1.学术方面:
-课程挑战性大吗?课程分级合理吗?四年毕业的要求是什么?(例如,英语四年、数学四年等等,请罗列
The curriculum was definitely intellectually challenging and engaging. As for the structure of the curriculum, we have several required fields for graduation, including foreign language, philosophy and religion, global studies, math, science and history, but students generally have a great time in those courses and have the time to explore a fifth class each term.
-作业负担重吗?平均每天用来做作业的时间(包括检索资料)是几小时?第一年通常几点睡觉?高年级呢?宿舍有熄灯时间的约束吗?一般是几点?
My junior year, I slept an average of 4½ to 5 hours a night and pulled more than a few all-nighters. The workload is rigorous and the teachers are tough because they constantly push you beyond your limits. The professors are fair and you deserve the grades that you receive. Choate faculty expects only the best caliber of work from their students.
-中国籍的学生大概有多少?占国际生的大概百分比?同学之间的竞争激烈吗?关系是否融洽?
There are many Asian heritage students at Choate, but I am not sure if they are Chinese citizens. International students are around 10% of the student body, at least when I was there. Everybody supported each other at Choate, and the talented and caring people around me definitely made my high school experience the best it could be.
-主要学科老师的教学水平和关注程度如何?学业上的指导有力吗?ADVISOR的关注度(例如见面交流的频度等)如何?对自己是否有足够的帮助和指导?
Choate has a Capstone program, which matches one faculty member with the students interested, from 1 student to about 5 students. As long as the student is engaged and eager to communicate with faculty members, he/she would always get the help needed.
-每年中国籍学生的大学去向如何?例如,最出色的学生去了哪里,一般的学生去了哪里?
Choate students generally matriculate at top colleges in the country. I think every student is unique in their own way and there is no fixed caliber for excellence or mediocre, as long as they achieved their own goals and are content about their circumstances.
2.课外活动和社区:
-学校有哪些需要选拔的课外活动和社团?哪些社团被亚裔学生所追捧?大陆孩子一般选哪些社团?你能说说你选了哪些社团吗?
Choate offers a wide range of clubs. Choaties constantly are involved in engaging their fellow students and also impacting the world beyond campus. My most favorite memory was Harvest Fest, which is a club fair in the fall where Choate brings in an inflatable obstacle course and puts on a pie eating contest and other food stands in order to raise money and student participation in school.
-学校哪些体育运动项目较强?体育活动强度大吗?是上体育课的方式还是下午放学后强制运动2-3小时?各类运动队选拔的要求高吗?一般中国学生会参加哪些运动?参加运动队的学生的费用花销是不是要多一些?
Choate requires that you participate in either a sport or community service activity each term. In all the teams I participated in, regardless of the skill level, Choate teams are highly competitive. We have a great athletics program. Our sports teams work hard with whatever skill level they are at in order to improve and win.
3.学生管理和生活:
-学校的食堂伙食如何?是否偶尔有中餐或者亚洲餐换换口味?附近的小镇餐馆如何?购物方便吗?
Our dining hall is the center of our campus. During meal hours, it was the perfect place to socialize and catch up with friends and faculty. The food at Choate is quality. It definitely beats my college's food. The soups are to die for, amongst which are Italian wedding and butternut squash soup.
-短假学校会帮助安排吗?还是完全靠学生自己想办法?
I always returned home for break, as my family lives in the United States. I believe there are some programs that facilitate housing for international students over break, like host family programs, and the faculty, upon permission could also host students, but it has been very rare.
-学校会主动跟家长联系吗?通过什么样的途径?频度如何?如果家长的英语不好,学校会有什么办法?
Choate actively communicates with parents to discuss the student’s academics and social life. My parents received frequent emails about general school activities and letters and comments from my teachers. The teachers might also call to discuss more specific topics.
-上网方便吗?是否有关闭网络的时间?学生们通常用普通笔记本电脑还是用苹果的?宿舍有固定电话吧?你们通常用什么方式跟家长联系?你们都在美国当地办手机卡吗?有什么值得推荐的?
Choate has Wi-Fi coverage for most of its campus. International students usually Skype parents and/or call them on their phones.
4.申请过程:
-你觉得你能成功被录取的主要优势是什么?当年你在若干录取校中选择了这一所,现在你觉得你的选择是对的吗?为什么?
I think the reason that I had been accepted was that the admissions saw a good fit between the school and me. Choosing Choate was definitely one of the best decisions in my life. The tight community and excellence in teaching and learning cannot be matched even by some of the top colleges. I would urge more students to choose to matriculate at this fantastic community.