最注重什么？ （石嘉慧：）当初我向一个UIUC 的教授问过类似的问题，他说，你去找学校排名，然后把前30 所都申了。然后我告诉他申请学校是要交钱的，他才知道原来不只是投简历那么简单。不过这个意思就是说，申请多一些会比较稳妥，可以降低一点由运气因素引起的风险。要有几个保底学校，几个和自己水平相当的学校，也要记得申请顶级名校，你怎么知道自己申请不上。 (潘子赢:) There is definitely a lot to concern. You always want to choose the programthat fits you best. Ranking of the programs cannot tell everything. If you don’t have anarea of interest yet, you’d better choose a comprehensive program where you can havevarious choices in the future. If you have one, you can choose the program which isstrong in your area of interest. However, it is important to have a backup plan becausepeople do change and sometimes the change can be abrupt. Location also matters if youdon’t want to work in academics in the future. For example, there are more jobopportunities in the industrial world on the east and west coasts compared to middlewest. 2 什么是好的申请材料？尽量保证每个硬性条件（GPA、研究经验、推荐信、个人陈述、比赛和project）没有太大的缺陷，再在某一方面比较突出，比如研究成果，国际比赛的名次，甚至知名教授写的强烈推荐信。曾经有一个教授说了一个申请时经典的句子：Make adifference! 3 本科生科研是不是很有用？ 要申请研究生的话本科一定要有研究经验，最好能有研究结果，比如 paper 或者完成的project。否则不光是教授不确定你能不能做研究，连你自己都不知道自己喜不喜欢（真的不是每个人都喜欢）。申请时候的个人陈述里面要有描述研究经历的部分，如果和教授面试或者聊天也有话可说。(潘子赢) Undergraduate research is a good way for professors to learn whether you canconduct research and succeed in graduate school. Thus it is a good source ofrecommendation letters. However, you don’t have to accomplish anything significant inthe research. The idea of undergraduate research is to get experienced and prepared forthe future. 4 GPA 是不是越高越好？（石嘉慧：）是的，GPA 很重要，但是GPA 没有研究能力重要。如果有发过很好的paper，GPA 大概在前30％就可以，不要太低。但如果没别的特别显眼的地方，就要尽量把GPA 提到前几名。(吴昕： ) Personally, I think that GPA and GMAT/GRE scores are important only to acertain extent. For example, as long as one scores above 700 for the GMAT, it doesn'tmake much of a difference whether one scores 730 or 740.5 Paper 是不是必须要有？不一定。但如果有作为第一作者在顶级会议发表的论文，会很大地提高申请学校时的竞争力。但是没有也没关系，其实绝大部分本科生在申请学校的时候都没有已经发表的paper，包括大部分申请到顶级学校的本科生。6 推荐信对申请有多大帮助？（石嘉慧：）如果一群本科生，谁也没发过论文，谁的成绩和GRE 都很好，选哪个？在没有研究成果的时候对方只能根据推荐人对你的描述了解你的研究能力。最理想的情况是有一个很熟悉也很欣赏你，又在自己的研究领域里家喻户晓的教授写一封热情洋溢的强烈推荐信，说你是他见过的学生里的最优秀的或者前1％。如果有一个MIT 的教授强烈推荐，那拿MIT 的offer 就不难了。不过当然这样的理想情况并不容易达到。(吴昕：) I think recommendation letter helped me a great deal to be able to getprofessors who knew me very well to write favorably and honestly about me. In my case,I got four recommendation letters (usually three are required) from four differentdepartments - economics, business, physics, and music - in order to demonstrate thediversity of my academic experience and interests. It is important to have an open mindand a creative potential when it comes to research. With my recommendation letters (aswell as my personal essay), I tried to deliver the message that I possessed thesecharacteristics.7 GRE 要多少分才够申请？考的一般该不该重考？（石嘉慧：）不同的专业，不同的学校有不同的要求。GRE 要争取一次考好。要是分太低了又有把握再考一次能提高很多的话可以再考。其实UIUC 和MIT 的计算机系不要求GRE 成绩，有些学校也只需要你填最后或者最好的一次成绩。具体分数要求要参看各个学校的申请主页。(潘子赢: ) It really depends on the program. There are programs where committeemembers don’t care GRE score at all. But in general, verbal 500+ should be enough forscience and engineering programs.8 社团经历、社会活动有用吗？这取决于申请的专业，对于理工科的研究生，科研能力最主要。太多的社团活动反而会让老师觉得你容易分心，不会专心科研。