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Decidingfactors|挑选大学的决定性因素Distance.Howfarareyouwillingtotravel?Doyouwanttostayasclosetohomeaspossible,orareyouwillingtogofaraway?(Ifyougoareallylongway,considerthatyoumaynotgettoseeyourfamilyexceptinvacations.)Ordoyouwantsomethinginbetween?Location.Doyoulikebigcities,ordoyoupreferarural1environment?Orsomethinginbetween,likeasuburbansetting2?Whataboutadrastic3changeinclimate?Ifyou’velivedinthesouthallyourlifeandareconsideringacollegeinthenorth,you’regonnaneedsomethingwarmerthanasweatshirt4withyourhighschoollogo5onit.Size.Somecollegeshaveovertenthousandsofstudents.Someonlyhaveafewhundred.Wouldyoulikeknowingmostofyourclassmates,orwouldyouratherblendinto6alargercampus?Wherewouldyoubestfitin7?Admissions8requirements.Collegesvarygreatlyintheirstandardsforadmission.Someschoolsarequitedifficulttogetinto,othersaremucheasier,andtherearemanyinbetweenthetwoextremes.Ifyou’renotsurewhetheryoushouldconsideraschoolbecauseofitsacademic9requirements,consultyourguidancecounselor10.Major11.Ifyoudon’tknowwhatyouwanttostudyincollege,don’tworry.You’rehardlyalone.Lotsofstudentsendupchangingtheirmajorsanyway.Youusuallydon’tknowhowtodecideononeuntilyoursophomore12year.Sojustpickaschoolthatoffersawidevarietyofmajorprograms.Cost.Costwilleventuallybeafactor,butdon’tletitbogyoudown13rightnow.Whenyou’restillveryearlyinthedecision-makingprocess,it’snotahugeconcern.Yes,collegecanbeexpensive.Butkeepinmindthatyou’llrarelypaythefullstickerprice14.Financialaidfromthegovernment,privatesources15,andthecollegesthemselvesisavailable16tocutthecostsifyouarequalifiedforit.Whenitcomestimetoapplytoyourtopcolleges,you’llhavechancetogetfinancialaidpackages17thatwillgiveyouabetterfeelforwhatyoucan—andcan’t—afford.Andthelast,youcanapplyforloanwithoutinterestandpayitbackaftergraduation.Tillthen,don’tsweat18ittoomuch.以下列举了挑选大学时宜考虑的种种因素。有些对你很关键，另一些则不见得。但这张清单应该能让你更明确：你该如何挑选一所心仪的大学？你希望从中有何收获？距离：你想走多远？是想尽可能离家近还是愿意远离家人？（如果真想远走高飞，就要考虑到除了假期，可能难得与家人谋面。）或者你来个折中？地理位置：你是喜欢大城市还是青睐乡风浓郁的环境？亦或是介于两者之间的郊区？你能适应天气的剧变吗？如果你一直生活在南方，却想考虑一所北方的大学，你需要一些更保暖的衣物而不仅仅是一件印有中学标志的棉毛衫了。学校规模：有的大学学生过万，有的则只有区区几百人。你愿意结识众多的同学还是想融于更大的校园？哪里更让你如鱼得水？录取要求：各大学在录取标准上彼此差异很大。有些大学门槛难进，有些则容易得多，另有许多大学标准介于二者之间。如果因为某所大学对学业成绩有所要求，你没把握是否应该将其作为考虑对象，咨询你的辅导老师。专业挑选：若你茫然不知在大学里想学什么，别担心。你不是惟一有此顾虑的人。许多学生最终都换了专业。通常到二年级你才懂得如何判断哪门专业适合你。所以挑选一所专业设置范围广的学校不失为明智之举。费用问题：费用也是最终要考虑的一个因素，但目前不要被它捆住手脚。当你处于决策过程的初期，费用问题关系不大。的确，上大学可能费用不菲，但记住按标价交纳全部费用的情况很少。如果你有资格获得来自政府、私人机构和大学本身的经济资助，可以减免一部分费用。如果你有机会申请一流大学，你有可能得到经济资助套餐。这样你会更清楚什么费用你付得起、什么费用付不起。退一万步，你还可以申请无息贷款毕业后偿还。在此之前，就不必多虑了。=========================