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如何选择SAT或ACT的最佳考场

不知道哪件事对你来说是更困难的:是回答棘手的多选题呢,还是就在等着这个伤脑筋的考试即将开始的时候你却想上厕所了。你想也许你现在就应该去一下厕所。可惜呀,你却不知道卫生间在哪……

标准化考试是令人非常紧张的事,比如SAT 1推理考试和ACT考试,学生都想尽量避免这些考试。考试时间长达几小时,虽说在漫长的折磨中会有些短暂休息。选择适合的考场会非常有助于你少分心,因而可把更多精力集中在考试上。一般来说,最好的考场就是你感觉最舒服的那个地方。以下五点可以帮你理解什么样的是好考场。

SAT

1.了解你的考场

避免选新地点,因为你要紧张地去找考场房间和卫生间位置。强烈建议要先熟悉各个位置,万一到时急于上厕所呢。方法就是如果可以的话,选择在自己学校的考场考试,或在不同时候多去几次考场去熟悉校园环境。

2.充足睡眠,好好休息

考试前一晚要休息好。充足的休息与清醒的头脑,比靠咖啡因强打精神要好多了。仅仅一晚充足睡眠,人就可以从绝望的状态变成充满希望。考试前夕要避免饮用大量咖啡。对一些人来说,饮用大量咖啡会使人不能享受放松的睡眠。早晨要少喝刺激性饮料,比如大量咖啡或效果很强的功能饮料。你已经够紧张了;没必要再加重紧张感。

3. 啊,不!你又来考了!

选一个你碰不到同学们的考场,因为这能减免你已有的焦虑——你在他们眼里是什么样的学术水平。了解到你所认识的同学们比你的考分高的时候,你就会很容易被吓到。与陌生人在一个考场考试还有一个好处就是你以后可能再也不会碰见这些人了。

4. 带些零食

有些人在紧张的时候就会饿。脑力活动,尤其是高强度的思考活动,是需要能量的。你的大脑想要糖吃,所以你可能会突然发现在考试中就饥肠辘辘。以防你需要补充能量,所以带一些零食。

5.海水不可斗量(或分数不代表一切,或不以成败论英雄)

在内心深处你要深知标准化考试分数仅体现了某些方面的智慧,并不能代表你在学术和生活中其他方面的成就。体积是在三维空间里的一种表示空间大小的度量方法。长方体的体积是通过长乘宽乘高计算得出的。三个数据都是需要的。你在标准化考试上的表现只是你能力的一方面而已。分数并不能体现出你的创造力、创作力、适应能力、建造和修理东西的能力,以及团队领导力和拥抱他人的能力。


成功申请大学的3个必要步骤

college-ahead

亲爱的高年级同学们:

这个夏天您为自己做点什么?是不是大学有关的事? 你有否感谢2015年夏天时的自己,那时的努力使您现在的学习生活变得更容易? 现在的您需要保持冷静及集中精神。 3个主要的方法帮助您成功申请大学是:1)保持头脑清醒,2)仔细计画,还有3)真的,真的要规划好你的时间——包括抽出时间恢复理智!

1.保持冷静,继续前行:别听信炒作!

我这么说是什么意思那?好吧,当你申请念大学时,你的亲戚朋友、左邻右舍、你父母的那些热心朋友就开始聒噪起来,他们会不断地向你分享“当我申请念大学时”的提示和观点。但即使是在仅仅两年前,你表哥申请念大学的时候,情况都会大不相同。

每当我的学生告诉我,“我的某某(亲友)告诉我,……某某人申请到了念某某大学的机会,他的GPA分数只有……,SATs分数只有……,”我就问他们这种某某人的具体情况——“(这人是)什么专业?这人住哪?他/她有什么课外活动?”然后谣言开始平息。我相信,这类传闻确实也是有帮助的;常常帮助学生和家长担心一些错的事。这意味着你将失去你本可用在大学申请流程上的宝贵时间和精力,所以千万不要这样做!

所以我会给你一些非常,非常反直觉的建议:不要听。不要因为有人说了一些关于某个特例进了某所学校的事之后,你也急忙跟着申请去这所或那所学校。相反,把重点放在你的进攻计画上。你不能因为在理发店或咖啡馆听到的一些话,而就此决定你的未来。相反,你必须悉心地规划,规划,再规划你的选择。那么,你将如何准备那?

2. 规划,规划,再规划:你的进攻计划!

大学名单/选择一个理想的专业很重要
以你的GPA分数和标准化考试成绩为基准,找出可能有机会进入的大学。要记住,如果你选择的那些院校、专业或学科是“热门”,那么你被录取的机会就会低于平均值;除非你确定自己在广大考生中属于能力过强的候选者。选择一个与你所有高中表现相匹配的专业——既包括分数,考试成绩,也包括课外活动——你就能看出众多可选学校之间的差异。

研究名单上的大学
有一大堆的网站可以帮助你与适合的学校“配对”。比如说:College Niche, Unigo, College Factual等等。关键要找出大学的整体录取率,并且确定你是处于平均水准的上方还是下方。这将帮助推测你有多大机会进入(或无法进入)大学——然后进行上调或下调,具体取决于你相对于平均线的“位置”。另外,你的大学名单要实事求是,这点非常关键。我告诉我的学生,申请大学如同耕种:秋天播种,春天收获——而且不是所有的幼苗都能成活,所以要因地制宜!

这所大学适合你吗?
与研究这所学校同样重要的就是选择适合你的学校。这所学校能给你家的感觉吗?你想和你的同学交朋友吗?记住……你将在这所学校里生活。所以你要留意人们在这所大学的评论中留下的线索——你是否需要你的素乳酪比萨?或者你真的需要定期美甲吗?等等,等等。

毕业生的前景
确保你真的理解学费的意义,你实际上“得到的是什么”?该校的师生比例如何?你如何获得实习许可、合作办学或造研究的机会?当你毕业时,除了一张纸——你还能得到什么? “College Navigator(学校导航)”是一个很不错的网站,在这里你可以看到很多关键资讯,如“毕业率与留校率”,这样你就能知道同龄人中有多少在4年、6年或8年之后毕业,以及“总体违约率”是多少——而这个值会告诉你这里的毕业生是否能及时还清自己的助学贷款!这才是重要资讯,难道不是吗?多数时候,人们忘了……大学只是个开始……它还意味着别的东西,而它本身并不是终点。这就是说你至少应该有一个模糊的想法,那就是在四年之后这里的学生能“得到什么”。选择一所你确信能够为你的将来铺路的学校!

伸出你的手
不要畏惧寻求帮助。也许你想有人对你的大学名单、一篇文章、或者其他什么做出回馈。去主动和人聊天吧,比如问问智胜教育的顾问,家长,学校管理员,问所有你想知道的事。然而——在你向别人寻求帮助之前,请确保你已竭尽所能——不要做不必要的求助!可以求助并不代表你就可以闲下来了。这是你的人生,你必须推动这个过程!

3.你要管理你的时间

重装上阵
不管这个夏天你没做到什么,或者你没做完什么——在开学前尽量完成它。有些学校必须等到特定日期才能设置帐户,进行申请(但当你要处理这些事时,你才发现所有截至日期已经近在眼前,对不对???)有时,你将不得不坐等某些资讯生效,但记得重新审视你的计画并坚持下去!

缓冲区
开学后,你可能每周需要留出几个小时来处理大学申请流程方面的各种事——不仅是你自己可以做的事;还有庞大的后勤工作,就是从你的学校采集资讯,或者去大学招生办公室咨询——你无法预料会有什么突发事件!因此,建立一个缓冲区,在一些额外的时间为意想不到的事做做标记。

伙伴计画/支援系统
如果你开始偷懒/拖延,或者你担心自己会偷懒——你可以和朋友进行互相监督——如果你开始偷懒,你的朋友一定不会让你好过。比如,你可以和朋友每周签到,互相检查,看看你是否完成了你该做的事。如果你需要为自己做过的事让他们给你一记飞踹,或者你只想要一个拥抱——直接告诉他们你的需要!

休息/放松
现在,你希望我告诉你的最后一件事是什么那?那就是你必须为自己留出时间。是的,即使面临一片喧嚣与嘈杂,你也不能一次性全都做完,你得给自己留点喘息的空间。这是一场马拉松,不是短跑,所以记得随时调整自己的步伐。

这将是一个非常情绪化的阶段。不只是你——你的父母,朋友,同学都会陷入其中。很难解释这是为什么,但部分原因是因为一大堆事都碰到一起,你高中毕业在即,今天的选择影响你以后的人生,而你的父母会不惜一切代价为你筹谋,即便他们根本不知道可以做些什么。

如果你发现自己压力变大,而你爱的人也为你奔忙,这可能说明你需要冷静一下,从这个过程中离开一会。如果你打算做点有创造性的事,这时候朱丽亚•卡梅伦的《艺术家之约》就是你最好的选择——“每周一次,在节假日,做一个独行侠,探索你感兴趣的东西。”我绝对推荐构建这样的一周,让自己有一些“休息时间”,在这段时间里专心享受生活——不用内疚,因为你能很好地管理你的时间(!!!)所以,去吧,找上几个朋友,打场篮球赛,尽情享受吧!因为在整个过程中,你必须保持理智。

所以——保持冷静,继续前行,做到最好!


不要单纯参加托福考试 – 征服托福:得分制胜战略

作为一名英语教授,最近我最重要的工作是为研究生水平的国际学生讲授MBA商务写作课程。

在我教授国际学生的四年中,我知道了很多他们与英语的斗争,理解了研究写作和作文的概念,以及英语语法和标点的问题。當他们更多地听取我的意见和修改,使他们的英语和写作更好,他们变得越来越驾轻就熟。当然,学生们最关心的是那些在课程结束的时候能取得最好的成绩,并且可以写出看上去很像地道的美国研究生写出的文章的学生们。 Continue reading


认识你的角色 – 在申请大学时学生与家长的关系

申请大学的道路是关于如何阐述你的故事,所以这个故事一定要吸引人、有说服力、并希望能至少在某一方面呈现出独特性。

任何一个好的故事主角的定位都要很清楚,一定有英雄或女英雄、反派角色、德高望重的智者、忠实的跟随者及一些看似不起眼但却很重要的配角。通常当一个学生在写申请大学文章时,常常会有一些角色混乱的情况出现,这都会导致不幸的结果。因为一般大学采纳的是”全面性的复审过程”,这个过程是在寻找一个人的某些特质,而申请时的两个重要相关人要很了解并坚持他们的角色。

学生
学生是故事的主人翁,也是一个要用他们自己的能力和毅力面对很多难关及艰困的厄运英雄。所以必须要是一个强壮、独立、成熟、充满知识及决心的人。根据他们的经验,他们得到了克服困难的能力,进而让他们面对高中生涯的后半期及进入大学后能更顺利。

学生应该是他们自己未来教育的拥护者,他们应该能接近老师、家长及其他大人,并能用成熟、尊敬及有益的方式来对话,而不是以冲动来问问题。也应该有勇气独立行动并找到解决办法,因为这是他们的故事而不是任何其他人的。

学生应该为他们学业上的表现负责,并把他们不能控制的因素排除在外。他们应该能尽力妥善地处理他们的时间来完成作业,彻底读书并完成所有的作业。他们的组织能力要能让他们不会丢失一些”容易的分数”,像是忘记或迟交作业、不了解方向或时间安排失误。

学生应该可以在他们能力范围内安排他们自己的人生,虽然他们还没成年,但他们应该能了解尊重、责任、对错关念、诚实、自尊及勇气,这些是现实社会中所需要的素质,所以对于学生而言越早知道越好。

家长
家长是很重要的支持角色,家长在学生每一时期都抱着强烈的支持精神。他们从襁褓时开始照顾孩子,所以他们对于身为一个监护人、支持者及商量对象有着很强的使命感。现在学生开始独立,家长必须要让出空间让他们成长,并了解他们的角色必须改变。

家长应该为学生还不能处理的事情上当一个保护者,但不代表他们要在每一个情况下都当主导人物。孩子成长的一部分是他们如何处理困境,而我们再次声明,这是学生的故事。有时候,情况失控时家长可以介入,但他们天生的责任应该是指导、讨论、提问及鼓励。学生应该自行主导,除非有需要他们帮忙或协助的时候。

家长应该准许他们的孩子负责任。有很多时候家长都对孩子的人生照顾的无微不至,他们控制了每天所有的时间表、逻辑及所有的细节和工作。当学生长大了,家长应该学着支持并教导他们如何处理生命中日渐增加的每个层面,包括课业、杂事、交通甚至是打工。家长应该是提供成熟的监督及指导,但他们应该容许学生成长及尝试。只要学生用负责任的态度来面对,最后他们应该了解提供帮助是一个负责任的选择,而不是无条件的义务。每一个人都会在某一时间里觉得无法承受,所以这时家长就须跳出学生家长来帮助学生,而学生的工作则是从困境中学习,而不让挫败成为一种习惯。

学生了解他们要学习、成长、发掘并建立目标是很重要的。家长应提供爱、指导、鼓励及提供孩子生命的架构。如果每一个人都尊重他们的角色,也尊重彼此,那么最后的故事结局将会是胜利的。孩子即将踏上人生的下一个旅程,家长应抱着骄傲的心情来看着孩子长大成人。


高中生减压小贴士

现在这个时候,我的那些高中学生们多数都压力山大。他们奋力保持有竞争力的在校成绩,复习ACT或是SAT和SAT Subject,完成各种学校实践任务以及小测试和重要考试,奔走于他们的社区志愿服务,同时还要准备意向学校的申请。要在这样繁重的日程表里做到不慌不忙井井有条,对于很多学生来说都是个挑战。

这样颇为艰难的时刻,我总是不断提醒学生们要注意身体,注意在繁重的学习工作中减压。不希望他们在这准备申请的关键时刻感冒生病。以下是我分享给学生让他们插入每日行程表中的五条小贴士:

贴士1 – 短途散步

走路可以让头脑清醒,产生安多芬,减少压力荷尔蒙。

贴士2 – 深呼吸

深呼吸,或者在數秒內連做幾次呼吸,這樣有助於減少緊張感,舒緩壓力。深呼吸可以刺激副交感神經運動,幫助我們平靜下來。

貼士3 – 吃一些健康的零食

水果,蔬菜,堅果等這樣一些健康的零食能夠減壓並補充即時能量。比如香蕉。一根香蕉含有422毫克的鉀,有助於幫助人在緊張的時候降低血壓。

贴士4 – 音乐

聆聽古典音樂可以讓人平靜下來,降低壓力荷爾蒙水準值。這樣能夠減少焦慮感。

贴士5 – 大笑

大笑的時候人體會吸入更多的氧氣,身體會產生更多的安多芬,而安多芬可以讓人身體放鬆。


学术诚信是学生的根本

任何一个熟悉班级课程教学大纲的人都应该习惯于粉饰典型的部分:导师的联系资讯、等级政策、课程科目、上课出席声明、学校对于剽窃和学术诚信的政策等。大部分学生只关注他们所看到的,直接涉及他们在课堂上取得成功的资讯,例如即将到来的任务,到期日,以及他们最终成绩的百分比细分。显示在学术诚信方面的机构政策被看作是一种形式,而不是与一个学生的角色直接相关。但是,让学生认识到,学术诚信在各层次学术和研究方面都是内在本质,这是至关重要的。

学术诚信通常定义为避免抄袭、欺骗、伪造资料或者其它方式的不诚实的学术行为。许多学生认为,将学术诚信视为为最高标准去追求,在这个资讯共用如此无所不在的时代里甚至有点老套。如医药和工程领域从业者保持了高标准的道德和诚信是由于非常明显的实际原因; 公众需要能够信任的专家。然而,这些标准并未被视为一个理想而被人们所渴望; 他们该领域的成员需要考虑的最起码的要求。根据定义,医生的工作必须是医治别人,不要对他们造成伤害。一名违反了希波克拉底誓言,通过故意,造成不必要的伤害的医生就不能再履行他或她作为医疗专家的角色。同样地,一名学生的角色是基于他或她自己的研究来进行工作。违反了学术诚信的准则会带来直接的破坏作用。

虽然为什么我们从不允许专业人士违反他们的诚信准则的原因似乎是显而易见的,学生可能会发现偶尔违规还是可以接受的。毕竟,学生在家庭作业上作弊的违规成本显然比医生开错药物处方或工程师设计出有故障的桥梁要低得多。然而,不管一个人对他人是否造成何种程度的伤害,每个人都应对他们在特定领域所实践或研究的内容负有社会责任。所有的学生,不论他们的水准高低,都是广义的社会学者中的一份子。

作为学生而参与其中,每个人都希望会进行发自内心的和真诚的工作,这样的工作进一步加强了他们自己作为一名学者的进步,或者直接丰富了该领域本身。允许偶尔的违反诚信则破坏了社会的完整性。正如,如果我们允许医生违反他们的道德准则,我们就无法再相信他们,如果人们相信,每个人都在进行真诚和发自内心的工​​作,一个学术社会才能良好的运行。如果每个人都必须反复猜度其他人的工作,那么一个社会怎么能良好的运行?这说明,学生仍然可以发现,自己处于一种不诚信颇具诱惑力的情况中。以下是学生对学术诚信的灵活性可能做出的一些常见反应:

1. “但是这甚至不关乎我的专业!”

不管学生对将来有什么意愿,现在作为一名参与其中的学生,他或她就是广义学术社会中的一份子,并且对该社会负有相应的责任。仅仅因为一名学生不希望在毕业之后成为一名专业生物学家,这并不意味着他或她就现在所参与的学术社会不负有责任。

2. 如果这项任务没有完成,我就必须要重修整门课。

虽然在学术界的进步可能只能作为一种功绩而获得奖励,但这并不是一己之便,这可能是一种残酷的现实。正如我们要相信专家们拥有远超非专业人士的知识水准一样,我们需要相信,学者们拥有与他们的级别相当的知识水准。如果没有获得必要的技能和知识,是不允许学生继续升级的。有时候,需要重修一门课,直到他或她可以获得应有的水准。

學術誠信是一個完整的學者社會中每一個人必須擁有的一種責任。對於一名年輕的學生來說,認識到他們在這樣一個社會中的位置有時是很困難的。不論明顯與否,沒有對學術誠信的承諾,學術界的基礎將會分崩離析。無論您是在高中學期快結束時感到很焦慮,還是您即將進入大學,記住,學術欺騙的任何藉口都是永遠無法令人接受的。


如何完美和成功地結束學年

隨著春天的到來,又是計劃暑假活動的時候了,您會發現,孩子們正在感到心煩意亂,不像學年開始的時候那麼充滿活力。這裡有五個提示,可以幫助您的兒女們專心致志,完美地結束該學年。 Continue reading


Smartest public high schools in the US

The 50 smartest public high schools in the US

Stuyvesant High SchoolVia Flickr

Some people believe that the best high-school educations come from private schools, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Public schools can provide first-class global educations that prepare students for college and successful careers.

The experts at college data website Niche put together a list of the smartest public high schools in the US based primarily on state-assessment proficiency, the colleges that students go on to, AP enrollment and exam pass rates, graduation rates, and composite ACT and SAT scores.

Because there isn’t a good 1-to-1 ratio for ACT to SAT score comparison, the SAT composite scores are expressed here as a range. You can read more about Niche’s methodology here.

50. Pine View School – Osprey, Florida

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Pine View is a school for the gifted. Like other high schools, Pine View offers the standard state-required subjects that all students learn, but Pine View also gives students a unique intellectual experience with options for self-pacing, independent study, and electives in subjects such as women’s studies and history of the Vietnam War.

49. Poolesville High School – Poolesville, Maryland

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Poolesville High School has been ranked as the No. 1 high school in the tristate area of Maryland, Virginia, and DC for the past three years running. The magnet school excels in its strong STEM programming and an AP course offering of 25-plus classes.

48. Campolindo High School – Moraga, California

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Students at Campolindo High School receive exposure to an academic core and a well-balanced smattering of arts and technical classes. The school is often frequented by a number of in-state and out-of-state college recruiters, including Yale and the US Military Academy at West Point.

47. Academic Magnet High School – North Charleston, South Carolina

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Academic Magnet is ranked No. 1 in the state by U.S. News & World Report. All courses are honors or Advanced Placement, and all students at the school complete a yearlong independent research project, which sometimes gets published in academic or professional journals.

46. Deerfield High School – Deerfield, Illinois

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Deerfield High School once served as the landing pad for President Reagan’s helicopter. Ninety-seven percent of graduates from the class of 2014 went on to attend two- or four-year colleges with a background of college-prep and AP courses. The average GPA for students in the class of 2015 is 3.50.

45. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School – Dover, Massachusetts

45. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School – Dover, Massachusetts

Google Earth

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Dover-Sherborn Regional High School offers more than 100 courses a year. A unique educational opportunity available for DSHS students is the option of participating in an exchange program with Hangzhou High School in China. Students spend eight weeks living with a host family and immersing themselves in language and culture.

44. Dougherty Valley High School – San Ramon, California

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Dougherty Valley High School offers a variety of college-prep classes, including 22 Advanced Placement courses and nine honors courses. Students are well prepared for exams, too, with 92% of students scoring three or higher on AP exams.

43. Los Altos High School – Los Altos, California

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Sixty percent of students are involved in the AP curriculum. The school has an extensive college-readiness program. The school encourages students who aren’t ready for college to get involved in an enriching gap-year program; LAHS even hosts a gap-year fair so students know their options.

42. School for the Talented & Gifted – Dallas, Texas

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

This school is the smallest on our list but is rated the best magnet school in the country and the best public school in the country by U.S. News. TAG, as it’s known, sends graduates to some of the best colleges in the world; in the last two years, TAG alumni have been accepted to six out of the eight Ivy League schools and Stanford, MIT, and Oxford, but every student receives at least one acceptance letter to a four-year college or university.

41. Conestoga High School – Berwyn, Pennsylvania

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Conestoga High School was home to 44 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists and 39 National Merit commended students last year. Conestoga has a strong AP program, with 31 National AP Scholars for the class of 2014. Another 25 students matriculated into Ivy League schools.

40. Highland Park High School – University Park, Texas

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Highland Park High School counts a Texas governor, an astronaut, and a first Trident-class submarine commander among its distinguished graduates. The school employs top teachers, with 76% of them holding a master’s degree or higher. A whopping 47 courses offered fall within the AP curriculum.

39. Weston High School – Georgetown, Connecticut

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Weston High School is considered the best public high school in the state by U.S. News. The school works with the prestigious Teachers College of Columbia University on the Academic Innovation and Measurement (AIM) program, which gives students the opportunity to reason in the presence of problems such as global and national issues, scientific problems, and other current events.

38. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology – Lawrenceville, Georgia

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology, the No. 1 school in Georgia, according to U.S. News, is naturally renowned for its STEM programming. One hundred percent of students at the charter school participate in Advanced Placement classes. GSMST partners with Lenovo for access to some of the best in-school technology facilities available; there is a laptop for every student.

37. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School – Chicago

37. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School – Chicago

Whitney M. Young Magnet High SchoolThe Whitney M. Young Magnet High School chess team pep rally

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Named for Civil Rights Movement leader Whitney M. Young, the school produces some of the most decorated academics in the state: Whitney Young students took first place in the state academic decathlon, math team, and chess team competitions in 2013. The school is so proud of its teams that go off to compete that it throws pep rallies just for them!

36. International School – Bellevue, Washington

36. International School – Bellevue, Washington

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

A school for grades 7 through 12, International School aims to make its students fluent in either French or German by the time they graduate through exchange programs, hosting “language interns,” and other classes in the language or culture. In March students also participate in “focus week,” in which students can take other classes outside the school, go on trips, or learn occupational skills to enrich their education.

35. Palos Verdes High School – Palos Verdes Estates, California

SAT composite range: 1860-1910

PVHS is a relatively new high school; it closed in 1991 because of declining enrollment, and reopened in 2002, turning itself into one of the best high schools in America. The school has a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, enabling students to use tablets, e-readers, laptops, or even smartphones in class for taking notes and looking up information.

34. University High School – Irvine, California

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

University High School serves students in grades 9 through 12. The home base for students enrolled in the Orange County Deaf and Hard of Hearing program, “Uni” fully immerses kids of all abilities in the same curriculum. The school puts an emphasis on critical thinking and developing an ability to strategically solve real-world problems.

33. Bronxville High School – Bronxville, New York

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Bronxville High School is small but one of the top schools in the suburbs of New York City. About 98% of students go on to attend four-year colleges each year. Recognizing the academic opportunity it affords students in the area, BHS accepts a handful of students from outside the district on a tuition basis.

32. Langley High School – McLean, Virginia

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Langley High School has a strict honor code that students are obliged to adhere to. LHS isn’t far from Washington, DC, where students are a short bus ride from academic and cultural experiences such as museum tours and lessons in government and politics.

31. Redwood High School – Larkspur, California

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

The high school teaches a number of specialty classes in addition to the state-required ones, like music performance workshops, theater directing, micro- and macroeconomics, and advanced journalism, which produces the school’s highly acclaimed newspaper, The Bark. Redwood also hosts a lunchtime series for students called Career Conversations, in which Redwood parents come and present and answer questions about their career paths and what they do for a living.

30. Scarsdale High School – Scarsdale, New York

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Distinguished alumni of this suburban high school include actress Tovah Feldshuh, producer Aaron Sorkin, and playwright Eve Ensler, among others. As one of the most coveted public high schools in Westchester County, Scarsdale High School offers a number of “Advanced Topics” courses which, administered and rated by the College Board, are more challenging, college-level courses.

29. Millburn High School – Millburn, New Jersey

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

About 99% of graduating seniors from Millburn High School matriculate into four-year colleges and universities. New Jersey Monthly magazine named MHS the best high school in the state in 2008 and 2010. More than 30 AP classes are available, as are college-level electives.

28. Raleigh Charter High School – Raleigh, North Carolina

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

This charter school focuses on small classes to facilitate more individualized learning in classrooms as well as hands-on experiential learning that incorporates doing and seeing with simply reading and listening. RCHS offers four categories of higher-level classes: standard, honors, enriched honors, and Advanced Placement.

27. International Community School – Kirkland, Washington

27. International Community School – Kirkland, Washington

WikipediaThe International Community School old building

SAT composite range: 2080-2130

This small school enrolls students in grades 6 through 12; the senior class has about 40 students. Naturally, the application-based, tuition-free International Community School has an international focus when it comes to secondary education, including foreign-language mastery, world history and literature, and trips overseas.

26. Palo Alto High School – Palo Alto, California

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Many tech founders and Silicon Valley greats live in Palo Alto, so you could reasonably expect to find some of their kids here. More than 47% of the class of 2015 have unweighted GPAs of 3.6 or higher, and 54% of the class of 2013 received a 5 (the highest possible grade) on AP exams.

 

25. Rye High School – Rye, New York

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Another high school in affluent Westchester County, Rye High School gives students opportunities to prepare for college and the real world. This year, the class of 2015 will be the first senior class to participate in the senior internship/project, during which students secure month-long internships or apprenticeships in their fields of interest and present what they learned back to their class at the end of the project.

24. Glenbrook North High School – Northbrook, Illinois

24. Glenbrook North High School – Northbrook, Illinois

Google Earth

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

Glenbrook North High School, the “twin” to Glenbrook South High School, teaches seven language classes and 24 AP courses. Certain exceptional students from both Glenbrook high schools attend the Glenbrook Academy of International Studies, a four-year program that takes a more progressive, global approach to secondary education with an emphasis on language, literature, and history.

23. Jericho High School – Jericho, New York

23. Jericho High School – Jericho, New York

Google Earth

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Out on Long Island, Jericho High School offers business classes such as accounting, business law, and entrepreneurship; technology classes like architecture and civil engineering, robotics, and video production; and science classes such as forensics, mechanics, and anatomy and physiology. Six members of the class of 2014 were National Merit Scholarship winners, and 89% of students were awarded diplomas with distinction.

22. San Marino High School – San Marino, California

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

An overwhelming 72% of students participate in the AP curriculum at San Marino High School. The tech-savvy school has Apple TV hookups in each classroom, and the campus is completely wireless. San Marino places as much emphasis on developing students as good citizens as it does on developing them as scholars, and gives students grades in each subject based on academics as well as citizenship.

21. Miramonte High School – Orinda, California

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Miramonte High School has made it its mission to “provide a high level of intellectual, social and personal growth in each individual.” About 98% of students attend college after graduating. Miramonte believes public speaking is a crucial skill for high schoolers, and has developed an extensive public-speaking program, which includes seven public-speaking classes, two teachers, five coaches, and more than 200 participating students.

20. Troy High School – Fullerton, California

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Troy High School participates in the International Baccalaureate program — a prestigious educational program, similar to AP, that is the school’s most rigorous offering. Troy High School has one of the best STEM programs in the country, and its computer-science program was named No. 1 in the world.

19. Pacific Collegiate School – Santa Cruz, California

SAT composite range: 1920-1970

This charter school prepares students for life in the 21st century. Classes in modern technology and foreign languages and cultures are mandatory, as is community service. Though not a requirement, 80% of students who took AP courses also sat for the corresponding AP exams.

18. Mission San Jose High School – Fremont, California

SAT composite range: 2080-2130

MSJHS celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2014-2015 school year. The school has a 100% graduation rate, with 80% of students on the honor roll. More than 20 AP courses are offered, on whose exams 95.5% of students receive scores of 3 or higher.

17. Horace Greeley High School – Chappaqua, New York

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

The Horace Greeley High School class of 2014 matriculated into seven out of the eight Ivy League schools. Students at Horace Greeley can choose between 18 AP courses, as well as a number of specialty online courses. These “online courses for the 21st century” range from “architecture across the centuries” to “sports and statistics” to “art as therapy.”

16. Corona del Mar High School – Newport, California

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

This upcoming fall, Corona del Mar High School will debut educational path called Signature Academies. Run through the Newport-Mesa school district, the Signature Academies at CdM High School will give gifted applicants a unique opportunity to craft their own signature education in either global studies or performing arts and multimedia.

15. Adlai E. Stevenson High School – Lincolnshire, Illinois

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

The largest high school on the list, with a student body of more than 4,000 teenagers, Adlai E. Stevenson High School offers a rigorous curriculum. Students must take eight semesters of English; six each of math, science, and social studies; and other electives before graduating. And 75% of students enroll in AP courses.

14. Northside College Preparatory High School – Chicago

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Northside College Preparatory High School gives students the quality of a private prep-school education without the burden of tuition. Most of the classes at this selective public school are honors or AP courses, and students are required to take computer science as well as a college career-pathway course; they also have the option of studying abroad.

13. Stuyvesant High School – New York City

SAT composite range: 2140-2210

Stuyvesant High School is a magnet school, and one of the most difficult to get into in New York City. It has the second-highest standardized test scores in the state (first highest among public schools) and fourth-highest in the country. Being that most students finish their state-imposed math requirements by junior year, Stuyvesant has an advanced math partnership with New York University in which students can take college-level math courses.

12. Monta Vista High School – Cupertino, California

SAT composite range: 2080-2130

Monta Vista High School is ranked No. 8 in the country by U.S. News for its STEM programming. Almost 100% of graduates go on to attend college every year; some of the colleges attended by students from the class of 2014 include Stanford, Yale, Columbia, MIT, Harvard, Princeton, and the US Air Force Academy.

11. New Trier Township High School – Winnetka, Illinois

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

New Trier has a number of resources that give students opportunities not just to succeed but to thrive academically. Tutoring is available from peers and teachers, and, through the level system, students are allowed to guide themselves at a pace that generally helps them outperform their peers in other high schools. Nearly 80% of students scored a 4 or 5 on their AP exams in 2014.

10. Saratoga High School – Saratoga, California

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Thirty-two percent of the class of 2015 are either semifinalists or commended scholars in the National Merit Scholarship program. Saratoga, where the school is located, is a hub for Silicon Valley-area students, and many enroll in AP computer science and other STEM courses. The school’s STEM programming is No. 11 in the country, according to U.S. News.

9. Liberal Arts & Science Academy – Austin, Texas

9. Liberal Arts & Science Academy – Austin, Texas

Google Earth

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Liberal Arts & Science Academy is a highly selective magnet school for students interested in liberal arts and the sciences. This year the school has had 33 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists and 50 commended scholars. LASA is committed to teaching “above and beyond state and district standards,” with rigorous classes like American film analysis, number theory, and medical microbiology.

8. Henry M. Gunn High School – Palo Alto, California

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Another Palo Alto school, Henry M. Gunn High School offers free private tutoring by peers and qualified community volunteers. Gunn does everything to make sure its students are ahead of the game, from SAT boot camp prep courses to the small learning community, a program for freshmen who, selected through a lottery, engage in leadership opportunities and a more integrated curriculum.

7. Lynbrook High School – San Jose, California

SAT composite range: 2080-2130

Almost 50% of students at Lynbrook High got the top score of 5 on AP exams in 2014. LHS has a number of applied academics subjects available (including business education, industrial technology, and career technology) to give students an academic background combined with useful workplace skills.

6. BASIS Scottsdale – Scottsdale, Arizona

6. BASIS Scottsdale – Scottsdale, Arizona

Google Earth

SAT composite range: 2140-2210

There are BASIS schools all over the country, but the Scottsdale location is the most recognized. U.S. News ranked BASIS Scottsdale No. 1 among charter schools, No. 1 in the state, and No. 2 in the country. In 2013, The Washington Post named the school to its list of top-performing schools with the most elite students. Students outperform their peers in Arizona in all academically assessed subjects.

5. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School – Chicago

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

U.S. News ranks Walter Payton College Preparatory High School the second-best high school in Illinois; it’s also the second best in Chicago, and the No. 1 international high school in the US. Payton’s math, science, and debate teams have been nationally recognized in competitions, and the school has a growing Mandarin Chinese language program, which puts students at the forefront of an increasingly global workforce.

4. Westlake High School – Austin, Texas

SAT composite range: 1980-2010

Niche considers Westlake High School not only the fourth-smartest in the US but the No. 1 high school in Texas, the No. 3 open-admission comprehensive public high school, and the seventh-best high school overall. Westlake participates in a unique six-week cultural-exchange program with Bugil Academy in South Korea co-taught by teachers in both schools.

3. High Technology High School – Lincroft, New Jersey

SAT composite range: 2220-2280

High Technology High School’s STEM programming is ranked No. 2 in the country by U.S. News. Close to the Jersey shore, the magnet school is extremely selective; just 75 students are admitted out of over 300 applicants a year. In their senior years, students participate in a semester-long rotational mentorship program, shadowing mentors who provide advice about the industries in which they work.

2. International Academy – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

SAT composite range: 2020-2070

Every student at International Academy participates in the International Baccalaureate program, which can earn students up to a year’s worth of college credit, depending on the college or university they end up attending. International Academy in Bloomfield Hills is ranked No. 1 in Michigan, according to U.S. News.

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology – Annandale, Virginia

SAT composite range: 2220-2280

All courses at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology are taught at the gifted, honors, AP, or post-AP level, and, in 2014, over 97% scored a 3 or higher on their AP exams. Last year’s senior class matriculated into some of the best colleges in the country; 10 or more students went to schools like Brown, Stanford, UPenn, MIT, and Johns Hopkins. U.S. News ranks Thomas Jefferson the best high school in the state, and the No. 1 STEM program among high schools in the US.

Now see how the boarding schools stack up.

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初中生: 如何好好计划未来四年的课外活动?

课外活动对于每个学生都非常重要,因为这些活动可让每个学生形成独立个性。课外活动对高中生是个紧迫的问题,因为当名牌学院的学生只注重研究学术,就愈加需要着重强调课堂外的高品质活动。每个学生的GPA都能得到4.0,SAT分数都是满分,那么你怎样才能让自己脱颖而出呢? Continue reading


如何找到合适的大学

大學教育是很重要的人生經驗,合適的大學能提供許多結合教育及專業這兩樣要素的好機會。在這你可以認識新朋友,发挥学业的潜能,为未来的挑战做准备,并学到比想像中还多的事物。

根据一份全国教育普查中心(国家中心的教育Statistics)的報告,在2011年全美國有超過4,500家大學,其中有2,870家符合四年大學的資格。有些學校著重於工程或科技的課程,有些則著重文科課程,有些則是兩者都重視。所以你需要問適當的問題,並收集資料來找到能讓你努力奮鬥的大學。以下是幾個開始的步驟:

学校

一個適合你的學校能激勵你學習,並提供讓你感興趣的學科。在尋找大學時,你要記得有很多學校可供選擇:

  • 四年学院或大学
  • 社区大学

四年學院機構包括公立大學,私立大學和提供學士學位的文科大學。公立及州立大學的課堂人數通常較多,而私立及文科大學則較少。雖然私立學校的學費一般都比較貴,但它們大多會提供補助的助學金給他們的學生。

大部分社区大学接受所有高中毕业生,并提供两年学士肄业证书(副学士学位)。高中生也可以把社區大學當成轉學到四年大學的跳板,像是轉到加州大學或加州州立大學及文科大學。

规模

學校規模的大小也應是你篩選的因素之一。大學經驗可能會因為學校規模的大小而有很明顯的不同,以下是幾個原因:

規模大的大學(學生人數超過15,000人)通常有較多的主修及課程的選擇,眾多的學科及學生活動,資金充足的運動項目,著名的院校及現代化的研究設施。它們的基礎課程裡可能有幾百個學生,所以老师及学生的比例相当高。因此,學生主動在教授辦公時間去拜訪或是參加不同的學生組織聚會,可更容易地適應大學課業。

相反地,小規模大學(人數少於2,000)的班級通常較小,可提供較親密的學習環境。學生能有許多親自學習的機會,體驗老師及輔導教師給予個人的關注,以及有強烈的社區觀念,而且大部分的課堂都是由教授來教導。雖然小型的大學提供較少的主修選擇,但有些學校會允許個人設計主修課程。

地点

你需要决定你理想大学的地点。根据加州大学洛杉矶分校的高等教育机构(高教研究所UCLA)的報告顯示,有38%的大學生住在靠近家50哩以內,而有15%住在離家51-100哩之內。選擇離家較近的大學是一個合乎經濟的選擇,讓大學的開銷更少一點。但是如果把地理位置限制得太緊,會減少挑選更好大學的機會。此外,在新的環境裡學習可以促進個人成長及專業發展,所以當你在思考以下問題時應該保持開放的心態:

  • 你希望每个周末都能回家,还是只须放长假时回家一趟?
  • 你希望留在熟悉的环境,还是渴望尝试新鲜的环境?
  • 你希望留在州内吗?有些外州的学校提供学费补助,可减轻负担。

校园环境

另一個尋找合適大學的步驟是決定你喜歡的校園環境–鄉村,郊區,或是城市。

鄉村的校園位於鄉下或是小鎮裡,通常靠近野外地區或是農場,住校的學生都有大學社區的觀念。鄉村的校園提供許多戶外的學習機會,像是山林管理或是環境科學,校園內也會為學生提供交通工具。

城市的校園建立在有集中式大眾交通工具的城裡,許多學校提供實習及合作教學這類校外實際學習機會來探索真實世界。城市大學擁有多種校內外的娛樂,可吸引不同文化的學生。

郊区大学集合了城市及乡村大学所有的优点,大眾交通工具很便利。由於郊區的校園和相鄰的城鎮一般都有聯繫,所以在附近都有工作及實習的機會。

主修及其他机会

大學主修是你著重的科目,並將會花大部分的時間來研讀。許多學生以為在申請大學前就需要決定主修,但實際上,你有足夠的時間來決定你的主修。在許多四年的大學裡,你可以在大二時決定你的主修,而很多學生轉換主修不只一次˳以下的问题可以帮助你发掘你的兴趣及主修:

  • 你在学校有没有特别喜欢的科目?
  • 你在课堂外喜欢做些什么?
  • 你对某个职业感兴趣吗?
  • 你对学士学位以上教育有兴趣吗?
  • 哪一个主修可以帮你完成你的目标呢?

另外,你需要調查一下大學內有沒有研究或實習的項目。因為這兩樣對於大學生來說是很好的學習機會,可以得到相關科目的實際經驗,還可和教職成員或產業研究人員一起研究尖端企劃,为你的履历表上添光。有了这样宝贵的经验,可让你在毕业后找工作中极具竞争能力。

校园活动

社交也是大學經驗裡很重要的一部分,所以你應該在你想進的大學裡發掘學生的活動。校內有很多場合可以認識新朋友,包括希臘組織(Greek组织),运动,校园组织,活动及传统˳例如,大學通常會提供不同層次的運動,如果你想延續高中時最喜愛的運動,你可以參加同校或社團的隊伍。此外,參加社團及學校組織是一個很好的方法,可幫助學生發掘新興趣及發展對未來有益的技巧。

所有的大學都有它們的好處,所以你應該保持開放的心態,並問問你的朋友或學校輔導老師來分享他們的大學經驗。記得,有很多很棒的好學校適合不同的學生。


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