First, make a list of the variables that go into selecting a college, and then decide how important each one is to you. The following are items to consider in making a list of colleges that might fit. Rank these in their order of importance to you.

Academic Rigor

You may gauge a school’s academic toughness by looking at its “Profile for the Entering Freshman Class”, through which you can see the average scores on the SAT or ACT as well as the average range in G.P.A’s of the incoming freshman class.

Are you interested in being challenged by students who score higher than you or would you like the big fish role at a campus where most students didn’t do as well as you? Do you meet the admissions requirements (G.P.A, test scores, high school course work, and class rank)?

Geography/Location

Do you see college as an opportunity to flee the nest and live independently or would you be more comfortable, for now, being closer to home? Can you handle major climate changes- cold in the winter and hot in the summer? Do you want to be in a big city or a small town?

Size

Would you feel more comfortable swimming in a small pond or joining the masses in the ocean? Are small classes and more individual instruction, prevalent on small campuses, a desirable factor? Would you accept some large classes, where you’re likely to be just a number, in exchange for the wide variety of activities, culture, and social life that a major university offers?

Majors

This is very important if you know what you want to study. Determine whether or not the schools you like offer the major you are interested in.

Many colleges don’t require students to select a major until their second or third year. If you find this is your current thinking, you should investigate the values of a liberal arts education at a college or university. Experiment with different classes your freshman year and find your interests.

Housing and Campus Life

Want to live on campus or would you not mind if most students commute from home each day? Consider the quality of dorm life. Are special interest groups, activities, athletics and Greek life available if these are important to you?

Students

Would you like an even balance between the sexes or would you like to live on a campus where your sex dominates? Is racial and ethnic diversity important? How about geographic diversity? Some colleges get more than 90% of their students from their own state. Again, the “Profile for the Entering Freshman Class” can be a useful source.

Cost

How much you pay certainly will be important, but at this stage it should not be an overriding concern. Find the colleges that fit you best, regardless of cost, and compare their financial aid offers. Two points to remember: Most students don’t pay the published tuition cost and many colleges offer sizable tuition discounts to lure students they really want.