8. • 為了追求這個學位,你先前做了甚麼準備?
• 為什麼你要申請這間學校?為甚麼是這個 Program?
• 之後的願景/生涯規劃?
4.1 Statement of Purpose 要求
UC Berkeley
Please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study
in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this
field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your
chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be
specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit
for you.
4.2 Statement of Purpose 資源
• The Statement of Purpose
• Graduate School Statement from UC Berkeley
• What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School? I
• What Makes a Good Statement of Purpose for Graduate School? II
• General (and Department/Program Specific) Statement of Purpose
Guidelines (from UCSD)
• Statement of Purpose Guidelines (from MIT)
• 一個月內讓你申請上美國名校, Henry Liu’s Blog
• A SOP template
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9. 5 個人自述 (Personal History Statement (PHS))
很多人會將 PHS 和 SOP/PS 混為一談,其實是不一樣的文件,PHS 主
要著墨在你個人過去的經歷,家庭或社會背景等等因素,使得你想追求這
個學位。
SOP is purely about academic achievement, whereas PHS is about how
your educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences could
contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field.
5.1 Personal History Statement 要求
以下舉例兩間學校對於 PHS 的要求描述,由此可以從學校的角度來得
知 PHS 所需要的內容。
UC Berkeley 對 PHS 的敘述
In an essay, discuss how your personal background informs your
decision to pursue a graduate degree.
Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or
social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your
academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural
diversity within your chosen field;and/or how you might serve
educationally underrepresented segments of society with your de-
gree.
Univ. Michigan 對 PHS 的敘述
How have your background and life experiences, including cul-
tural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities
or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate de-
gree at the University of Michigan?
For example, if you grew up in a community where educational,
cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or
especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your
development and interests. This should be a discussion of the
journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree.
Please do not repeat your Academic Statement of Purpose.
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10. 5.2 Personal History Statement 資源
• Sample Personal History Statement page 1 of 3
• Sample Personal History Statement page 2 of 3
• Sample Personal History Statement page 3 of 3
6 推薦信 (Recommendation Letters)
6.1 推薦信數量
一般學校要求申請者提供三封推薦信,雖然你可以提供四封甚或是五封
推薦信,但是如果多的推荐信若沒有提供新的重要訊息 (e.g. 研究能力, 個
人特質),那麼再多推薦信也是沒用,底下是 UC Berkeley 對於推薦信數量
的說明。
Having more than 3 letters, though we allow it, is not recom-
mended. Due to the volume of applications we receive every year,
there is no guarantee that more than 3 letters will be read.
Having more letters is not necessarily better. Three strong letters
is much better than 3 strong letters and one mediocre or bad
letter. It can be a good idea to ask your recommenders if they
can write you a good, detailed letter. You would be surprised
at the number of mediocre or nondescriptive letters we receive
every year. A one-two sentence letter is probably not going to
help your cause. The best letters gauge your ability and potential
for research and graduate study, often citing examples from the
recommenders own experiences with you.
6.2 推薦信寄發
目前絕大部分的學校皆採用線上推薦信系統,這也是較便利的方式,可
以清楚掌握推薦信的進度,申請人在申請過程中填入推薦者的基本資料和
聯絡方式,填完之後系統會寄發信件給推薦者 (也就是老師們),信中會提
供該學校推荐信系統的網址,給推薦人的帳號密碼和申請者的資訊,推薦
者可以直接用學校的推薦信系統來上傳推薦信。
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12. Your waiver decisions. (Please keep in mind that letters you have
waived access to are generally thought to be more reliable than
those for which you have not waived access. A few recommenders
also refuse to write letters if access to them has not been waived.
Given this, this may be something you should discuss with your
recommenders before hand.
6.5 給推薦人的申請資訊
由於教授們通常都很忙碌,所以事先最好先整理必要的資訊給教授,以
做為寫推薦信的參考,此舉動不僅是禮貌,同時也可以盡可能地最佳化推
薦者所寫的推薦信 (尤其是對你了解不夠深的推薦人),必要的資訊包含
• Statement of Purpose (SOP):給推薦人你的 SOP 有助於推薦人了解
你申請的意願,以及未來想做些什麼研究,提供推薦人寫推薦信的方
向。
• Research project summary:列舉出所有你曾經參與的研究題目和結
果 (e.g., 履歷表中的研究經驗部分),如果你有發表過文章,也可以一
併加入。
• Course content information:列舉出你修過專業課程,成績以及授課
老師的名字。
• Resume:履歷表提供申請者整體的學術背景。
• Transcript:成績單,用掃描器掃成 PDF 電子檔 (中英文),另外如果
你有修過推薦人的課記得做標記或額外提醒。
• Applied School List:列一個總表給教授,裡頭包括你所申請的學校
和科系 PhD 或是 MS 各校的截止日期和你想申請的領域。
• Draft:草稿有些老師會希望你提供一個推薦信的草稿,可以看以下
的範例。
– Letters of Recommendation from A to Z
– Sample Reference Letters
– 推薦信函寫信要點
認真寫一封推薦信是相當耗費時間的,申請完學校記得寫封 Thank-you
note 答謝推薦人。
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18. 10.3 GRE 資源
• GRE Practice General Test
• Preparing for the Verbal and Quantitative Sections of the GRE General
Test
• Math Review
• GRE 自修經驗分享
11 其他 (Miscellaneous)
11.1 Research Experience
申請 PhD 最重要的就是研究,將自己做過的研究好好做整理不僅幫助
申請時的填表,也可以作為自己選校和選擇老師的參考。
11.2 Course Content Information
部分學校會要求你提供修課的內容 (UT Austin, MIT, Caltech, Har-
vard),因此建議事先做個總表將自己修過的課做個整理,裡頭包含以下資
訊
課名/課本/修課內容/教師/修課時間/成績
11.3 Unofficial Transcript
將自己的成績單做掃瞄成 2MB 大小以下的 PDF 檔,部分學校可以讓
你先提供 Unofficial Transcript 加速學校的審查 (因為紙本成績單通常比較
晚到也比較難整理)。
11.4 Writing Sample
整理自己過去發表過的論文或是工作報告,有些學校可以上傳提供教授
來參考。
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19. 11.5 Personal Website
設計一個個人網站,把申請的相關資訊 (Resume/CV, Research project
等等) 都放在上面有興趣的教授便會看看你做的研究。
11.6 Professor Contact
申請 PhD 的很重要一環就是聯絡教授,由於教授們每天都會收到非常
多 Prospective PhD Student 寄來的信,所以大部分都連看都不看就刪了,
如果真的很想聯絡到教授的話, 可以先考慮先聯絡該間學校的台灣教授,
他們通常比較不會拒絕台灣學生的來信,如果你的研究領域剛好和該教授
類似,這是最好的情況,即使相差很多,你可以向他詢問該學校或是你想
聯絡的教授的情況。
12 網路資源
網路上關於留學申請流程有相當多整理,這裡列舉數個不錯的部落格或
文章,有興趣可以多方參考。
• U.S. News 最佳研究所排名 2010
– 排名資訊可做為選校時其中一項參考因素。
• Applying to Ph.D. Programs in Computer Science
– 卡內基美濃大學的教授所寫的研究所申請文章,裡頭關於研究
所生涯問題以及申請文件的觀念非常精闢正確,雖然該教授僅
寫 Computer Science 領域,不過其他領域應該也可以藉由此份
文件了解整個申請的流程,相當推薦。
• 一個月內讓你申請上美國名校
– Henry Liu 的部落格,裡頭有許多關於 SOP 的撰寫技巧以及托
福的準備心得
• 我的留美準備之路
– Wendy 的部落格,整理留學申請過程中所需要的文件以及步驟。
• 倫的 blog
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