申请耶鲁大学的材料：推荐信（二）

宋国明

    这里是筠儿化学老师的推荐信，可以看出来在推荐强度上应该跟 历史老师差不多，虽然文笔较平淡，着重点不同。若我是招生办人员，化学老师这封信算是非常好，历史老师那封则是罕见的好。这封推荐信里详细说明了筠儿在数理化等学科方面的表现，这一点是历史老师没有办法评论的。

    推荐信也怕是那种千篇一律的，读完了以后没有任何印象，只知道推荐人竖了一个大拇指说好。化学老师这封信我译完了以后特别对这一句Andrew is one of the best students to ever walk these halls印象深刻，历史老师的则是这一句：He makes a positive difference in this world and is so modest that I doubt he understands how he inspires those around him.  文笔好啊！

    如果这两封推荐信成功地把筠儿和其他学业成绩同样优秀而被拒绝的申请者区分开来的话，那就是在信里两个老师都强调了筠儿不是个独善其身，只管把自己功课照顾好的书呆子。我想耶鲁提前录取筠儿的部分原因大概是能从推荐信里看到筠儿是一个他们想要的那种敬业乐群有团体观念和奉献精神的孩子吧。

    愿这两封信带给家长们一个信息， 那就是不要再汲汲营营于分数，培养孩子做个有公德肯奉献的好公民吧。我们的世界需要那样的下一代。

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        在我十五年的教书生涯中，跟我有很多时间和机会相处的宋筠同学名列前三位。我很高兴在他高一的时候就认识了他，那时他参加了我指导的数学社，后来他又选修了我的AP化学课。宋筠积极地专注于科学，他上完了本校所开的包括微积分在内的所有AP科学课，目前他在本地的一所大学继续修科学和数学课。他很早就参加了我指导的国家海洋学杯（鲟湖杯）和能源部科学杯，其后慢慢升为两队的队长，并成为我指导的工程科学队的主力。有宋筠在队中，这三项比赛都创下本校有史以来的最佳成绩。宋筠也是学校作为一个有机整体的一员，他活跃于全国荣誉学生会，在乐团吹低音喇叭，经常做义务工作，还经常在学校的各项活动场边为同学加油。简而言之，宋筠是本校所见证过最优秀的学生之一。

        宋筠个性随和，成熟稳重，与大人、老师、同学们都相处融洽，很容易就能跟他聊上天。在实验室，大家都争取跟他分到一组，他还善于辅导。同学们对他的敬重让我印象深刻。

        他解决问题的能力高强。在我的化学课考试题里，我喜欢偶尔“投个变化球”，考一个普通公式，但其实是要让学生用他们没想到过的方式应用出来，这一手从来没有把宋筠难倒过，他总是耐心而有系统地一步步得出正解，好像他的身体里天生流着数学和科学的血液。就在去年，他还通过了全美化学学会举办的奥林匹克化学竞赛的几回合资格赛而入围决赛。

        我觉得宋筠已经证明了他有能力读好大学，因此我对他的申请表示强烈的推荐。。。

      Andrew Sung is one of the TOP THREE students that I have met in my 15-year career, and I have had more than ample time to interact with him.  I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew as a freshman when he joined the Math Team (which I co-advise), and then he took my AP chemistry class as a junior.  Andrew has aggressively dedicated himself to science. He has since taken every AP science we offer, including AP Calculus, and is now taking his science and math courses at a local University.  He quickly joined the National Oceanographic Bowl (Lake Sturgeon Bowl) and Dept. Of Energy Science Bowl Teams (both of which I advise) working his way up to being the captain this year, and has been a mainstay on the Junior Engineering Team (which I advise).  All three of these competitions performed the best in school history with Andrew as a member.  Andrew is also a member of the whole-school community.  He is an active member of National Honor Society, plays Tuba in the band, and regularly volunteers for things.  He is also a regular at Appleton West events cheering on his friends.  Simply put, Andrew is one of the best students to ever walk these halls.

      Andrew is a very mature student with an easy-going personality.  He is very comfortable interacting with adults, peers, and teachers, and is very easy to start up a conversation with.  He is a sought after lab partner and an excellent tutor.  I am really impressed with the respect accorded him by his peers.

      He is also an excellent problem solver.  I like to take one question of a chemistry test and toss a curveball.  I take a regular formula and make students use it in a way that they hadn’t thought of, and Andrew is never fooled.  He is patient and methodical as he works his way to solutions.  Science and Math just seem to intuitively flow through his veins.   This last year, he made it through several rounds of the American Chemical Society Chemistry Olympic Qualifying.

      I feel that Andrew has already proven he will excel in college, and I strongly support his application to