2016年

At Villanova, we believe that it is our similarities that make us strong, but our differences that make us stronger. Please tell us about a relationship that you have with someone who is different from you and how that has changed who you are today.
翻译：在维拉诺瓦，我们相信我们的共同之处让我们强大，而我们的不同之处让我们变得更强。请告诉我们你与一个同你大不相同的人之间的关系，以及这种关系如何造就了今天的你。
解析：AADPS分类II-b
字数限制：三选一，推荐250-500词

Growing up as the only child and the jewel of the family, I could have turned out to be a pampered and sensitive girl. But because of my friendship with Mr. Zhang, I am able to see another side of the world and was utterly changed.

Mr. Zhang is the "recycler" of my neighborhood. Recyclers are not officially hired by anyone, instead, they make a living by salvaging recyclable items from household waste and selling them. Needless to say, this is not much of a career, and many consider them to be eyesores. With his body odor and ragged clothes, Mr. Zhang fits the stereotype, but I like him.

He was around for as long as I can remember. I used to play in the shade of the big tree where Mr. Zhang usually rests. Although most adults and even kids avoid him like a plague, I tried to approach him with both fear and curiosity. I introduced myself, neglecting my mother's harsh warnings. He smiled back as I clearly saw sweat dripping down from his short hair. His sunburnt, wrinkled countenance reminded me that he was from a different world, a world where living has to be earned via hard labor and one that I never knew. I watched him loading his truck with the junks he collected and wonder in what ways these would benefit him: A meal? Or perhaps two?

I soon found out that he actually has a daughter a litter older than me. And every time he mentions her, happiness and pride shine in his eyes. He told me that how she suffered an impoverished childhood because of him, and how she worked hard at school and eventually went to college.

We became friends. We would greet each other when I come home from school. He would always be there under the big tree, scavenging, lifting, sweating, and smiling. On hot summer afternoons, he would be so kind as to give me some change for popsicles. Mr. Zhang shows up every day as if illness would not touch him, but over the past one and a half decades, I can see his white hair growing faster than that of men at his age should.

He is a gentleman with no skill and little knowledge, but he works hard with bare hands, trying to earn bread and butter and support his family. He is looked down upon for who he is, but he keeps a smile for all strangers who roll their eyes at him, and spare change for children to buy something they like. His situation may not change in the near future, but he places all his faith in his daughter and loves her so dearly. He taught me the most precious lesson about life: Life is hard, and all a person can do is to face it and conquer problems with hard work. Even when they cannot succeed in a worldly sense, it is still important to keep love and hope within till the end.

Mr. Zhang revealed the life of the oft-neglected Chinese underclass to me, and in the meantime inspired me with the unique strengths and optimism of these hard-working individuals, prompting me to do more for them and make a difference in the long run.

留学文书译文（机翻）：

作为独生子和家中的珍宝，我长大后本可以成为一个娇生惯养、敏感的女孩。但是因为我和张先生的友谊，我能够看到世界的另一面，并且完全改变了。

张先生是我小区的“回收商”。回收商不是任何人正式雇佣的，而是通过从生活垃圾中回收可回收物品并出售来谋生。不用说，这不是一个很大的职业，很多人认为他们是眼中钉。张先生体味难闻，衣衫褴褛，符合人们的刻板印象，但我喜欢他。

在我记忆中，他一直在我身边。我过去常在张先生通常休息的大树下玩耍。虽然大多数成年人甚至孩子都像躲避瘟疫一样躲避他，但我试图带着恐惧和好奇接近他。我自我介绍，无视母亲的严厉警告。当我清楚地看到汗水从他的短发上滴下来时，他也笑了。他晒黑的皱纹脸提醒我，他来自一个不同的世界，一个必须靠辛勤劳动才能生存的世界，一个我从来不知道的世界。我看着他把收集的垃圾装进卡车，想知道这些东西对他有什么好处：一顿饭？或者两个？

我很快发现他其实有一个比我大一点的女儿。每次他提到她，幸福和骄傲就在他的眼里闪耀。他告诉我，因为他，她经历了一个贫穷的童年，她在学校努力学习，最终上了大学。

我们成了朋友。当我放学回家时，我们会互相问候。他总是在那棵大树下，拾荒、举重、流汗、微笑。在炎热的夏日午后，他会好心地给我一些零钱买冰棍。张先生每天都会出现，好像疾病不会触及他，但在过去的15年里，我可以看到他的白发比他这个年龄的男性长得更快。

他是一个没有技能和知识的绅士，但他徒手努力工作，努力挣钱养家。他是一个被人看不起的人，但他对所有向他翻白眼的陌生人都保持微笑，并留出零钱给孩子们买他们喜欢的东西。他的处境在不久的将来可能不会改变，但他对女儿充满了信心，并且非常爱她。他给了我关于生活最宝贵的一课：生活是艰难的，一个人所能做的就是面对它，用辛勤的工作征服问题。即使他们无法在世俗意义上取得成功，将爱和希望保持在内心直到最后仍然很重要。

张先生向我揭示了经常被忽视的中国下层阶级的生活，同时用这些勤奋工作的人的独特优势和乐观精神激励了我，促使我为他们做更多，并从长远来看有所作为。

标化条件：GPA 3.9 TOEFL 108 SAT 1520

AADPS老师文书点评：能够走出舒适区，找到其他申请者忽视或者没有话语权的社会议题，能给申请者自身的软实力带来极大的加分。

家长感言：申请过程前期看过了十来家机构，AADPS老师的经验是最资深的，服务过程中和孩子同学们的机构对比，发现头脑风暴和文书也是做得最细致的。