Getting Started on Choosing Your Colleges

It’s okay if you’re not sure what you want or how to start. In fact, it’s more common than you think. And it’s easy to feel stressed, since choosing the colleges to which you will apply is a pretty big deal. Take a deep breath—we are here to help.

So, how do you start your list of colleges?

Our experts recommend deciding on some general things you want in a college and figuring how much you can afford to spend per year before you start researching specific schools.

Figure Out What You Want

The best way to figure out what you need and want in a school is to start asking yourself some challenging but important questions.

• Take Fiske's Sizing-Yourself-Up Survey.
• Fill out the Summary of What I Want in a College.
• Not sure you want to go to college right after high school? Check out our gap year information.
• Not sure what "pre-" (as in prelaw or premed) means?

Figure out What You Can Afford

You also need to figure out how much you can afford to spend on college. Frank Palmasani can help you figure out what you can afford and find schools that fit you financially. Check out the Paying for College section for more information.