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Valerie Strauss is an education writer who authors The Answer Sheet blog. She came to The Washington Post as an assistant foreign editor for Asia in 1987.
Valerie Strauss是一名教育作家，也是Answer Sheet博客的作者。1987年，她来到《华盛顿邮报》，担任亚洲地区的外国助理编辑，之后担任周末国外版编辑。
Colleges and universities today flood the mailboxes of high school students with materials about their offerings — and some students take that as a message that the school has identified them as someone who they want to admit. That’s entirely wrong, but it’s just one thing that schools say or do that students misunderstand.
如今，高校的邮箱里塞满了高中生的入学材料，一些学生认为这是学校认定他们是自己想要录取的人的信号。这是完全错误的，但这仅仅是学校说或做的让学生误解的其中一件事。
In this post, two college admissions experts detail specific areas of disconnect between what schools say and students take in. In some cases, the gaps are huge. This was written by Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at the Derryfield School, an independent day school in Manchester, N.H.; and Rick Clark, director of undergraduate admission at Georgia Tech, a public research university in Atlanta.
在这篇文章中，两位大学招生专家详细阐述了学校所说与学生所理解之间存在的脱节。在某些情况下，差距很大。这是由在新罕布什尔州的曼彻斯特的一家独立日校the Derryfield School的大学咨询主任Brennan Barnard和亚特兰大一所公共研究大学 Georgia Tech的本科招生主任Rick Clark撰写的。
They say they approach their jobs as educators and fathers of young children who seek to bring sanity and meaning to the college admission experience.
他们说，作为教育工作者和孩子的父亲，他们的工作是为了给大学入学体验带来理智和意义。
By Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark
作者：Brennan Barnard和Rick Clark
Any parent knows the powerful phenomenon of selective hearing. We say, “You can watch television after you clean your room,” and our children hear, “You can watch television.” The “kid filter” effectively gathers the information that they want to hear and disregards what in parents’ eyes is the intent of the message.
任何父母都知道选择性听力的强大现象。我们说，“你打扫完房间后可以看电视，” 而我们的孩子听到却是，“你可以看电视。” “孩子过滤器”有效地收集了他们想要听到的信息，而无视父母眼中信息的意图。
It seems that discussions surrounding college admission elicit a similar filter for young people and their families.
似乎围绕大学入学的讨论对年轻人及其家庭也产生了类似的过滤作用。
In our combined decades of guiding students through the application experience from both sides of the admission desk, we have watched as the messages we offer get lost in translation. As professionals and educators, we need to be more clear about our communication, and students must also acknowledge their filter and listen more intently and critically.
几十年来，我们一直在指导学生们从招生平台的两边获取申请经验，我们目睹了我们提供的信息在翻译过程中丢失。作为专业人士和教育工作者，我们需要更清楚地了解我们的交流，学生也必须承认他们的过滤，并更认真、更有批判性地倾听。
Here we offer some frequent misinterpretations:
在此，我们提出一些常见的误解:
Colleges say: “Our college has a 10 percent admit rate”
Students hear: “I have a 1 in 10 chance of being accepted”
大学说: “我们学校的录取率是10%。”
学生们理解为: “我有十分之一的机会被录取。”
One in ten seems like good odds, no? If only it were so. Admit rates can be deceptive. Yes the admit rate might be 10 percent, but all applicants are not created equally. After athletes, legacy students and other institutional priorities are accounted for, the actual admit rate for an “unhooked” applicant is much lower.
十分之一的几率似乎不错，不是吗? 要是这样就好了。录取率可能具有欺骗性。没错，录取率可能是10%，但是并不是所有的申请者都是平等的。在对运动员、校友后代和其他学校优先事项进行考虑后， “脱钩”申请者的实际录取率要低得多。
Examine the data more fully. Are there variances by geography or major? Admit rates can vary widely between Early Decision and Regular Decision. Are these numbers published? If not, ask the admission office. You will find that they will normally provide you with that data.
更全面地检查数据。是否有地理或专业的差异? 在ED和RD之间，录取率差别很大。这些数据公布了吗? 如果没有，问问招生办公室。他们通常会向你提供这些数据。
Counselors say: “We recommend you add a few more colleges to your list where it will be likely you will be admitted.”
Students hear: “I am not good enough and my counselor doesn’t believe in me.”
顾问们说: “我们建议你在你的大学清单上再加几所你有可能被录取的学校。”
学生们理解为: “我不够好，我的顾问不相信我。”
A colleague at a high school has a sign hanging in his guidance office that jokingly reads, “College Counseling Office … where dreams go to die.”
一位高中的同事在他的指导办公室挂了一块牌子，上面开玩笑地写着: “大学咨询办公室……梦想会在那里死去。”
Our role as counselors is to help students aspire to greatness, but with a healthy dose of reality. College admission can often feel like a referendum on one’s self worth and a college application list can be a thing of pride or shame for students who feel judged based on the schools to which they are applying.
作为顾问，我们的职责是帮助学生追求最好的，但也要正确地面对现实。大学招生常常让人感觉像是对自我价值的一次全民公投，对于那些觉得自己是根据申请的学校而受到评判的学生来说，大学申请清单可能是一件让他们感到骄傲或羞愧的事情。
It is hard for students not to compare themselves to their peers and when a counselor or parent questions this list, it can be personal, disappointing and deflating. Lists are suggestions. Lists are options. Go talk to a few friends who are now in college. Many of them are not at places they thought they would be when they were juniors or seniors. And yet you’ll find them happy and thriving.
学生们很难不将自己与同龄人进行比较，当顾问或家长质疑这份清单时，它可能是很主观的，令人失望，让人泄气。清单是建议，是选项。去和几个现在上大学的朋友谈谈。他们中的许多人并不在他们高二或高三时想过自己会读的学校。然而，你会发现他们过得很快乐，很富足。
List additions are options, opportunities and choices. This is a good thing.
增补清单是选项、机会和选择。这是一件好事。
Colleges say: “The most competitive applicants will have challenged themselves in a rigorous course program.”
Students hear: “I need to take every AP and honors class at my high school.”
大学说: “最具竞争力的申请者将在严格的课程项目中挑战自己。”
学生们理解为: “我需要参加高中的每一门AP和荣誉课程。”
Selective colleges and universities want to admit students who have earned strong grades in demanding classes.
名校希望招收那些在高要求课程中取得优异成绩的学生。
Contrary to popular belief, admission officers do not simply count Advanced Placement courses, nor is there a magic number of honors or AP or International Baccalaureate courses that will guarantee an acceptance. Students are reviewed within the context of their high school and the offerings available. Increasingly schools have opted to develop their own advanced curriculum in lieu of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.
与人们普遍认为的相反，招生官们并不是简单地根据是否参加高阶课程，或一定数量的荣誉课程、AP课程或国际学士学位课程来保证录取。学生将在他们的高中和现有的课程的背景下接受审查。越来越多的学校选择发展自己的高阶课程，以取代大学先修课程和国际学士学位课程。
Too often students overload their academic schedules to the detriment of extracurricular involvement, sleep, balance and joy. Don’t forget why you are taking these courses. It’s not about “getting in” but rather about “getting ready” so that you have a foundation of knowledge you can build on once you arrive on campus.
学生的课程表往往超负荷，不利于课外活动、睡眠、平衡和快乐。别忘了你为什么选这些课程。这不是“进入”的问题，而是“做好准备”的问题，这样一旦你进入校园，你就有了知识的基础。
Counselors say: “Don’t get caught up in name and reputation. Just find the college that is the best fit.”
Students hear: “There is a school out there that will be perfect.”
顾问们说: “不要被名声所左右。只要找到最合适的大学就行了。”
学生们理解为: “总有一所学校将是完美的。”
“Fit” is a word that the college admission profession tosses around freely to encourage students to look beyond surface reputation and assumptions of quality. Unfortunately, this term can have unintended consequences for many students. It suggests the false postulation that one college will be tailored perfectly to meet every need and hope.
“适合”这个词是大学招生行业随意使用的，目的是鼓励学生超越表面上的声誉和质量的假设。不幸的是，这个词可能会给很多学生带来意想不到的后果。它表明了一种错误的假设，即一所大学将被完美地量身定做，以满足每一种需求和希望。
A college education is not like Cinderella’s glass slipper. Rather than search for the perfect school (it doesn’t exist), instead look for an institution that has the resources, programs, flexibility and culture that will match the college experience you anticipate. Acknowledge the reality of imperfection and be willing to adjust the fit as you engage in campus living and learning.
大学教育不像灰姑娘的水晶鞋。与其去寻找一所完美的学校(它根本不存在)，不如去寻找一所能满足你对大学生活的期望，拥有资源、课程、灵活性和文化的学校。承认现实的不完美，并愿意调整适应你的校园生活和学习。
Colleges say: “Our college reviews applications holistically. Test scores are only one small part of the equation.”
Students hear: “Even though the college’s average SAT score is 1400 and I earned 1100, I still have a chance of being admitted.”
大学说: “我们的大学会全面审查申请。考试分数只是等式的一小部分。”
学生们理解为: “虽然学校的SAT平均分是1400分，而我的成绩是1100分，但我仍然有机会被录取。”
Perhaps you saw the classic cinematic piece “Dumb and Dumber” in which Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) asks hopefully, “What are my chances?” and Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly) responds, “One in a million.” After pausing, he replies with excitement, “So, you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
你可能看过经典电影 “Dumb and Dumber”，其中Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey饰) 满怀希望地问道: “我的机会有多大?” Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly饰) 回答说: “百万分之一。” 停了一会儿，他兴奋地回答: “所以，你是在告诉我还有机会！”
Unless a college is “test optional” or you have some significant hook (talent, background, etc.), a standardized test score below a school’s average for accepted students can be a huge hurdle. Admission presentations, information sessions and marketing materials may suggest that testing does not rule the day, but for the majority of applicants low scores will present a challenge.
除非一所大学是“标化成绩可选”，或者你有某种显著的吸引力(天赋、背景等)，否则，对被录取的学生来说，低于学校平均水平的标化考试分数可能是一个巨大的障碍。入学演讲、信息会议和营销材料可能表明，考试并不能决定一切，但对大多数申请者来说，低分数将构成挑战。
College admission professionals are in the difficult place of balancing access for underserved populations and the anxiety of the “overserved.” An admission officer does not want to discourage a potential applicant, who because of background or resources has low scores. However, the average student from a more privileged environment with ample opportunity is mistaken to think that they have a strong chance of being admitted with scores that fall in the bottom quarter of the class. This is not to say you should not apply, but certainly to temper expectations, especially if your grades, courses, extracurricular involvement and writing are not in the top 10 percent of that college’s applicant pool.
大学招生专业人员在平衡服务不足人群的入学机会和“服务过度”人群的焦虑方面面临困难。“招生官不希望因为申请者的背景或资源分数低而影响他们的积极性。” 然而，那些来自更优越、机会更充裕环境的普通学生错误地认为，他们很有可能以班级倒数四分之一的成绩被录取。这并不是说你不应该申请，但肯定会降低期望值，尤其是如果你的成绩、课程、课外活动和写作不在该大学申请群体的前10%。
Colleges say: “Our college is ranked one of the ten best in the country”
Students hear: “This school must be prestigious. I should want to go there.”
大学说：“我们学院是全国十大名校之一”
学生们理解为：“这所学校一定很有威望。我想去那儿。”
Whether U.S. News and World Report, Niche, Princeton Review or any other of the publications looking to make a buck on college admission angst, you must do your homework before allowing them to tell you what is good for you.
无论是《美国新闻与世界报道》、《利基》、《普林斯顿评论》，还是其他任何希望从大学入学焦虑中获利的出版物，在让他们告诉你什么对你有好处之前，你必须先做好功课。
Highly ranked schools are well-known and well-regarded for a reason. But it is false to believe there is a measurable quality difference between schools 10 spots apart. Your interest in a college should not be directly correlated to their ranking. In fact, most students do not know how rankings are formulated — the methodology. With other things in their lives, they rely and look closely at reviews and ratings by peers, i.e. Yelp, FourSquare, etc. The rankings are essentially the business owner’s review of themselves.
排名靠前的学校之所以出名和受人尊敬，是有原因的。但如果认为排名相差十名的学校之间存在可衡量的质量差异，那就错了。你对大学的兴趣不应该与他们的排名直接相关。事实上，大多数学生不知道排名是如何制定的——方法论。在他们生活的其他事情中，他们依靠并密切关注来自同行(如Yelp、FourSquare等)的评论和评级。这些排名本质上是企业主对自己的评价。
So dig a little deeper. Don’t let a simple number be overly compelling or the extent of your assessment.
所以再深入一点。不要让一个简单的数字过于令人信服或影响你的评估。
Colleges say: “You are invited to apply with our special application.”
Students hear: “I have a good chance of being admitted.”
大学说:“我们邀请你用我们的特殊申请表来申请。”
学生们理解为: “我很有机会被录取。”
“VIP,” “Dean’s Select,” “Priority,” “Pioneer” — colleges have different names for these “fast” or “snap” applications. It goes like this: students receive an email from the admission office encouraging them to apply, often waiving the application fee or streamlining the application by removing required essays. Some solicitations even promise priority consideration for scholarships or housing (but read the fine print). Of course it feels good to be wanted, but these offers can be deceptive, as high school seniors perceive that they are a select few. More often than not they are one of thousands receiving these nudges, while colleges seek to increase application numbers and influence college rankings, as mandated by their Board of Trustees.
“VIP”、“院长精选”、“优先权”、“先锋”——大学对这些“快速”申请有不同的名称。事情是这样的: 学生们从招生办公室收到一封鼓励他们申请的电子邮件，通常会免除申请费，或者无需提供必要的论文来简化申请流程。有些甚至承诺优先考虑奖学金或住房(但请阅读细则)。当然，被人需要的感觉很好，但这些可能是骗人的，因为高中毕业生们认为他们是少数被选中的人。通常情况下，他们是数千名接受这些激励的学生中的一员，而大学则试图按照董事会的要求，增加申请人数，影响大学排名。
Counselors say: “Colleges want students who have demonstrated leadership.”
Students hear: “If I am not president of a club or captain of a team, I am doomed!”
顾问们说: “大学想要那些表现出领导才能的学生。”
学生们理解为: “如果我不是俱乐部的主席或队长，我就完蛋了!”
Leadership takes many forms, the most public of which is a named or elected position that carries specific responsibilities and inherent characteristics. A sports captain will by default be the individual who speaks to the referee in representing his teammates. The secretary general of the Model U.N. club has a defined role that is dictated by the organizational structure.
领导有多种形式，其中最公开的是一个被任命或选举的职位，它具有特定的责任和固有的特点。默认情况下，体育队长是代表队友与裁判说话的那个人。模拟联合国俱乐部的秘书长有一个由组织结构决定的明确角色。
While these are certainly positive ways to show initiative and ability to manage one’s peers, leadership is not limited to high-profile, outgoing, verbal governance. The student who quietly cleans up the bus after his teammates have gone home or the young person who — without fanfare — sticks up for the underdog is equally a leader. Often the acts that do not demand recognition are the best indicators of character and willingness to help build a healthy community.
虽然这些肯定是展示主动性和管理同龄人能力的积极方式，但领导力并不局限于高调、外向、口头的管理。那些在队友回家后安静地清理校车的学生，或者那些为弱势群体挺身而出却不大张旗鼓的年轻人，同样也是领导者。不需要承认的行为往往是品格和意图帮助建立一个健康社区的最佳衡量指标。
Colleges want to see impact and influence. Sometimes that is quantifiable and comes in the form of a title. But readers at selective institutions are savvy and nuanced enough in their evaluation to glean traits and character that may not show up as a line in the yearbook.
大学希望看到影响。有时这是可以量化的，以标题的形式出现。但是，在一些有优秀机构工作的读者在他们的评估中足够精明和细致，能够收集到一些可能不会出现在年鉴中的特征和性格。
Colleges say: “Congratulations! You have been awarded the Dean’s (insert high administrator title here) Scholarship.”
Students hear: “I got a scholarship. I should go there, because they want me.”
大学说: “恭喜你! 你获得了院长奖学金(此处插入高级管理人员头衔)。”
学生们理解为: “我得到了奖学金。我应该去那所学校，因为他们想要我。”
Many schools will discount tuition under the gentle euphemism “scholarship.” This is not to diminish your qualifications or accomplishments, but don’t be overly compelled by a reduction in cost. Sometimes known as “cocktail scholarships” these certainly stroke egos and allow families to boast of the award, but they can also cloud decision-making. Often families will choose the school that provided the “scholarship” over another school who does not match, even if the bottom-line cost is equivalent or even lower at the latter.
许多学校会用委婉的说法“奖学金”来减免学费。这并不是要贬低你的资历或成就，但也不要因为学费的降低而感到过分压力。这些奖学金有时被称为“鸡尾酒奖学金”，它们肯定会冲击你的自尊心，让家庭可以夸耀自己的奖项，但它们也会影响决定。通常情况下，家庭会选择提供“奖学金”的学校，而不是另一所不提供奖学金的学校，即使后者的最低学费相当甚至更低。
Colleges say: “We don’t expect applicants to have a laundry list of resume-building activities, we just want students who have followed their passion.”
Students hear: “I need to find one thing that I really love and have excelled in.”
大学说: “我们不希望申请者为简历而制作一长串的活动清单，我们只想要那些追随自己兴趣的学生。”
学生们理解为: “我需要找到一件我真正喜欢并且擅长的事情。”
“Passion” is another word that has been neutered by college admission and can quickly stifle the most dynamic applicants.
“激情”是另一个被大学招生冲淡的词，它能迅速扼杀最有活力的申请者。
True, colleges are not looking for human “doers,” but rather human “beings.” Admission officers are not simply counting the quantity of extracurricular involvement, but are instead concerned with quality and therefore review candidates for how they engage in their interests. In fact, some schools, such as MIT, have limited the number of activities that a student can list on an application to combat this resume-padding approach to involvement.
诚然，大学不是在寻找人类的“实干家”，而是在寻找“人”。招生官们并不只是仅仅看学生课外活动的数量，他们更关心的是学生的素质，因此他们会根据学生的兴趣对他们进行评估。事实上，一些学校，比如麻省理工学院，已经限制了学生在申请表上所能列出的活动的数量，以反对这种简历填充式的参与方式。
This does not, however, mean that young people must feel pressured to identify a singular pursuit that will define them. Passion can feel so confining and should be a constant process of revelation not a narrow approach to personal growth.
然而，这并不意味着年轻人必须感到有压力，才能找出一种独特的追求来定义他们。激情会让人感觉很受限制，它应该是一个不断揭示的过程，而不是个人成长的狭隘途径。
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