做好人生的重要选择：8条建议教你选择适合你的大学

If you only pay attention to the headlines, you might start to believe that no one is getting in anywhere! The truth is that the majority of the colleges and universities in this country admit more students than they reject.
如果你只关注新闻标题，你可能就会认为每个人都要无处可去了！事实上，大多数院校录取的学生要比拒收的学生多。

If you're worried about your chances of getting admitted — and you're willing to investigate beyond the very narrow band of highly selective colleges — you'll find that you have many options that will lead to a great fit for you.
如果你担心自己的入学（你愿意去调查的知名院校，虽然希望渺茫），你会发现你有很多让你受益匪浅的选择。

Be informed about your academic profile and compare it to the profile of the most recently admitted and enrolled class for the colleges you are investigating.
了解掌握自己的成绩，与你在研究的大学最近入学注册的大多数学生们做个比较。

Check the college admission Web site for this information and contact them if you can’t find it. Ask your high-school counselor for additional advice and guidance as it applies to your school.
登录大学招生网站找一找这方面的信息，如果你找不到它们的话，联系校方。在申请学校时，问问高中指导员寻求其他建议和指导。

6. You can afford to go to college.
你可以供自己上大学。

If you make the assumption that you cannot afford college based on the sticker price of tuition, you will miss out. It is difficult to talk about money, but if you investigate all the options and ask for help and advice, you will find affordable choices.
因为学费，你就做出自己上不了大学的假设，那你就会错过上大学的机会。谈钱就会触到难处，但如果你对所有的可能都做了调查，然后寻求帮助和建议，你会找到上大学的机会。

Online resources, as well as financial aid workshops sponsored by high schools in local communities, are widely available to get you started. College and university financial aid Web sites offer useful information and links as well. Investigate early and ask for help.
在线资源和当地社区高中赞助的经济援助，都将助你起步。院校的经济援助网站也提供了有用的信息和链接。早日调查，寻求帮助。

7. You don’t have to go to college right away, and it’s never too late.
你不必现在就去上大学，它永远不会迟。

There is no such thing as the perfect time to start college. Some students benefit from a year off to work, study or travel, and these experiences allow them to be better, more engaged students.
没有种说法说上大学有一个最好的时间。有些学生在工作、学习或旅游完一年后才受益大学教育，这段时间的经历让他们成为更杰出、参与度更高的学生。

Some students choose to apply to college and gain admission and then defer their entrance, while others wait to apply until after they have had an alternative experience.
有些学生申请读大学，获得入学资格，然后他们延迟了入学时间。而另一些人则会在他们有了一段经历后才提交大学入学申请。

Either way, admissions officers will be anxious to learn about your experience during your time off, and they'll ask you to write about it as part of your admissions process.
不管哪一种，招生办工作人员都在期待你休学时的经历，他们会要求你把它写下来作为你入学材料的一部分。

High-school and college admission counselors can provide resources for investigating alternatives that may be right for you. You could apply for an internship, study abroad, or participate in a community service project.
高中的和大学的入学顾问可以为你提供调查适合你的其它院校的资源。你可以申请实习、海外留学，或是参与到社区服务项目里去。

8. The most important factor in choosing a college is fit.
选大学时一个最重要的因素是要适合。

Choosing a college because your friends are going there or because of where it ranks on a list does not take into account who you are and who you will become. College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Finding a good fit requires time and thoughtfulness.
因为你的朋友去那里上大学或是因为这所大学的排名靠前就选了这所学校，这样做没有考虑到两个方面：你是什么样的人，和你将来要成为怎么样的人。上大学像是做配对，而不是赢大奖。找到一所适合的大学需要时间和深思。

Visiting college Web sites and learning about what events take place, who visits as guest speakers, and how to get in touch with current students and faculty is a good way to supplement a campus visit — or to decide if you want to spend the time and money on a visit.
登录学院网站了解发生了什么事，有哪些人作为访问学者到过学校，如何与在校学生和老师取得联系是校园参观以外的另一种好方式，或者是决定你是否要花时间和金钱去学校参观一番的好方法。

Check a school's Web site to find the admissions officer assigned to your region of the country. Send them an e-mail to ask about getting in touch with students from your area or identifying a few with interests similar to yours.
登录学校网站，找到分管你所在区域的招生办。给他们发送一封邮件以便联系到与你来自同一地方的学生，或是几个和你兴趣相投的学生。

When you visit, try to build in time to sit in on classes, eat in the dining hall and hang around in the student center or other high-traffic areas. That will help you imagine yourself as part of the community.
当你参观学校的时候，尽量让自己有时间进教室坐一坐，在餐厅吃吃饭，在学生活动中心或其它人群聚集的地方走一走。这样你能把自己想象成是校园里的一员。

Talk to a few students and ask if they would make the same college choice if they had to do it again. Go back to the first item in this list as you consider the information you’ve collected about the colleges. You will have great options!
和一些学生聊一聊，问问他们，如果再有一次选大学的机会，他们还会选择同样的大学吗？当你认为自己收集到了关于这所大学的信息，回到这张列表的第一项。你会做出很好的选择！