随着8月Common App官宣更新，2024申请季也正式启动，美国大学陆续公布新申请季的政策调整。值得注意的是，U.S.News美国排名第十位的西北大学今年有了一个“大动作”：不再强制要求提交主文书！而藤校之一的布朗大学也提高了国际学生的申请门槛：由去年的托福最低100分调整为最低分105分。！

图源美国西北大学官网

　　西北大学
　　西北大学表示：我们设计了补充文书，以帮助我们了解申请者在高中阶段的经历，并想象您可以成为哪种类型的西北大学学生。
　　补充文书题目涉及到我们认为在构建2028届西北大学新生群体方面至关重要的领域，但如果您觉得它们能最好地讲述您想要分享的故事，您可以随意重新利用您为其他申请编写的文章（包括我们不再要求提供的Common/Coalition Application个人陈述）。
　　西北大学补充文书要求
　　既然西北大学主文书变成可选的了，补充文书的重要性不言而喻。那么补充文书又是如何要求的呢？
　　1. 所有通过Common App或Coalition系统申请的学生，需要回答下面这个问题（必选），要求不超过300字或者更少。
　　We want to be sure we’re considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background, your identity, or your school, community, and/or household settings have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern’s community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?
　　2. 选答题：5个题目中选择1-2个题目，不超过200字。
　　1）Painting “The Rock” is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call “Purple Pride”), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?
　　2）Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?
　　3）Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
　　4）Northwestern’s location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?
　　5）Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern’s classrooms and around our campus?
　　以上就是西北大学补充文书题目，从这些题目的设计中，更能看出西北大学希望招收能为社区做贡献、有思想、跨学科的优秀申请者，这是主文书所不能满足的，所以大家一定要重视补充文书的创作。