Weekly Address: A New College Scorecard

每周电视讲话：新的大学评分系统

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President announced the launch of a new College Scorecard, meant to help students and parents identify which schools provide the biggest bang for your buck.  Designed with input from those who will use it most, the Scorecard offers reliable data on factors important to prospective students, such as how much graduates earn, and how much debt they have when they graduate.  In an economy where some higher education is still the surest ticket to the middle class, the choices that Americans make when searching for and selecting a college have never been more important.  That’s why the President is committed to making sure there exists reliable information that helps students find the college that best fits their needs so that they can succeed.

华盛顿：在本周的讲话中，总统宣布启动一项新的大学评分系统，旨在帮助学生和家长挑选哪些学校的性价比最高。这一系统以最常使用的人们的需求来设计，评分为有前途的学生在多个重要方面提供可靠的数据，例如该校的毕业生能挣多少钱，毕业的时候身上有多少助学贷款债务。在这个国家，受过高等教育依然是跻身中产阶级最好的保障，那么，美国人民在搜索和选择上哪个大学就变得无比重要。因此，总统承诺将确保利用已有的可靠信息为学生服务，帮助他们找到最能符合他们需求，帮助他们实现人生成功的大学。

Hi, everybody.  Next week marks seven years since a financial crisis on Wall Street that would usher in some hard years for working families on Main Street.  Soon after that, I took office.  And we set out to rebuild our economy on a new foundation for growth and prosperity by investing in things that grow our middle class – things like jobs, health care, and education.

大家好。下周是华尔街爆发严重金融危机七周年，这场危机让中产工薪家庭在这些年过的很艰难。危机爆发后，我当选总统。我们制定了在新的基础上重建经济的目标，通过在促进中产阶级不断壮大的领域进行投资，如就业、医疗保险和教育等，实现美国的繁荣昌盛。

Today, our businesses have created more than 13 million new jobs over the last five and a half years.  The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in more than seven years.  Another 16 million Americans have gained health insurance.  Our high school graduate rate is the highest it's ever been, and more people are graduating from college than ever before. We are coming back – and stronger.

今天，我们的企业在过去的五年半时间里已经创造了1300多万个就业岗位，失业率也降低到七年多来的最低水平。有1600多万美国人民新加入医疗保险体系。我们的高中生毕业率达到历史新高，更多的学子从大学毕业。我们又回来了，而且变得更加强大。

Still, in an economy that’s increasingly based on knowledge and innovation, some higher education is the surest ticket to the middle class.  By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education.  That’s one reason why a degree from a two-year college will earn you $10,000 more each year than someone who only finished high school.  One study showed that a degree from a four-year university earns you $1 million more over the course of a lifetime.

然而，在一个不断依靠知识和创新推动发展的经济体中，更高的学历将是进入中产阶层最好的保障。到这个十年末，2/3的工作机会将要求更高的学历。一个两年的大专毕业证将让你比那些只有高中毕业证的人每年多挣1万美元。一份研究表明，获得四年大学文凭将让你一生中挣到100多万美元。

The country with the best-educated workforce in the world is going to win the 21st century economy.  I want that to be America.  But as college costs and student debt keep rising, the choices that Americans make when searching for and selecting a college have never been more important.  That’s why everyone should be able to find clear, reliable, open data on college affordability and value – like whether they’re likely to graduate, find good jobs, and pay off their loans.  Right now, however, many existing college rankings reward schools for spending more money and rejecting more students – at a time when America needs our colleges to focus on affordability and supporting all students who enroll.  That doesn’t make sense, and it has to change.

21世纪，拥有受过最好教育的劳动力的国家将赢得经济竞争的胜利。我希望这个国家是美国。但在大学的学费和学生的贷款不断上涨的情况下，美国人民在搜索和选择大学的时候就变得无比重要。因此，人人都应该可以获得清楚的、可信的、开放的与大学学费和价值相关的数据，比如说学生是否能正常毕业，找到好工作，还清助学贷款等。然而现在的很多已有大学评分系统让那些学费更高、入学率更低的大学排名考前，当下美国需要我们的大学更多关注学费的是否能让一般家庭承受得起，并让更多的学生入学。现在的状况让人不解，必须要改变。

So, today, my Administration is launching a new College Scorecard, designed with input from those who will use it the most – students, families, and counselors.  Americans will now have access to reliable data on every institution of higher education.  You’ll be able to see how much each school’s graduates earn, how much debt they graduate with, and what percentage of a school’s students can pay back their loans – which will help all of us see which schools do the best job of preparing America for success.  And to reach more folks, we’re working with partners in the academic, non-profit, and private sectors that will help families use this new data to navigate the complicated college process and make informed decisions.

因此，今天本届政府启动了一项新的大学评分系统，依靠今后会经常使用这一系统的人们来进行设计，这里包括学生、家长、以及相关顾问。美国人民将有机会获得关于每一所高等学院的可靠数据。大家可以看到每个学校的毕业生能挣到多少钱，他们毕业的时候有多少助学贷款，以及这个学校的学生还清贷款的比例是多少。这些可以帮助我们看清楚，哪个学校可以帮助美国在迈向成功的道路上做的最好。为了帮助更多的人，我们还与科研机构、非营利组织、私营部门进行合作，帮助相关家庭使用这些新的数据，梳理繁杂的大学入学流程，基于充分的信息做出明智的决定。

The status quo serves some colleges and the companies that rank them just fine.  But it doesn't serve our students well – and that doesn't serve any of us well.  There are colleges dedicated to helping students of all backgrounds learn without saddling them with debt.  We should hold everybody to that standard.  Our economic future depends on it.

现有的系统只是服务于少数高校和公司，让他们排名靠前。但却没有为我们的学生们服务好，也没有为我们大家服务好。有些大学致力于培养学生，无论他们是什么背景，让他们掌握知识，却不让他们背负贷款压力。我们应该让所有人都达到这样的标准。我们的经济发展未来就依靠于此。

This work is just beginning.  In the coming weeks and months, we’ll continue to improve the Scorecard based on what we learn from students, parents, counselors, and colleges themselves.  The goal is to help everybody who’s willing to work for a higher education search for and select a college that fits their goals.  Together, we can make sure that every student has the chance to get a great education and achieve their full potential.

这项工作刚刚开始。在未来的几个月里，我们将通过从学生、老师、顾问以及学校自身了解到的信息继续改进评分规则。目标就是要帮助每个希望接受高等教育的人都能找到并选择适合他（她）奋斗目标的大学。总之，我们要确保每个学子都有机会获得良好的教育，全面发挥他们的潜能。

Thanks, everybody.  And have a great weekend.

谢谢大家！祝大家周末愉快！