There are over 3000 colleges and universities in the United States. Choosing which one is right for you is no small task. However, if you begin this research process early in your high school career you will find that by the time you reach your senior year, your list will accurately reflect all of your dedication and research.

When beginning to think about colleges, you need to consider a wide number of variables that will take that 3000 total institutions and scale it down significantly to make this search more manageable. These variables include, but are not limited to, the following:

Ø      Location -- How far away from home are you willing to go? Remember that there are travel costs factored into the cost of college depending upon the distance involved.

Ø      Size -- Big or small school? Schools are generally classified as small (<2000); medium (2000-8000), large (>8000).  These figures represent the number of undergraduates on campus.

Ø      Cost -- A very large variable in the process for many students and families. How much are you willing to spend (and borrow) to go to the school of your choice?

Ø      Setting -- Do you like being in the big city? The suburbs (with access to the city?) Rural location?

Ø      Type -- Public or Private? Pros and cons to each with cost being a major difference between the 2.

Ø      Academic Major – Does this school offer your areas of interest?

Ø      NCAA Division I,II,III -- If athletics are going to play a major role, know the differences in these types of schools.

Ø      Religious-affiliation -- Is religious affiliation important? From both angles -- going to a campus that is connected with your affiliation or going to a campus that is religiously-affiliated and not being a member of that affiliation.

Ø      Co-ed or Single-sex -- Would you prefer a women's college?

Ø      Major/Academic Interest – Do they have the course of study you are interested in?

These are just some of the items to consider as you begin to create your list. You must also consider traits about yourself in selecting a college. Do you like personal attention from your teachers and small class sizes? If so, heading off to a large state university may not be an ideal setting for you. Are certain clubs, activities important to you? Make sure the college has them. Is your major offered there?

Now that you know what you like and dislike you can begin to put colleges on your list that reflect those interests. There are numerous resources available to you in reference books and on-line to help create the list based on these variables. The tools are discussed in the reference section.

The selectivity of colleges and universities can vary widely.  Your final list needs to reflect this so that you maximize your options.