當考慮要申請美國的哪一所學校時，首先你要考慮選擇一些你最喜歡的學院。要記得在美國“學院（collge）”如“大學（university）”一樣有實力并有著很高排名。而事實上，許多學院是強于大學的。所以不要讓“學院”或“大學”的字面意義左右你的選擇。
　　When thinking of where you are going to apply to colleges in America, think first of choosing many favorite colleges. Remember that an American “college” is as strong and high ranking as a “university” in the USA.  In fact, many colleges are stronger than universities, so don’t let the word “college” or “university” make a difference in your choices.

　　一定要明白除非學校已選擇你，否則你是無法選擇學校的。在高三的10月和11月，你建立了一份可選擇的選項列表，它們將在4月揭曉。你必須在得到offer的學校中而不是在已申請的學校中做出選擇。考慮申請哪所學校意味著申請一系列的學校，而非僅僅考慮你所聽說過的學校。

　　You also must understand that you cannot choose your college until the college has chosen you.  In October and November of Senior 3, you are establishing options for the choices you will hear about in April. You must choose where you are going from where you get in, not from where you applied. Thinking about where you are going to apply also means applying to a range of schools, not just the few that you have heard of.

　　具體情況是怎么樣的？到了即將申請的時候，如何了解更多的美國院校而列出最后的清單呢？如何找到最適合自己的院校呢？許多事項需要考慮：選擇規(guī)模大的還是小的，職業(yè)培訓學院還是文理學院，傳統(tǒng)的還是開放的，私立還是公立的，在東部還是西部。

　　What’s Out There? How can you learn about more of America’s colleges for your final list where you will apply? How do you find the best match—the best college for you?  Big or small, preprofessional or liberal arts, conservative or liberal, private or public, East or West—there are many things to consider.

　　想要做出一份好的清單，了解具體情況是十分重要的。那意味著要從多種途徑收集信息。大家很容易輕信別人：“有人說科羅拉多大學規(guī)模太小了，有人說伯克利大學規(guī)模太大，有人說萊斯大學天氣太熱，還有人說卡爾頓大學天氣太冷“。蘿卜白菜各有所愛，沒有一所學校能令所有人滿意，哪怕是它來自常春藤。

　　Checking out what’s out there is essential for making a good college list.  That means collecting  information from many sources.  It’s easy to believe what others say, “Someone told me that Colorado College is too small, someone told me that Berkley is too big, someone told me that Rice is too hot, that Carleton is too cold, someone told me.” Every college has something for someone. Every college is wonderful for someone.There is no college that is wonderful for everyone. Not even Ivy!

　　那些聽過名字的學校不一定適合于你，而那些沒有聽過名字的也不代表你不會喜歡那里。要了解自己，許多學校會帶給你快樂的生活。那意味著找到與你實力相當?shù)耐瑢W并有你需要和想要的教育水平的學校。那里應該人才輩出并有著優(yōu)美的校園環(huán)境。

　　Just because you have heard the name of a college does not mean it will be a good place for you. Just because you have not heard the name of a college does not mean that you will not like it. Knowing you as you know yourself, there are many colleges where you will be happy. That means fitting in with the other students, finding the level of education you need and want, being productive, and feeling good on campus.

　　仔細研究旨在找到一些理想的學校。當然在你心中對一些院校已有所偏好，但做些研究會為你帶來更多的可能性和選擇性。一個研究學校的快捷方式便是使用電腦來個虛擬的游覽。如果想找留學生招生專員，直接給招生專員發(fā)郵件便可。不要道聽途說，自己查出事實。留學生招生專員會告訴你所有實情。

　　Researching the colleges means finding several colleges where you really want to go.  Of course you will want to go to some colleges more than others, but your research will open your eyes to new possibilities and options.  One quick way to research the colleges is to take a virtual tour of the college on your computer.   If you look for the international admissions officer on the site, email directly to that person in admissions.  Don’t depend upon what others tell you is best.  Check out the facts from the source, the international admissions officer knows the true story.

　　這里提供兩個可以查找學校的網(wǎng)址，你可以在這兩個網(wǎng)站上找到上百所學校的信息。如果找到看上去頗適合自己的學校，就去找到他們的官網(wǎng)了解更多詳情。首先找到20所可以繼續(xù)了解的學校，然后決定最后的10所來申請。這里為網(wǎng)上查找學校信息提出3條建議：查找以下3所也許沒聽說過但很了不起的學校以便了解不熟悉的地方：美國大學，巴德學院以及科羅拉多礦業(yè)大學

　　Here are two good college tour Websites to get you started.  Check out the hundreds of colleges on these two Websites.  When you find one that sounds like a place you would like to be, check out their Website and learn more.  On your first look, choose 20 colleges to learn more about from other resources, and then choose ten for your final list of applications. Here are three suggestions to get started on your Internet college tours.   In order to learn about places that you don’t know, check out these three terrific colleges that you　may not have heard of:  American University, Bard College, and Colorado School of Mines.  Here are the best Websites to take your first college tours on your own computer:

最好的網(wǎng)上查找學校的網(wǎng)站

　　1. www.campustours.com

　　2. www.youniversitytv.com                                 

　  may not have heard of:  American University, Bard College, and Colorado School of Mines.  Here are the best Websites to take your first college tours on your own computer:

　　1. www.campustours.com   

　　2. www.youniversitytv.com