Elementary and Middle School seemed to be a breeze. High School upped the ante and proved to provide somewhat of a menial challenge. As High school comes to a quickly approaching finish, it's time to decide on the big one…College!!! Choosing what college you want to go to is an enormously personal -- and often stressful -- decision that teens and their families have to make. So, if you are either of the latter, this article may help you. The objective of this expose is to give you a structure that will help you in choosing the college that is right for you.
There is an essential bit of advice before we begin: It's paramount to start this process as early as possible, if at all possible in the junior year of high school or earlier.

Step 1: Decide on what you might like to major in or study in college. Many students enter college as “undecided,” and that's all right, but if you have an idea of a career or a major, that information will help in finding colleges that offer or specialize in that field. You might like to try some career assessment tests to assist you with this step.

Step 2: Create a list of criteria you want to use to evaluate different colleges. For example; Do you want to live far away or close to home? Do you want a small college or a major university? Do you want to go to a historical or traditional college? How much does the school costs? Below is a list of general criteria:
 degrees offered

 majors/minors

 location (rural or urban setting)/distance from home

 size of the student population (from small at 1,000 to large at 35,000+)

 public vs. private

 costs (tuition, room and board, etc.)

 financial assistance packages

 campus resources (labs, libraries, computer access, etc.)

 graduation rate/time

 placement success/internship and co-op programs

 accreditation

 class size

 faculty contact/classes taught by full-time doctorally qualified faculty  quality/reputation/ranking

 degree of pressure to excel

 safety (campus, community)

 student body (diversity, gender, etc.)

 social life (Greek organizations, sports, school spirit, etc.)

 religious affiliation/independent

 housing options (dorms, apartments, living at home)

 realistic entry expectations (based on typical student admitted)

Step 3: Develop a list of possible colleges and universities. Having at least some idea of the criteria that are important to you, it is time to begin the gathering phase. You can find college information in books, such as The Fiske Guide to Colleges, which you can find among other college books in our Teen Books section. Another resource are college-related Websites, such as TheAdmissionsOffice.com. Find that Website, as well as many others, in our College Planning Resources for Teens. You will surely also get suggestions from family, friends, and high school teachers and guidance counselors. You should also consider attending college fairs, where you can actually meet representatives from the schools, as well as gather important literature.

Step 4: Collect all your information and resources about each school you're taking into consideration. One great resource to consider, especially if you don't have all the information you need on a particular college, is visiting the college's Website. Most colleges today offer some sort of virtual campus tour, so you can get a glimpse of the look and feel of a college from the comfort your home.

Step 5: Using the criteria from Step 2 to narrow down your list of colleges to a controllable number. This number will vary widely among teens and their families, depending in part on how many you and your family can realistically visit. Most experts suggest narrowing the list to 10 or fewer, but we have known some students who had close to 20 colleges after completing this step.

Step 6: If you can, try to visit the colleges on your list from Step 5. The best way to really get a feel for a college is by visiting the campus, taking a tour, meeting with students, attending a class, reading the campus newspaper, eating in the cafeteria, and spending the night in a dorm (if possible). You have to feel "at home" at the place where you will spend the next four years of your life, so visiting is important. If some schools on your list are just too far away to make a trip, then at least take a virtual tour of the campus and try to talk to people who have attended the school to get a feel for it. One place to start is CampusTours.com

Step 7: Apply to the schools that made the cut after the first six steps. How many schools should you apply to? Of course, this decision partly depends on your financial situation (since most colleges have application fees), but most teens generally apply to one or two dream or "reach" schools (where they have a small chance of getting admitted based on a realistic appraisal of admissions criteria), two to four schools where they want to go (and can expect to be accepted), and at least one "safety" school (where they are a shoo-in for admission). But you need to choose the number and type that are right for you; some people don't apply to safety schools, and others apply to only the best schools that have made the cut from the first six steps.
Step 8: Start researching Scholarships. While you're waiting to hear back from the colleges you applied to, start hitting the books or the Web to find scholarships (if you need them). If you are not able to receive or find a scholarship, research grants and financial aid.

Step 9: Make a final choice among the schools that accepted you. If you applied for financial aid, take a close look at the offers. If the school you really want to attend gave you a low aid offer, you should consider contacting the school and making a counter offer and see what happens; many schools have become more willing to negotiate in this area.

Some other good Websites that focus on choosing a college:
How to Apply to College: Choosing a College -- from Educaid.com Think College Early Massachusetts -- from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. Finding the Right College -- from collegeboard.com. Finding the Right College Program -- from CollegeView.com.