EDUCATION REPORT - Foreign Student Series 2 >First Steps

EDUCATION REPORT- September 26, 2002: Foreign Student Series #2 >First Steps

By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast:

This is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

This week, we start a series of reports about how people from foreign countries can attend a college or university
in the United States. Copies of these reports can be found on the Special English Web site at w-w-w dot voa
specialenglish dot com.

Experts say you must plan early if you want to study in the United States. They say to begin at least two years
before you want to start your studies.

The first step is to visit an American educational advising center. There are more than four-hundred such offices
around the world. You can find the one closest to your home by using a computer. Go to this Education Report
on the Special English Web site and click on the link to the State Department Education Foreign Student Web
page.

Or ask the Public Affairs Office at the United States Embassy¹ in your country to tell you where the nearest
American educational advising center is. Educational advising centers have information about American colleges.
They have computers so you can do a search to find the best school for you.

Colleges and universities in the United States offer different kinds of degrees that require one or more years of
study. For example, some schools offer certificate² programs. These programs offer one year of training in
subjects like office work, computer programming or car repair.

You may also choose a two-year junior college or community college. Such programs lead to an associate degree.
For example, some two-year programs prepare students for skilled³ jobs in electronics⁴. Studying at a community
college costs much less than at a four-year college. Many colleges and universities accept community college
work as the first two years toward⁵ a four-year bachelor’s degree. To get a bachelor’s degree, you study
general subjects like English, history, mathematics, and science during the first two years. During the last two
years you take classes in your major area of study.

If you already have a college degree, you may want to get an advanced degree at an American graduate school. A
master’s degree usually takes two or three more years of full-time⁶ study in one subject. You must attend
graduate school if you want to be a college professor, medical doctor or lawyer. These special degree programs
require between three and six years of additional⁷ study.

This VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT was written by Nancy Steinbach.

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1 embassy   

n.大使馆，大使及其随员

参考例句：

• Large crowd demonstrated outside the British Embassy.很多群众在英国大使馆外面示威。
• He's a U.S. diplomat assigned to the embassy in London.他是美国驻伦敦大使馆的一名外交官。

2 certificate   

n.证书，证明书；vt.发给证明书，认可，鉴定

参考例句：

• She proudly displayed her degree certificate to her parents.她自豪地向父母展示了学位证书。
• No one had seen her marriage certificate.没人看到过她的结婚证书。

3 skilled   

adj.(in)熟练的，有技能的；需要技能的

参考例句：

• Unskilled workers usually earn less money than skilled workers.无技能的工人通常比有技能的工人挣钱少。
• She was skilled enough in French to translate a novel.她法语娴熟，足以翻译小说。

4 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。

5 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

6 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

7 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。