美国名校游学

网络发达的今天，学生们已经可以通过学校的官网了解这所学校的各种信息。然而，学生最终选择哪所学校，不仅应当建立在理性分析优劣势的基础上，还应当关注这所学校的“气质”。网上呈现的信息可能是精心挑选过的。最终就读哪所学校，最好还是亲自到校园里去看一看。大部分学校都欢迎申请者提前来实地参观一番，学生和家长们也日益热衷于这样的活动。

These days, you can pretty much learn everything you need to know about a college online, including what majors a school offers, acceptance rates, tuition rates and on-campus dining options. Choosing a college is as much an emotional decision as it is an intellectual one, however. And while the information you find online can intrigue you, nothing clinches the deal quite like a campus visit.

参观校园的方式可以有很多，不同的学生和家长也会有各自的参观重点。那么，到底哪些内容才是参观校园的明智之选呢？我为大家整理了五部分内容：

There’s no wrong way to visit a campus, but there is definitely a wise way. Here are five things you should do during a campus visit.

1. EXPLORE BEYOND THE CAMPUS TOUR 别只跟着校园导游走

由于不熟悉环境，很多学生和家长会选择在校园导游的引导下进行参观。诚然，听导游讲解校园历史、参观校园风景是了解校园的重要内容。但招生官们建议大家留出一部分自由活动、自行探索的时间。

There’s no question that you should take a guided campus tour. Hearing about the history of the campus and seeing the campus through a student advocate of the school is crucial. But you also need to branch out on your own, according to college admissions expert Allen Grove.

大学招生专家Allen Grove说：“校园导游展现给你们的大都是这所学校的宣传热点。但一所学校最古老和最壮观的建筑并不能代表学校的全貌，专门安排给参观者的宿舍也不能代表一般学生宿舍的正常水平。来参观校园的人们最好看看这些地方之外的校园状况，以便达到更真实的了解。”

“The trained tour guides will show you a school’s selling points,” writes Grove. “But the oldest and prettiest buildings don’t give you the entire picture of a college, nor does the one dorm room that was manicured for visitors. Try to walk the extra mile and get the complete picture of the campus.”

也就是说，学生和家长们应当专门去看看那些学校的非热门区域。

Literally walk the extra mile to check out the lesser-traveled campus spots.

2. TALK WITH CURRENT STUDENTS 与在校生交谈

大学的招生办一般都希望把学校最光鲜的一面展示给外界，弱化那些不太完美的方面。而与在校生交谈，能够让你了解已经就读在此的学生的真实感受。如果你即将就读这所学校，他们的看法对你来说是极具意义的。

People who work in admissions at a college will no doubt highlight the good aspects of school and not go too in-depth on the unfavorable ones. Talking to a current student could give you further insight on all facets of the school and what it’s like to actually be a student there. So approach some students on campus.

Joie Jager-Hyman建议参观者与在校学生讨论以下几个问题：

Here are just a few questions you may want to ask, according to Joie Jager-Hyman in the book “B+ Grades, A+ College Applications”:

你多久跟你的老师/教授谈一次话？

大课最多的时候能有多少人？小班教学最少又能有多少人呢？

如果让你重新选择大学，你觉得你希望当时你早一点知道关于这个学校的什么事情呢？

How often do you talk to your professors or teachers?

How big is your biggest class? How small is your smallest class?

If you could go back in time to your senior year of high school, is there anything you know now about this school that you wish you had know then?

跟你交谈的本校学生中，如果他很乐意跟你聊，那么大概他挺喜欢这个学校的。如果他不那么愿意聊，或者表现出对学校的不满的话，参观者就要谨慎地考察这所学校的真实状况了。

Students who are happy to be students there should talk to you. And “…if they are not [willing to talk to you], that should be a pretty serious warning sign,” according to Macalester College president Brian C. Rosenberg in a New York Times article.

3. EAT ON AND OFF CAMPUS 在校内和学校附近都用餐

吃饭问题对学生来说真的至关重要。参观者最好能够在校内和学校附近的地区都进行用餐。在用餐的同时，请思考这些问题：“这些学生看起来快乐吗？他们压力大吗？对食物满意吗？食物的质量怎么样？营养均衡吗？选择余地大吗？”

Don’t underestimate the role of food in being a student. If you’re not fed well, your studies could suffer. Eat on campus and near campus — at all the places you think you’d eat at as a student. Keep in mind some questions while doing this, according to Grove.

“Do the students seem happy?” Grove writes. “Stressed? Sullen? Also, is the food good? Are there adequate healthy options?”

要求学校食堂的饭菜做到完美诚然有点苛刻，但至少，参观者应该对学校的饭菜质量心里有数。

Don’t expect a top-notch restaurant, but be honest with yourself about the food’s quality.

4. USE THE COLLEGE BOARD’S CAMPUS VISIT CHECKLIST 认真参考校园参观指导手册

校园参观指导手册能够为你的行程提供一个主心骨。如果你忽略了它，可能会错过一些重要的内容。

比如，有些校园参观指导手册上会提示参观者：

Having a checklist when visiting a campus can help you reflect and keep you on track. If you wing it, you may forget to do something important during your campus visit. Here are a few things on the College Board’s checklist:

去招生办公室参加小组信息分享会

去校园周边社区散散步

阅读校报

参观食堂、健身中心、图书馆、就业指导中心、书店以及其他校园基础设施

Take part in a group information session at the admission office.

Walk or drive around the community surrounding the campus.

Read the student newspaper.

Visit the dining hall, fitness center, library, career center, bookstore and other campus facilities.

参观者也可以据此安排自己的专属行程。

Go in with a plan.

5. STAY OVERNIGHT 在学校过夜

参观者最好体验一下这个校园各个时段的风貌，尤其是已经入读的学生们在不同时段的活动规律。最好别白天参观完就直接回宾馆。

You should see the campus in all the times of day, to see how active students are on campus at different times. Don’t just stop by during the day and head to a hotel at night.

在学校里过夜能够极大地加深参观者对校园的了解，并且能够提前体验大学宿舍生活。有时候还能通过这个环节交到新朋友。

Overnight is a great opportunity to get a deeper sense of campus life and interact with your potential future friends and college roommates. This is because it allows you to experience dorm life and in many cases stay with a current student. You could make friends this way.

最后，关于校园参观，每个学生和家长都有自己的考虑。希望大家谨慎地安排校园参观形成，毕竟这涉及到学生在未来几年将要在何种地方度过他人生最重要的阶段。

Of course, no one is grading you on a campus visit. It’s optional. But doing it right could benefit you greatly in your college search.