升学之路：中国高考vs. 美国申请
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老桑说
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压力是palpable（显而易见的）。在不到一个月的时间里，近1000万中国学生将参加高考。作为世界上最难的考试之一，高考决定了许多中国高中毕业生进入大学的命运。
作为考试过程的一部分，学生们需要填写志愿，表明他们想上哪所学校。每一所大学都会明确最低的录取分数线，学生一般会被录取至达到最低分数线的最好的学校。如果他们没有达到任何学校的要求，他们就失去了进入大学的机会。这关系到很多事情。
许多中国家长对参加高考所需要的大量准备感到焦虑。在高中的最后一年，学生们把大部分时间都花在了准备高考上，丧失了运动、享受爱好或追求全方位教育的时间。学校老师和管理人员同样承受着确保学生取得优异成绩的压力。
在我的旅行中，我参观了许多高中，发现中美高中教室的一个主要区别似乎是纸张的数量。在中国，每个学生的书桌上都有成堆的书。我甚至参观了一所学校，那里的一些学生甚至不用椅子，而是坐在一堆书或准备考试的材料和考试模拟题上。
有一次，我去一个中国家庭共进友好晚餐。他们家的儿子正在准备高考。在他床的两边没有茶几，而是成堆的书和备考材料。在一堆书的底部压着一本《乔布斯传》。我认为这传达了一个信息：考试第一，创新第二。
一句中国谚语非常贴切地展现了考试的残酷：“千军万马过独木桥。”
”高考经常被批评为提倡cramming（填）鸭式文化，强迫教育工作者“应试教育”。但也有人说，在中国这样一个人口众多的国家，这是筛选人才最公平的方式。学术评估是一项棘手的工作，关于如何最好地衡量成就和能力，总会有争论。
然而，近年来，许多中国人开始回避高考，有报道称，参加高考的学生人数正在下降。其中一个原因是，许多学生选择了一条不同的道路:出国留学。
中国学生现在正在世界各地上大学，每个国家都有自己的大学录取流程。2017年，60多万中国学生出国深造，其中一半以上赴美留学。其次是日本、澳大利亚、英国和韩国。
在美国的大学里，中国学生构成了最大的国际学生群体，一般约占外国学生总数的三分之一。以天普大学为例，该校4万名学生中有3200多名是国际学生。我们的国际学生中有1500多名来自中国。我们的口号是: #Youarewelcomehere （#我们欢迎你）
选择出国留学的学生不需要参加高考。事实上，在中国读国际高中的学生没有资格参加高考，所以他们必须通过一种不同的程序来申请外国大学。
一些美国大学开始接受高考成绩作为大学录取的标准，但它们通常需要额外的英语能力assessment（评估）分数。
美国没有正式的大学入学考试，也没有政府运作的招生程序。每所大学都有自己的招生流程，学生可以申请任意多所大学。大学将在其网站上公布招生标准，学生可以申请最适合自己的学校。
常见的应用程序
也就是说，有两种考试通常被招生办公室用来评价申请者的素质：SAT(学术能力倾向测试)和ACT(美国大学入学考试)。每一个都由没有政府背景的非营利公司管理。与9小时的高考不同，SAT和ACT考试各为3小时，不包括可选的作文部分。
SAT和ACT涵盖相同的考试科目(阅读、写作和数学)，大多数大学会更倾向于其中的一种考试。他们之间有一些小区别，SAT有一部分数学题不允许使用计算器，而ACT有一个科学部分。
与一年一次的高考不同，SAT和ACT考试每年有7次，让学生有机会参加不止一次考试。许多学生在高中倒数第二年(高二)的春季学期准备和参加考试，但他们可以在夏季或高中最后一年参加(或重新参加)考试。
SAT和ACT成绩并不是美国大学入学的唯一决定因素。招生委员会参照一系列的资料，包括高中GPA、个人陈述、工作和教育经历，以及推荐信。但是SAT和ACT的分数经常作为颁发基于成绩的奖学金的参照。
例如,天普大学录取学生的SAT成绩为1235分(满分1600分)或ACT成绩为27分(满分为36)才有资格获得tuition（学费）奖学金。
美国所有的大学都有自己的招生流程，但很多都参与共同申请。在任何一年，共同的应用程序在8月1日开放，学生可以开始提交下一年秋季的申请。与6月份秋季入学考试的高考不同，美国的申请期限更长。
提前申请的学生通常在入学和奖学金方面有优势。随着招生季节的继续，那些被他们的首选大学拒之门外的学生仍然有时间申请其他大学。然后那些仍然没有被录取的学生可以申请其他学校的春季入学。总之，有很多选择。
许多中国父母问我这个问题:我的儿子或女儿应该在中国还是国外上大学？这里不能给出简单的回答，因为它取决于许多因素，包括英语能力、个人兴趣和经济资源。
如果学生仍然需要提高他们的英语水平，许多大学提供有条件录取，例如在正式录取前提供英语语言培训。如果一个学生对出国留学没有兴趣，那么强迫他们出国是prudent（不明智的）。也许他们可以在中国读本科，然后出国读研究生。
至于财务问题，现在比以前有更多的选择。有很多奖学金可供申请，尤其是那些SAT和ACT成绩优异的学生。越来越多中国的银行提供出国留学贷款。还有一些学生在中国上大学，然后转到美国的大学。此外，许多国际学生在美国期间都有勤工俭学的工作。
EducationUSA 是一个由美国国务院的网站，在175多个国家(包括中国的五个分支机构在内)拥有超过425个国际学生咨询中心。他们定期在中国各地举办活动，并提供如何申请奖学金或其他经济援助的信息。
我的朋友，选择大学是人生中最重要的决定之一，尤其是在选择在国内还是出国留学的时候。备考和申请的流程是差异很大的，了解其不同之处可以帮助您决定选择哪条路径。
如果你即将参加高考，祝你一切顺利，勇敢的面对挑战！
本文部分图片来源网络。
谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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Getting into college:
China's Gaokao vs US admissions
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
The stress is palpable. In less than one month, nearly 10 million Chinese students will take the National College Entrance Exam, commonly known (even in English) as the gaokao. As one of the most difficult exams in the world, the gaokao seals the fate for the many Chinese high school graduates who seek to enter college.
As part of the exam process, students complete a form indicating which schools they wish to attend. Each university has a lowest intake score, and students will generally be admitted to the best school whose intake score they meet. If they don’t meet any school requirements, they lose the chance to get into college that year. A lot is at stake.
Many Chinese parents fret at the amount of preparation needed to take the gaokao. Rather than play sports, enjoy hobbies, or pursue a well-rounded education, students in their final year of high school dedicate most of their time to preparing for the gaokao. School teachers and administrators are equally under pressure to make sure their students perform well.
I have visited many high schools in my travels, and one major difference between the Chinese and American high school classrooms seems to be the volume of paper. On each student’s desk in China, there are stacks of books. I even visited one school where some students did not even use chairs, but rather, sat on a stack of books, test preparation materials, and sample exams.
Once I was visiting a Chinese family’s home for a friendly dinner. They had a son who was preparing for the gaokao. On each side of his bed, rather than end tables, were stacks of books and exam preparation materials. Buried at the base of one stack was a copy of Steve Jobs: A Biography. I think that sent a message: testing first, innovation second.
One Chinese saying aptly compares the exam to a stampede of “thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of horses across a single log bridge.”
”The gaokao is often criticized for promoting a culture of cramming and forcing educators to “teach to the test.” Yet others say that it is the fairest way of screening talent in a country with such a large population. Academic assessment is a tricky business, and there will always be debate on how best to measure achievement and ability.
Yet in recent years, many Chinese have shunned the gaokao, and there are reports that the number of students taking the gaokao is dropping. One reason is that many of these students are opting for a different pathway: study abroad.
Chinese students are now going to college all over the world, and each country has its own college admissions process. In 2017, more than 600,000 Chinese students left the country to pursue advanced studies, and over half of these students went to the United States. The next popular destinations are Japan, Australia, the UK, and Korea, in that order.
At US universities, Chinese students form the largest group of international students, generally about 1/3 of the foreign student population. At Temple University, for example, we have over 3,200 international students out of a total of 40,000 students. Of our international students, more than 1,500 are from China. Our message: #Youarewelcomehere
Students who choose to study abroad need not take the gaokao. In fact, students who attend international high schools in China are ineligible to take the gaokao, so they have to go through a different process to apply to foreign universities.
A few American universities have started to accept gaokao scores as a basis for college admission, but they generally require an additional English assessment score.
The United States does not have an official National College Entrance Exam, nor is there a government-run admissions process. Each college makes its own admissions decisions, and students can apply to as many universities as they wish. Colleges will post their admissions standards on their web sites, and students can apply to the schools that best suit them.
That being said, there are two exams that are commonly used by admissions offices to rate candidates: the SAT (the “Scholastic Aptitude Test”) and ACT (“American College Testing”). Each is administered by non-profit companies with no government affiliation. Unlike the nine-hour gaokao, the SAT and ACT are each three hours, not including the optional essay components.
The SAT and ACT cover the same general topics (reading, writing, and math), and most colleges do not prefer one test over the other. There are a few minor differences, as the SAT has one math section where calculators are not permitted, whereas the ACT has a science section.
And unlike the once-a-year gaokao, the SAT and ACT are administered seven times per year, giving students the chance to take the exams more than once. Many students prepare for and take the exam in during the spring semester of their penultimate year of high school (junior year), but they can take (or re-take) the exam over the summer or in their final (senior) year.
The SAT and ACT scores are not the sole determiners for admission to a US college. Admissions committees will consider a range of factors, including the high school GPA, personal statement, work and educational experiences, and letters of recommendation. But SAT and ACT scores are often used to award merit-based scholarships.
For example, at Temple University, students who earn over a 1235 on the SAT (out of maximum score of 1600) or 27 on the ACT (out of a maximum score of 36) are eligible to receive tuition scholarships.
All US colleges have their own admissions processes, but many participate in the Common Application. In any year, the Common App opens on August 1, and students can start submitting applications for the fall of the following year. Unlike the gaokao, with its June administration for fall admission, there is a longer application period in the United States.
Students who apply early are generally at an advantage for admission and scholarships. As the admissions season continues, students who are rejected from their top choices still have time to apply to other colleges. And then those who still are not admitted can apply for spring admission at other schools. All in all, there are many options.
Many Chinese parents ask me this question: should my son or daughter go to college in China or abroad? There’s no easy answer, and it depends on a number of factors, including English-language ability, personal interest, and financial resources.
If a student still needs to improve their English, many colleges offer conditional admission, providing English language training before formal admission. If a student has no interest in study abroad, then forcing it upon them is not prudent. Perhaps they can study undergraduate in China and go abroad for graduate school.
As for financial concerns, there are more options available now than before. Many scholarships are available, especially for those with strong SAT and ACT scores. More Chinese banks offer loans to study abroad. Some students start college in China and then transfer to a US university. And then many international students have work-study jobs while in the United States.
EducationUSA is a US Department of State network of over 425 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries (including five centers in China). They regularly hold activities throughout China and also provide information on how to apply for scholarships or other financial aid.
My friend, choosing a college is one of life’s biggest decisions, especially when choosing whether to study in China or abroad. Preparation and application processes vary, and understanding the differences can help inform your decision on which path to choose.
And if you will soon be taking the gaokao, I wish you the best of luck. Go for it!
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Palpable \ ˈpal-pə-bəl \
a)含义：adj. 明显的；可感知的
b)例句：
i.The stress is palpable.
压力是显而易见的。
ii.The designer’s intention was to draw on the memory of the orchards that once filled the valley in order to create a palpable link with its agricultural past. 设计师的理念是为了唤起人们对果园的记忆，提醒人们这里曾经硕果累累，以制造出一种明显的农业氛围。
c)近义词： detectable, discernible, perceptible
2.Cram \ ˈkram \
a)含义：v. 填满；塞满
b)例句：
i.The gaokao is often criticized for promoting a culture of cramming and forcing educators to “teach to the test.”
高考经常被批评为提倡填鸭式文化，强迫教育工作者“应试教育”。
ii.Research has shown over and over that you'll quickly forget information that you cram, so it won't help you in the long term.
研究已经一次又一次表明死记硬背的知识很快就会被遗忘，所有，死记硬背从长远来看并不能帮助你记住知识。
c)近义词： bone up, pack in, study intensively
3.Assessment \ ə-ˈses-mənt \
a)含义：n. 评定；估价
b)例句：
i.A few American universities have started to accept gaokao scores as a basis for college admission, but they generally require an additional English assessment score.
一些美国大学开始接受高考成绩作为大学录取的标准，但它们通常需要额外的英语能力评估分数。
ii.I will show some examples of this kind of assessment work below.
下面我将展示一些这种评估工作的例子。
c)近义词：appraisal, estimation, evaluation
4.Tuition \ tə-ˈwi-shən \
a)含义：n. 学费；讲授
b)例句：
i.For example, at Temple University, students who earn over a 1235 on the SAT (out of maximum score of 1600) or 27 on the ACT (out of a maximum score of 36) are eligible to receive tuition scholarships.
例如,天普大学录取学生的SAT成绩为1235分(满分1600分)或ACT成绩为27分(满分为36)才有资格获得学费奖学金。
ii.I have no income and I have to pay my tuition. I am the poorest.
我没有收入来付我的学费，我是穷人里面最穷的。
c)近义词： charge, expenditure, fee
5.Prudent \ ˈprü-dᵊnt \
a)含义：adj. 谨慎的
b)例句：
i.If a student has no interest in study abroad, then forcing it upon them is not prudent.
如果一个学生对出国留学没有兴趣，那么强迫他们出国是不明智的。
ii.These recommendations are prudent measures which can limit the spread of many communicable diseases, including influenza.
这些建议是可以限制包括流感在内的许多传染病的传播的谨慎措施。
c)近义词：advisable, politic, wise
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