I've recruited international students for American colleges for more than a decade. Since I started working in Texas, I get asked the same question on nearly every trip abroad: "Are there a lot of cowboys there?" I usually laugh and say that cowboys are part of Texas' rich cultural past – and I'm quick to add that not many modern Texans wear 10-gallon hats and ride horses either. I like to point out that Dallas is consistently a top city for Fortune 500 company headquarters and that Houston Community College has one of the largest international student populations in the U.S. for a community college. And Austin, where I live and work, is the Texas capital, has a world-renowned music scene and is a technology hub for companies like Dell, Apple and Google.
我为美国院校招募留学生已有十几年了。自从我开始在德克萨斯工作，我基本每次出国都会被问及相同的问题：“你那边有很多牛仔吗？”我通常边笑边回答，牛仔是德克萨斯丰富文化的过往部分之一——我也会马上补充在现代德州带着10加仑大帽子骑着马的德州人并不多见。我还想指出达拉斯一直以来都是世界五百强公司总部驻地高发区，而休斯顿社区学院在全美社区社员中则拥有着最大的国际学生人数。另外，我工作和生活的地方，奥斯汀，是德州的首府，不仅有世界知名的乐坛，也是个科技乐园，像戴尔、苹果和谷歌公司都在这里。
Many international students who want to study in the U.S. tend to overlook that there is much more out there than what's frequently seen in the movies or on television. In fact, there are nearly 4,000 accredited American colleges that span all 50 states, from big cities and small towns to tropical paradises and winter wonderlands.
许多想赴美学习的国际生倾向于忽视的一点是除了常常在电影或电视中看到的城市，还有很多其他选择。事实上，在美国的50个州中有近4,000所公认的美国院校，从大城小镇到热带乐园和冰雪世界。
Here's how you can narrow down your college location choices – from the comfort of your own living room.
缩小大学所在地选择范围的方法是——从舒适的客厅开始。
1. Assess yourself: Be honest. What's most important to you about the city or town where you will study? Do you want, for example, a vibrant music or arts scene that could lead to internships or other connections? Do you want to be close to hiking, skiing or biking? Do you need sunshine? Will you want a market nearby that sells staples from your home country?
1. 自我评估：要诚实。对于你即将要选择去学习的城市或城镇什么才是最重要的？什么是你想要的，比如，可以带来实习机遇或其他人脉的张扬音乐或艺术场景？你想常常能够远足、滑雪或骑单车？需要阳光吗？想要附近有个市场能买到你家乡所产的主食？
Write down the qualities your ideal location will have. If you aren't sure, ask a family member or close friend, someone who knows you well, to help. Rank the characteristics on your list in order of importance.
写下你理想地点应有的特质。如果你还不确定，问问家里人或者死党密友，那些对你了如指掌的人，让他们帮你。把你列表上的特征按照重要性排序。
2. Do your research: Search the Internet for places that meet your top criteria. You might search for things like "best American cities for business majors" or "American colleges with religious diversity" or "most temperate towns in the United States." Jot down some of the locations that appeal to you and keep refining your search until you've got a firm idea of what parts of the country are a good match for you. And remember, it's okay if you've never heard of some of the places that turn up in your search results. Boulder, Colo.; Madison, Wis.; Charlottesville, Va.; Athens, Ga.; Austin — you probably haven't heard much about any of them, yet they all previously made a U.S. News list of great college towns.
2. 做调查：上网查查看那些地方符合你的标准。你可以像这样搜索，“全美商科最好的城市”、或是“宗教多元化的美国院校”、亦或是“美国最温和的城镇”。草草记下吸引你的一些地点然后精炼你的搜索直到你得到一个关于全国哪部分更适合你的坚定想法。另外，记得，如果一些你从未听过的地名出现在你的搜索结果中是没关系的。科罗拉多州的波尔得市、威斯康星州的麦迪逊市、弗吉尼亚州的夏洛茨维尔市、佐治亚州的雅典城、奥斯汀——你很可能以前没听过这些名字，但是这些城市都曾经荣登美国新闻优秀学院城镇名单。
3. Ask a friend, or a stranger: Email friends or relatives who are studying in the U.S. – or admissions counselors you might have met at your high school – and ask about their university. How many students go there? Is the campus in an urban area or a more rural area? Do most students live on campus or off? What's the winter like? What do they do on weekends? Is there public transportation, and is the location pedestrian-friendly? Even if you don't plan to apply for admission to one of these universities, learning about the types of American colleges will help you narrow your search. If you're looking for a big public university in an urban setting, for example, you'll find that there are many similarities among those campuses. The same is true for small, private colleges, liberal arts-focused schools and campuses tucked away in more remote areas.
3. 问问朋友，或者陌生人：给在美学习的亲朋好友发邮件——或者你在高中曾遇到的招生顾问——问问关于他们所上的大学情况。有多少学生？他们周末都做什么？公共交通怎么样，行人安全吗？即使你不打算申请其中的学校，了解美国学校的类型也是有助于你缩小搜索范围的。好比说，你在查找城市中的综合公立大学，你会发现这些校园大同小异。对于规模小的私立学校、专注于文科的院校以及各个校区分布遥远的院校也是同理。
4. Keep an open mind – and map: Like every student, every college campus has its own personality. Don't beat yourself up about finding the most perfect place in the country to study. The truth is, you will get a great education at a lot of different places. After your top two or three needs are met, be open to what a college has to offer. You never know what amazing opportunities might await in a town you've never even heard of.
4. 保持心态开放——和一张开放的地图：正如每个学生，每个大学校园都有自己的个性。不要苛求自己找到全国绝佳的学习生活城市。事实是，你将在许多不同的地方你都会得到很棒的教育。当你首选的两三项要求得到满足时，接受学校所提供事物。谁会知道在那个你从未听说的地方有什么惊人的机遇正等着你呢。
