or low-income student? Many colleges are trying to increase access, so it can help to emphasize your background — and how your personal story relates to your achievements — in essays and interviews. Admissions officers are thinking harder about socioeconomic context, such as the quality of an applicant’s high school, to better understand the opportunities they’ve had and the challenges they’ve faced.
很多学校都在强调多元化，并在招生过程中努力增加各种背景的学生群体。因此，在申请文书和面试中强调个人背景和个人故事，以及这些与成绩之间的关系，可能会对申请有帮助。
招生官越来越重视考虑申请者的社会经济背景，比如他们所在高中的质量。这样做有助于更好地了解申请者曾经拥有的机会和所面临的挑战。通过关注这些背景信息，招生官可以更全面地评估申请者的学术成就，并更好地理解其成绩背后可能存在的情境因素。
6.钱仍然很重要
But money does matter
At many colleges, financial circumstances comes into play. Being able to pay all or some of the freight is a bonus. And some qualified students of limited means might get rejected for no reason other than lack of money.
在许多大学里，经济状况是一个重要因素。
能够支付全部或部分费用是加分项目，一些资格符合条件但经济拮据的学生被学校拒绝，有可能只是因为财力不足。
7.地理位置同样重要
Geography is (partly) destiny
Many selective colleges want students from all over, ideally from all 50 states. Last year’s presidential election illuminated the urban-rural divide, which some colleges have been trying to bridge by paying closer attention to promising applicants from less-populous areas. Generally, a Northeastern college will look more favorably on an applicant from Montana than an equally strong one from the Northeast.
许多采取择优录取政策的学校都希望招收来自世界各地的学生，但不可否认的是，一些学校确实存在城乡差距的问题。为了弥补这种差距，一些高校正努力加强对来自人口稀疏地区的优秀申请者的关注，并为其提供更多的机会。
总体而言，在同等条件下，学校可能会优先考虑来自城市化程度较高、偏远地区或非本地的学生。
8.家族背景不等于稳操胜券
Legacies aren't a shoo-in
Legacy status certainly helps, but big-name colleges reject plenty of these applicants. Don’t assume Mom or Dad’s connections alone will get you in.
家族背景、地位当然有帮助，但知名大学仍拒绝了很多这样的申请者。
不要以为仅凭关系就能让你进入理想院校。
申请者应该努力展现自己的学术能力、个人特质和成就，通过真实、有力的申请材料来吸引学校的注意，而不是依赖关系或背景。
9.“行走的善人”
Do (real) great
A new initiative called “Turning the Tide” urges admissions offices to reward applicants for sustained community service. And some colleges, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are taking a closer look at what applicants have done to help others, be they neighbors or family members. You don’t have to fly to Belize to do good (admissions officers are often skeptical of these fleeting trips). Showing up to tutor someone at the library each week might be even more impressive, and rewarding.
学校目前正在更加关注申请者在日常生活中对他人的帮助行为，特别是关注他们所做的事情和产生的影响。
招生人员对于申请者参与的慈善或公益活动持谨慎态度，特别是对于短暂的参与。他们更加倾向于看重那些持续性的行为，比如特优生的一位学生，每周去图书馆当辅导老师，因为这种行为表现出对社区的长期承诺和影响，比起偶尔飞去某城市参与慈善活动更令人印象深刻，也更具有实际价值。
申请者展示日常生活中的长期、持续性的帮助他人行为，比起短暂的慈善活动能更好地吸引招生人员的注意，显示出申请者的社区责任感和影响力。
10.学校希望成为你的首选
Colleges want to be your first choice
About one in five colleges allot “considerable importance” to “demonstrated interest,” whereby applicants convey their willingness to attend the college they’re applying to. Open those emails. Connect with admissions officers. Let them know when you visit campus. Only those who are sure about their first choice and don’t need to compare financial aid packages should choose the strongest expression of demonstrated interest: applying early decision, which is binding.
大约五分之一的学校认为，表现出来的兴趣相当重要。只有表现出对学校有十足的兴趣，并对第一志愿信心十足，不比较奖学金，才能让招生官获得共鸣。学生可以凭此表达他们申请学校的意愿，打开学校的大门。
因此，在申请过程中，展现出对目标学校的深刻了解、合理的选择理由以及坚定的志愿，对于获得录取提供了一种重要的方式。
