[ti:Website Helps Students Hoping to Attend College]
[by:www.21voa.com]
[00:00.00]更多听力请访问21VOA.COM
[00:00.16]When looking for stories with the words "college application help,"
[00:05.36]Google's search engine identifies over 500 million examples on the World Wide Web.
[00:13.24]It is hard to say how long it would take to look at all 500 million,
[00:19.04]but no one has that kind of time.
[00:22.00]Now, five higher education groups
[00:26.00]are trying  to make the college application process simpler.
[00:30.88]The five started a website – with the goal of providing
[00:35.32]all the college information students need in one place.
[00:40.28]It offers help to students and their parents as they learn about
[00:45.16]and complete the college application process.
[00:49.80]The website's address is www.steps2college.org.
[00:57.60]The site provides information about important dates
[01:02.48]the college admission process,
[01:05.28]help with application forms and sources of financial aid.
[01:11.60]Although designed for American students,
[01:14.52]it can be a big help to other students,
[01:17.32]says Laura Owen of American University in Washington, D.C.
[01:23.16]She directs the Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success
[01:28.60]at American's School of Education.
[01:31.76]"There is a lot of information provided -- in a single place," Owen said.
[01:38.32]American University helped to create the website.
[01:42.08]The other creators are the ACT Center for Equity in Learning,
[01:47.12]the American Council on Education, Success Better Make Room
[01:52.43]and the National College Access Network.
[01:56.28]The site offers ideas on how to avoid the kind of problems
[02:01.12]students often face when preparing for college.
[02:05.48]For example, one report examines what is known as "summer melt."
[02:11.48]That is term used to describe students who are accepted at a college
[02:17.04]and pay the required deposit,
[02:19.40]but then do not show up for the first day of class.
[02:23.56]The report says college administrators had long believed
[02:28.52]"summer melt" students decided to change schools.
[02:32.80]But researchers Lindsay Page and Ben Castleman
[02:37.12]found that many failed to attend classes anywhere that school year.
[02:42.88]The report goes on to say that it is likely that many students
[02:47.28]just were not aware of all the paper work required before the start of classes.
[02:54.32]This is especially true for those who completed high school
[02:58.52]and no longer could contact college officials for help with the process.
[03:04.20]The website also has information on how students can choose the best college.
[03:10.32]On October 4, the site will offer a "virtual college fair" of 100 colleges and universities.
[03:19.36]The event will give students and parents a chance to question officials
[03:23.80]and students from 100 schools.
[03:27.08]If that does not work, you can look up former students at your high school
[03:32.12]who went to a college you would like to attend.
[03:35.32]They are likely to honestly discuss their experiences, both good and bad.
[03:42.36]American University's Laura Owen says she likes
[03:46.36]that the website provides a "timeline" – one that organizes all steps needed
[03:52.40]to successfully complete the application process.
[03:56.96]I'm Bruce Alpert. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM