2006年VOA标准英语-U.S. College Admissions: all pain, no gain

By Crystal Park
Washington, D.C.
03 May 2006
 
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The U.S. Census¹ Bureau says a college graduate will earn almost twice as much money as a high school graduate during a career. That has led to increased competition to get into traditionally prestigious² colleges and universities. VOA's Crystal Park takes a look at the college application process.

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There are more than 2,600 four-year universities in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But even with that range of choice, large numbers of high school students are applying to the same select group of prestigious colleges.

High school senior Bhavna Batra works at an accounting³ firm three times a week, but not for money. She's participating in an internship⁴ program for class credit and experience, which she hopes will win the attention of some colleges. 

 
Bhavna Batra 
  
Today, any edge is important for those hoping to be accepted by a prestigious school.  Yale University, a member of the select group of universities known as the Ivy⁵ League, set a record this year, by accepting fewer than nine percent of those who applied⁶.

Part of the problem is that there are more college age students in the United states than ever -- the population is growing, and the children of the large post-World War II "Baby Boomer" generation are now in high school and college. Acceptance rates are also lower because students are applying to more elite⁷ schools -- apparently⁸ in the hopes of getting into at least one.

 
Sharon Alston
  
Sharon Alston is the director of admissions at American University in Washington D.C.  "There are just simply more students of college going age, so it's really a demographic pattern that we're seeing. In addition to that, in this age of technology, we're also seeing more students, and then more students applying to more colleges because it's very easy to do that."

Students can now apply online instead of filling out pages of documents by hand. A few years ago, each student applied to 3 to 5 schools on average. Today that number is much higher says college freshman⁹ Brian Kalish, who now leads campus tours for prospective¹⁰ students.  "Most kids apply to around 5 to 7 colleges, but some of my friends went as high as 18 different colleges."

These days many students begin preparing as much as three years before admission time -- picking courses, getting involved in school activities, and studying for admissions tests. 

Fran Landau   
  
At Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, a career center has been set up to help students prepare for college. Counselor¹¹ Fran Landau says she's seeing increased pressure on everyone involved in the process.  "I'm finding that students are more stressed out and worried about college than they have ever been before and I think they're feeling an increased competition and colleges are feeling an excess number of students who are applying more so than ever before."

Students are forced to meet higher standards. For Bhavna, it can be overwhelming. "It's been very stressful only because there's so much you have to do. It's like deadlines, essays, teacher recommendations, test scores. There's so much."

And Brian Kalish says, getting the letter with the coveted¹² word "Congratulations" makes it all worthwhile. “This school sent me an e-mail and I screamed so loud that my parents came running. One from downstairs. 'Brian! What happened?' they asked.  ‘I made American!’ Then I fell onto my bed and almost collapsed¹³."

Educators say students should relax. They say a good education is available at many schools in the United States, which is considered to have the finest higher education system. And they say the most important thing is for students to find a school where they feel comfortable. 

Try telling that to the guys who applied to 18 schools.

1 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

2 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

3 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

4 internship   

n.实习医师，实习医师期

参考例句：

• an internship at a television station 在电视台的实习期
• a summer internship with a small stipend 薪水微薄的暑期实习

5 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 freshman   

n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女)

参考例句：

• Jack decided to live in during his freshman year at college.杰克决定大一时住校。
• He is a freshman in the show business.他在演艺界是一名新手。

10 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

11 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

12 coveted   

adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图

参考例句：

• He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。
• Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。