众人心向往之的美国大学到底有什么样的入学条件呢？他们招收的学生是有什么标准呢？以下整理了几所大学的招生原则（admission），以作参考。
We value and welcome students who are interested in the world, who would enjoy examining key issues through a global perspective. We look for students who possess the potential to contribute to our diverse and vibrant campus life, who represent a vast array of interests and passions, and are leaders unafraid to speak up in class or fight for a cause. ——University of Southern California
Princeton’sadmission process goes beyond simply looking for academically accomplished students. For each freshman class, we bring together a varied mix of high-achieving, intellectually gifted students from diverse backgrounds to create an exceptional learning community. We care about what students have accomplished in and out of the classroom. We'll ask for your transcript and recommendations, and we will want to know more than just the statistics in your file. Tell us your story. Show us what’s special about you.Tell us how you would seize the academic and non-academic opportunities at Princeton and contribute to the Princeton community. ——Princeton University
At Harvard College, we seek to enroll students who will educate each other within a variety of campus settings—academic, extracurricular, and social. Personal qualities—integrity, maturity, strength of character, and concern for others—also will play an important part in our evaluations. ——Harvard University
Selecting future Yale students was a combination of looking for those who would make the most of the extraordinary resources assembled here, those with a zest to stretch the limits of their talents, and those with an outstanding public motivation– in other words, applicants with a concern for something larger than themselves. ——Yale University
Georgetown actively seeks and recruits highly talented and motivated students from all backgrounds.——Georgetown University
We look at each student as a whole package, a combination of talents, interests, passions, and skills. What they share is a drive to pursue academic excellence in a challenging and rewarding academic environment. We also look for students who will lend educational and cultural diversity to campus and who are curious about new ideas, people, and experiences.——University of Michigan( inAnn Arbor)
NYU seeks a mix of students who have a variety of interests, talents, and goals.——New York University
We review applications holistically, focusing on academic excellence, intellectual vitality and personal context.Our evaluationsof your application goes beyond any numerical formula. There is no minimum GPA or test score; nor is there any specific number of AP or honors courses you must have on your transcript in order to be admitted to Stanford.Stanford University admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University.——StanfordUniversity
UChicago brings together a diversity of top minds from around the world. Every application goes through the same holistic review process, meaning that there's no one piece of information—academic and extracurricular records, essays, letters of recommendation, and SAT or ACT scores—that could tell us on its own whether or not you would be a good fit for the College.We look for bright students with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and an interest in encountering new ideas.Tell us who you are in your own voice, not what you think we want to hear. ——TheUniversityofChicago
Admission to Columbia is not based on a simple formula of grades and test scores. Instead, we consider a variety of factors: the student’s academic record, extracurricular interests, intellectual achievements and personal background. There is positively nominimum grade point average, class rank, or SAT/ACT score one must obtain in order to secure admission to Columbia.——Columbia University
从以上几所大学来看，我们发现，评估录取的原则是全面性的（holistic），除了共同要求的学术成绩（academic score）以外，一方面注重对个人品质（personal qualities/contexts）的看重，能够利用现有的资源并能给学校带来多样性（diversity），另一方面从潜力上评估对社会对国家产生怎么样的服务和贡献（contribution）。
也即是，招生委员会招的不是最好的学生，而是最合适（best fit for）学校的学生，正如耶鲁大学所说的“Who is likely to make the most of Yale’s resources?” and “Who will contribute most significantly to the Yale community?”，谁能够最大程度地利用学校的资源，并最大限度地贡献馈报学校，那么就是他们所需要的人才。
所有的这些，与美国一直以来几近完善的教育理念不谋而合：
1.教育是一种信仰：一个人不管处于什么境地，有两件事是必须要做的，并伴随一生，一是接受教育，一是信仰宗教。
2.教育是国家和社会的支柱：美国就像一座大厦，支撑这座大厦有三大支柱：政府、宗教、教育。
3.教育是社会自由的保证：只有接受过教育的人民组成的国家才能保持自由。
4.追求教育公平和教育机会平等。
5.教育的目标在于培养合格的公民：学校培养不出天才，而是要培养公民，公民培养好了，人才也就有了。
6.注重人文精神的培养：人文精神本质上是一种自由、自觉、批判的精神，对善恶、美丑、是非的判断能力，宽容精神，尊重人，合作精神等，甚至包括人与自然的和谐相处都是人文精神。这将影响人的一生。
7.独立思考，质疑一切：这是美国教育的灵魂。耶鲁大学莱文校长对学生和老师的要求是努力学习，对所听、所读、所看发起挑战。
部分参考来自，《国家处于危机之中：教育改革势在必行》报告（1983）、《美国2000年教育战略》（1991）、《2000年目标：美国教育法》（1993）、《不让一个孩子落后》法令（2002）。
做一个有特色的自己，完善自己，人人可以留学美国，即使去不到美国读书，我们仍然可以借鉴其教育的思想和理念，培养自己的思维方式。既要做好通识教育的全面发展，又要锻炼发扬突出的个性，为社会为国家贡献自己的价值。
正所谓，修身齐家治国平天下。
