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/college-basics/types-of-colleges/understand-college-campus-student-body-size

 

Understand College Campus and Student Body Size

搶先了解海外大學規模，留學申請更有概念

How the Size of a College Impacts Your Experience
大學規模不同、學習經驗也會不同

 

College is often the first time students like you are away from home and living on their own. You’ll meet people from countless cultures, different backgrounds, and every age group. And with just a little bit of openness, you can make lifelong friendships.
很多人上大學都跟你一樣，是人生第一次離開家裡、獨立生活。你會遇到來自不同文化、背景、年齡的同學、師長。保持開放的態度，可以交到一輩子的朋友。
 

A key factor in your college experience could be the size of the student body, as well as the campus size. These factors directly impact everything from the social scene to available programs and even the people you meet.
影響大學學習的關鍵因素之一，是學生人數、或說是校園規模。這會直接影響各種層面，不管是社交環境、課程規劃、甚至是你每天遇到的人。

Large universities may have a wide variety of programs and activities to participate in, but at a smaller institution you’ll benefit from the more intimate experience of a tight-knit community. You can also take advantage of more advisory support. Carefully consider which option might be best for you.
大型的學校可能有比較多的課程和活動可以選擇，而較小的校園，社群互動相對比較密切，可以獲得的導生資源比較充裕。要選哪種比較適合你，建議要仔細考量。

 

How Many Sizes Do Colleges Come In?
大學的各種規模

 

Colleges in the U.S. range from 5,000 to 15,000 enrolled students. Moreover, some institutions have just a few hundred students while others have more than 60,000. The average college size is 6,354 students, according to a 2020 survey by the U.S. News & World Report. Let’s take a look at how population size varies across different types of schools.
美國大學的學生人數從 5000 人到 15000 不等。在這範圍之外，也有部分的學校只有幾百名學生、有些甚至超過 60000 人。根據 《美國新聞與世界報導》2020 年的資料，平均單校人數是 6354 人。不同類型的學校，會招收的學生名額各有不同。

How Big Are Universities?

大學(University) 是什麼樣的規模？

 

Though the terms “university” and “college” are used interchangeably in the U.S. (and in this article), a university technically refers to a larger institution that offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. You’ll often see individual departments within a university referred to as colleges, such as the “College of Education.”
在美國，university 和 college 是混用的。若精確地來說，university 的機構規模較大，提供大學和研究所課程。university 裡個別的學院有時候稱作 colleges，像是教育學院就是 College of Education。
 

As such, a university is usually larger than a college that focuses on a few areas. For both universities and colleges, a population size is considered small when it has under 5,000 students and large when it has over 15,000 students.
因此 university 的規模通常是專精在少數領域的 college 要大，學生人數如果在 5000 人以下都算是小型大學，而 15000 人以上則是大型大學。
 

Are Private Schools Smaller Than Public Schools?
私立大學比公立大學小嗎？

 

Because private colleges or universities tend to have more focused curricula and higher tuition costs, they're usually smaller than public schools. Public universities and colleges receive government funding, offer more programs, and have a larger student population.
私立學校學程較專門、學費也較貴，所以通常比公立大學小。公立大學和學院有政府預算的挹注，課程種類較多，學生人數也較多。

Do State Schools Have Larger Student Populations?
州立大學學生人數較多嗎？

 

Although the student population varies from school to school, public state colleges have larger student populations than their private counterparts. Of the top 10 colleges that enrolled the most undergraduates in 2020, only one was a private institution.

雖然說學生人數各校都不一樣，公立的州立大學一般來說學生人數都比私校多，2020 年大學招生人數最多的前十所學校，只有一所私立學校。

 

How Does College Size Relate to Class Size?

學校人數和課堂人數有關係嗎？

 

The sizes of your classes in college will have a significant effect on your overall learning experience and social life. If you're attending a large university, you can expect to have some classes in lecture halls, sometimes with well over 100 students. Think about the type of environment you prefer to learn in. Consider how college size might impact that. If you prefer smaller classes, a small college is right for you. Learn more about campus size by reviewing each college profile on BigFuture.
大學裡的課堂人數對於你的整體學習感受和社交生活有極大的影響。如果你唸的是大型大學，不免就會有幾堂課是在大型講堂進行，單堂修課人數有時會超過百人。請好好考量，你自己比較喜歡的學習環境是哪種，學校規模對你的影響是什麼。如果你還是偏好小型課堂，小型的大學可能還是比較適合你。可以到 BigFuture 網站瀏覽各個大學的資料，了解每個大學的校園規模。

 

Regardless of the college you attend, your classes will be larger in your first few semesters. Class sizes shrink as you move into higher-level, major-specific courses.

不管你選擇要唸哪所大學，在前面幾個學期的課堂人數通常人數都比較多，隨著你升上高年級，課堂規模會因為難度提升、專注在主修課程上，人數隨之降低。

 

Class Size Can Be Misleading.

課程規模不代表一切

 

Trying to quantify the average college class size can be misleading. In truth, no matter what the size of your college is, you’ll have a wide range of classes sizes during your college career. The “average class size in college” is simply a median of all classes across different programs. The average class size you’ll personally experience probably won’t reflect this median. Even students within the same major can take the same classes and still experience a noticeable difference in size. Say, for example, that a student takes classes for their major later in the afternoon or evening because of a daytime job. They’ll have fewer students in their class because more of their peers will attend during the day.

把大學課堂人數量化其實沒有意義，事實上不管你要上的大學規模如何，都會有各種不同的課堂人數。「平均課堂人數」其實是不同學程所有課程人數的中位數，你個人在修課的時候會發現不見得完全符合這個人數。就算是同一門主修、修了一樣的課程，人數上還是也會有差異。例如，下午的主修課跟傍晚的主修課，會修課的學生是因為有些人白天有工作，而白天課程則相對來說有比較多學生上課。

 

The larger the population of your school, the larger your class sizes will be. The benefits of small class size in college are more hands-on learning, a stronger relationship with your professors, and the opportunity to stand out.

整體來說，學校總人數多，課堂規模可能也較大。相對來說，學院裡的小型課堂也有其好處，一般來說實作機會高、跟教授的關係較密切、也更容易表現突出。

 

How Does the Size of College Impact the Social Climate on Campus?

學校規模大小跟校園裡的社交生活有何關係？

 

A big campus often means a big social life. Large universities will be teeming with activities during the semester. From Greek life to sporting events, there won’t be a dull moment.

大型校園有較多大型的社交活動，學期中有很多大規模活動、參與人數都很可觀。各種兄弟會、姊妹會、運動賽事等等，活動密集、幾乎不停歇。

 

Want to take up indoor cycling in your spare time? Trying to find a club that celebrates your cultural heritage? A large campus has a larger selection of activities to choose from, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a community at a small institution.

空閒之餘想要上個飛輪課？想找個讚揚你文化背景的相關社團？大型的校園有各種你可以選擇的活動，不過小的學校也不見得就找不到你可以有歸屬感的群體。

 

Because smaller colleges have fewer students, you may find that classmates are closer to one another and have a stronger sense of community. Campus activities can often overlap, and you may see the same faces. Regardless of whether you attend a large or small institution, you’ll find ways to build community through shared interests or common majors.
因為小型的學校，學生人數少，同學之間感情較好，社群之間較緊密，學校活動或有重疊，看到的都是熟面孔。但是，不管你要上的大學規模大或小，你都可以從興趣、共同主修找到你所屬的群體。

 

How Does the Student Population Affect Your Social Life?

學生人數對你的社交生活有什麼影響？

 

Social life at school is all about what you make of it regardless of population size. Think about the ways you make friends and engage with others. Consider whether a small school or large school could be a better fit for you. Maybe you like to participate in a dozen different clubs and activities to find friends. Perhaps you prefer being part of smaller campus with more opportunities to stand out among your peers. Regardless of campus size, you’ll have the opportunity to build deep friendships and explore various activities. But keep this in mind when making your choice: Campus size can inform your overall college experience.
校園裡的社交生活，與學校規模無關，而是看你自己怎麼經營。當選擇校園規模時，選擇適合你的校園，或許你想參加很多社團活動、多交朋友，或是想要在校園較小的環境裡，比較容易脫穎而出。不管校園多大，你都有機會交到好朋友、探索各式活動，只要記得校園規模會影響的只是整體經驗。

 

Does the Size of a College Determine the Activities Offered?

學校規模跟校園活動的關係

 

You’ll often see a seemingly infinite number of activities offered at colleges, and some of this is because of the large size of the campus. However, smaller institutions can have more freedom of choice. Students have autonomy. They’re able to create clubs and activities that interest them.

大型校園的活動可以說是不計其數，但是小型校園自由度較高、學生自主性強，可以自己成立社團、辦自己想辦的活動。

 

Do Larger Schools Offer More Intramural Sports?

大型校園會有更多校內運動賽事？

 

Most colleges will have intramural sports, but a larger school means more sports to choose from and more events. If you’re enthusiastic about playing sports recreationally and you want to make friends through sports in college, then the population size is definitely something to consider. It’s a good idea to check with the institutions you are applying to see if there’s a particular club or activity you hope to participate in.
大部分的大學都有校內運動，大型學校相對來說比較多選擇、活動賽事也較頻繁。如果你有熱愛的休閒運動，也想透過這些運動來交朋友，那就得把學校規模列入考量了。申請海外大學前，可以向學校詢問、調查有沒有你想參加的相關運動社團。

 

Do Smaller Schools Offer More or Fewer Clubs Than Larger Colleges?

小型學校的社團到底較多還是較少？

 

Smaller schools will usually offer fewer clubs than larger schools, but that doesn’t mean you can’t participate in things that interest you if you attend a small college. If you can find enough students who share your hobbies and passions, start your own club.
小型校園的社團通常較少，不過你還是有機會可以參加感興趣的活動。只要湊齊志同道合的朋友，大家就可以自創社團。

 

Finding the Right College

找到適合的大學學院

 

When choosing the college that’s right for you, population size matters. It’s important to consider what type of environment and location you’ll be happiest in. The number of students will shape the way you make friends, learn in class, and get involved in activities. Use the BigFuture college search feature to make sure the size of your chosen school lines up with your goals and aspirations, or learn more with Sizing Up Colleges: Big vs Small.
要找到適合自己的大學、學生人數是重要考量。想想自己在哪種環境和地點會最開心。學生人數會形塑你的交友、課堂學習、活動參與方式。請利用 BigFuture 的校園搜尋功能，找到貼合你目標的校園規模，也可進一步閱讀其他關於校園規模的文章：Sizing Up Colleges: Big vs Small。

 

Note 備註：

Please note that this information about college campuses and student body size, especially with regard to public and private schools is true for the United States, but it might vary from country to country.

以上有關大學校園和學生人數的資訊，特別是關於公立和私立學校的差異主要適用於美國地區，其他國家/地區可能略有不同。

 

Original source 原文出處:  

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/college-basics/types-of-colleges/understand-college-campus-student-body-size

 

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。