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Welcome to the Choosing Phase of Your College Search!

It's time to start making your list of colleges! In the Choosing phase of the college search, you are not deciding which school you will attend; you are creating the list of colleges to which you will apply. Our experts recommend applying to about four to eight colleges. Our experts’ tips and tools can help you choose those four to eight schools.

Choosing your colleges and creating your list can seem complicated, because you’re looking for many different things in a school. And the things you want may not always match what your parents want or what you can afford. But don’t panic; we’ve brought tips and tools from the best experts together in one place to help you sort it out. We want you to find the colleges that fit you best.

One of the most important things our experts stress is this: don’t get your heart set on one school, because there are probably a whole bunch of schools out there that could be great for you, and your first choice isn’t always your best choice in the end. You have to consider a lot of different variables—affordability, size, selectivity, location, major programs, etc.—when choosing a school. And if you don’t have any idea what colleges interest you, don’t worry, our experts can help with that, too.

There are more than 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States. You are bound to create a list with several schools that match you well. You just need to start looking.

There’s no need to get overwhelmed—we’ve broken down the whole process for you.

How to Create Your College List

Our experts can help you:

• Decide what you want in a college by doing some self-evaluations.
• Figure out how much you can afford to spend on college.
• Start a list of schools that interest you.
• Evaluate and narrow down the colleges on your list.

By the end of the summer before your senior year, you should have your final list of colleges to which you will apply.

Worried you might have those parents who are going to drag you to schools you are definitely not interested in? Ask them to sign the College Admission Pledge for Parents.

Prove to your parents (and yourself) that you’re committed to finding the right school for you by signing the College Admission Pledge for Students. 

Myths About Choosing Colleges

Information adapted from The 75 Biggest Myths About College Admissions.

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Myth: Success in life depends on which college you attend.

Reality: It’s true that college graduates make more money than high school graduates, but success in life isn’t dependent on which school you attend as much as whether you graduate from college.

Myth: It’s a seller’s market in which colleges have all the control.

Reality: Considering there are more than 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States, it’s a buyer’s market, and you’ll be able to find a good fit.

Myth: Small colleges offer fewer opportunities than big universities.

Reality: ALL colleges offer a lot of different opportunities. Small schools are sometimes part of consortia that provide even broader opportunities. And it may be easier to start a new program at a small school. Big or small, check your options before you apply.