Plan for College
How to Decide Which College Is Best for You 找到最適合自己的大學

VIS is authorized by the College Board to provide AP (Advanced Placement) courses. The following article is from the official College Board website.

VIS 為美國大學理事會(College Board)正式認證學校,經授權可開授AP課程。以下文章出自於美國大學理事會 College Board 官網,提供中文翻譯給學生家長參考。

 

Original source 原文出處: 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/find-your-dream-college/choose-a-college/how-to-find-a-college-that-fits-you

How to Decide Which College Is Best for You
找到最適合自己的大學

Some students want to find the perfect college. The truth is, there's no such thing. You can find many colleges where you'll be happy and get an excellent education. The college search is about exploring who you are and what you want and then finding colleges where you can meet your goals.

Still, it's important to narrow the possibilities into a manageable list. Here are steps you can take to find colleges where you can thrive.

選擇到海外留學的學生,目標往往是先找到一所完美的大學,不過這是不可能的事。但你可以找到很多能讓你快樂就讀、充實受教的大學。而搜尋大學的過程,其實是自我探索、並從中了解自己想要的,進而找到符合目標的大學。

儘管如此,把申請清單縮減到容易處理的程度還是很重要的,按照以下步驟找出能讓你成長的學校。

What College Should You Go to?
你應該去什麼類型的大學?

Reflect on what's important, where you want to be, and who you want to become. With those answers, you can figure out what types of colleges will allow you to reach your goals.
不妨捫心自問,對你而言最重要的事情是什麼、你想立足何處、成為怎樣的人。接著才能了解什麼類型的大學可以讓你達到目標。

Here are some aspects to consider:
請考量以下各層面的條件:

  • Size
    學校規模
  • Location
    學校地點
  • Distance from home
    離家距離
  • Available majors and classes
    學校提供的主修與課程
  • Housing options
    住宿選擇
  • Makeup of the student body
    學生成員組成
  • Available extracurricular activities
    學校提供的課外活動
  • Campus atmosphere
    校園氣氛

Which of these are things you must have to be comfortable at a college? Which can you be more flexible about?
哪方面是你在就學時不可或缺的條件?那些可以有彈性地接受妥協?

Also, think about what you want to accomplish in college. Do you want to train for a specific job or get a wide-ranging education? Ask yourself "What do I want to go to college for?" If you have a major in mind, are the colleges you're considering strong in that area?
此外,請思考自己在大學想達成什麼。你想要的是特定工作的教育訓練,還是想要多元的學習?反問自己並思考「我讀大學的目標是什麼?」如果心中已有預定的主修科目,這些領域是你志願學校的強項嗎?

Keep an Open Mind When Choosing Schools.
選學校時保持開放態度

Although it's good to have some ideas about what sorts of colleges could be right for you, stay open to all the possibilities as you begin your search. Here are some ways to keep an open mind when deciding where to go to college.
雖說心目中有認定適合自己的大學是件好事,在開始搜尋學校的時候仍然應該保持開放的態度。請把握以下原則,在決定就讀的大學時,保持開放態度。

Challenge your assumptions about what will work for you. Luis Martínez-Fernández, a history professor at the University of Central Florida, notes, "You may not think you're able to thrive in a large institution because you come from a small high school, but you may actually do better in that type of setting.”
挑戰自己的假設。舉例來說,中央佛羅里達大學歷史系教授 Luis Martinez-Fernandez 表示:「你可能因為自己來自小型的高中,而認為自己無法在大型學校表現,不過…你其實可能在這樣的環境能表現得更傑出。」

Talk to people who know you well. Tell parents, teachers, relatives, family friends, and your school counselor about your goals. Ask them if they can suggest schools that may be a great fit for you.
與了解你的人對談。把自己的目標告訴家長、老師、親友、學校輔導老師,問問他們是否能建議適合你的大學。

Don’t limit your search. At the start of this process, you might rule out some colleges because you think they’re too expensive or too hard to get into, but this may not be true. Remember that financial aid can make college more affordable, and keep in mind that colleges look at more than just grades and test scores.
搜尋不要侷限。一開始搜尋的時候,你可能就會排除你認為費用太昂貴或太難申請成功的大學,不過這可能不符現實。請記得,大學學費可以透過財務協助降低負擔,而成績與分數也只不過是校方考量的一環而已。

Do Your Homework to Discover the Right College.
做足準備工作去發掘合適的大學

Once you have a list of schools, it's time to do research. To learn more about the colleges you're considering, check out college guidebooks and the colleges' websites. Jot down your questions, and get answers by:
準備好你的志願清單後,就可以開始著手研究。了解你正在考慮的學校,找出校園導覽手冊和網頁,列出你的疑問,並用以下方式找到答案:

  • Talking to your school counselor or teachers.
    跟學校輔導老師或教師談話
  • Checking out colleges’ student blogs, if available.
    如果有學生論壇或部落格不妨參考
  • Contacting college admissions officials.
    與大學入學申請單位聯絡
  • Asking admissions officials to recommend current students or recent graduates to talk to.
    詢問申請單位是否能推薦在學學生或應屆畢業生供諮詢
  • Visiting college campuses, if possible. For more information, see the Campus Visit Checklist.
    可以的話,親自走訪大學校園 (更多詳情請見校園參訪清單 Campus Visit Checklist.)

Keep Perspective During College Selection.
選擇大學的過程中保持觀點

During your search, keep asking yourself questions about your preferences and goals. You continue to evolve throughout high school. Your answers to "What college fits me?" may change during the search process.
在搜尋過程中,不斷自問你的喜好和目標。你在高中就學過程中歷經許多成長與發展,而同樣地你對尋找「什麼樣類型的大學適合我?」的答案過程中,也可能會改變心意。

Remember that there are many good college matches for every student, and you can be successful at many types of schools. At College Board, we introduce test scores as one additional factor to weigh as you balance your list. Think about grouping your colleges into three categories:
請記住,每一位學生都會有許多適合的學校,而你也可以在很多不同類型的學校裡表現優異。College Board 導入考試成績供你當作參考變因,讓你可以在志願清單中權衡考量。接下來請思考如何把志願清單縮小到以下三種類型:

  • Safeties: Your SAT or ACT score is higher than the average score range of last year’s first-year class.
    安全型:你的 SAT 或 ACT 分數比去年入學大一生的平均分數高。
  • Matches: Your SAT or ACT score is solidly in the same score range as last year’s first-year class.
    達標型:你的 SAT 或 ACT 分數確實落在去年入學大一生的平均分數之一定範圍內。
  • Reaches: Your SAT or ACT score is lower than the average score range of last year’s first-year class.
    高標型:你的 SAT 或 ACT 分數比去年入學大一生的平均分數低。

To find this information, explore the BigFuture College Profile of every school you're interested in attending. You can view admissions data for easy comparison with your scores and high school GPA. There's also information about topics such as academics and tuition costs.
請到BigFuture 大學簡介搜尋並瀏覽你感興趣的學校以得到更多資訊。你可以查看錄取數據,以便與你的分數和高中 GPA 進行比較。此外,還有一些關於學術和學費等主題的資訊。

To have a balanced college list and increase your chances of acceptance, we recommend including three reach colleges, two matches, and one safety college.
要把清單做全盤權衡考量、讓申請成功的機會增加,我們推薦你可以在清單裡包含 3 個高標型、 2 個達標型以及一個安全型。

How to Decide What College to Go to
如何決定去哪所大學

There's no easy answer to the question "What college should I go to?"
要找到「我應該去哪所大學?」這個問題的答案不是那麼容易的。

Everyone's aspirations are unique. There's a good chance you'll find several good match schools that check off every box. Consider what factors are most important to you. Keep an open mind, explore all opportunities, and send in several applications to keep your options open.
每個人的志向都是獨一無二的。 你很有可能會找到幾所匹配的學校,它們會符合你的期望。考慮哪些因素對你最重要,保持開放的心態,仔細研究所有可能的機會,並送出多份申請,為自己保留選擇的空間。

There's no shortage of excellent schools to prepare you for your future. Learn more about them at BigFuture. Narrow your options and find the perfect match.
在這世界上不乏優秀的學校,為你的未來做好準備。到BigFuture網站上可了解更多相關資訊,縮小你的選擇範圍並找到完美匹配的學校。

 

Original source 原文出處: 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/find-your-dream-college/choose-a-college/how-to-find-a-college-that-fits-you


If you would like to discuss college options further, please make an appointment with our college counselor Ms. Rosalyn Shih ( collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw) to find out more.


如果VIS同學們想進一步討論如何選擇海外的大學,請與VIS的升學顧問 Miss Rosalyn Shih ( collegecounseling@vis.tp.edu.tw ) 預約晤談以了解更多資訊。