VOA教育报道2024--Top US Colleges Will Cost $90,000 or More; Most Students Pay Less

Top US Colleges Will Cost $90,000 or More; Most Students Pay Less

　　The cost of attending a top college in the United States could be as much as $95,000 this year. That total includes tuition¹ as well as meals and living space at the school.

　　But college officials say they are helping² students with financial support. And those from poor families may be required to pay only 10 percent of the costs.

　　Wellesley College, a private women's school near Boston, Massachusetts, will cost $92,000 for 2024-2025. The college's famous graduates include former First Lady Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and television broadcaster Diane Sawyer.

　　Philip Levine is an economics³ professor at Wellesley. Levine said the figure "clearly is a lot of money, and it catches people's attention, for sure." He added, "But for most people, that is not how much they're going to pay."

　　Wellesley says nearly 60 percent of its students receive financial aid. And the average amount of aid is $62,000, cutting the total cost by two-thirds.

　　For American students, the amount of financial aid makes a difference. This year, however, many are concerned because the U.S. Department of Education is having major problems with a new online form, called the FAFSA. The document helps students apply for financial aid.

　　One concern is that American-born children of undocumented immigrants⁴ must provide information about their parents. But the parents may not have the needed identity⁵ documentation or may be worried about showing themselves to the government.

　　Mark Kantrowitz is a financial aid expert. He called the new online process "an absolute⁶ disaster."

　　Kantrowitz said the problems might prevent students from applying for aid. That, in turn, could lower the number of students going to college and force some schools to close.

　　Levine of Wellesley said his research has shown that students from lower-income families have been receiving more financial aid over the past six years. But he worries that the difference between the advertised cost and the actual cost will keep some students from applying to top colleges like Wellesley.

　　Levine said, "People should be making educational decisions based on the actual cost they have to pay..."

　　Schools on the list of the most costly⁷ include the University of Southern California, Harvey Mudd College of California, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Dartmouth College and Boston University.

　　Other top colleges, including Columbia University and the University of Chicago, have not listed their cost of attendance⁸ but they could turn out to be over $90,000 as well.

　　Harvard University says its cost of attendance will be $91,000 next year. But the school notes that the average cost for families is only $13,000 and many pay nothing at all. Harvard can support many of its students because its endowment is more than $50 billion, the largest of any university in the U.S.

　　The College Board is a nonprofit education organization that conducts the SAT college admission⁹ test. The group's research shows the average cost at private colleges and universities last year was $60,000. At public colleges and universities, the cost was $29,000 for students from the same state; it was $47,000 for out-of-state students.

　　Kantrowitz said that although many receive financial aid, most students still need an additional¹⁰ $10,000 for college each year. "So families are forced to borrow that money or come up with that money from some other source," he added.

　　Even with the rising costs, Kantrowitz said he believes college is still a good investment¹¹ – as long as borrowing does not get out of control and students complete their studies.

　　He warns, "if you drop out, you have the debt, but not the degree that can help you repay¹² the debt."

　　Words in This Story

　　tuition –n. the cost paid for the classes given at a school

　　graduate –n. a person who received a degree from a school

　　apply –v. to provide documents in order to be considered for entry to a school

　　absolute –adj. the highest or greatest amount without a debate

　　income –n. the amount of money earned by a person or family in a year or period of time

　　endowment –n. the money a university or other organization has in order to fund¹³ its operations and investments¹⁴

　　admission –adj. describing the process of letting someone into a school or club

　　drop out –v. to leave a school without completing a study program and getting a degree

1 tuition   

n.（某一学科的）教学，讲授，指导，学费

参考例句：

• Students can apply for individual tuition.学生可以申请个别指导。
• Is this money enough for the tuition fee?这些钱交学费够吗？

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

4 immigrants   

n.移民( immigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Illegal immigrants were given the opportunity to regularize their position. 非法移民得到了使其身份合法化的机会。
• Immigrants from all over the world populate this city. 这个城市里生活着来自世界各地的移民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 identity   

n.身份，本体，特征；同一(性)，一致

参考例句：

• He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
• He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。

6 absolute   

adj.十足的；绝对的；不受任何限制的

参考例句：

• The first year of the course was an absolute doddle.第一年的课程简单极了。
• I look upon this as an absolute necessity.我认为这是绝对必要。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 attendance   

n.出席，出席人数，护理，照料

参考例句：

• The attendance of this class never dropped off.这个班的出席人数从未下降。
• The young man danced attendance on his rich aunt.这个年轻人小心侍候他有钱的姑妈。

9 admission   

n.允许进入；承认；入场费，入会费，入场券

参考例句：

• We attached a condition to his admission to our school.我们对准许他入校附加了一个条件。
• By her own admission,she was responsible for the accident.她自己承认，事故应该由她负责。

10 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

11 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。

12 repay   

v.偿还，报答，还钱给

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• I must repay her for her kindness.我必须报答她的恩惠。

13 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

14 investments   

n.投资( investment的名词复数 )；投资额；（时间、精力的）投入；值得买的东西

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile, investments are at great risk. 由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All their money was tied up in long-term investments. 他们所有的钱都搁死在长线投资上了。 来自《简明英汉词典》