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So what big decisions have you had to make in your life so far? Is it something along the lines of which gym class you want to take, which songs to choose for your "favorites" playlist, or where to go with your friends for a night out? These are hardly as important as deciding where you'll call home for the next four years, not to mention how it will shape your future. Choosing the right college is perhaps the most important choice you'll have to make thus far, and it's solid, old-fashioned  

College research

  that will help you choose the right one.

Where to Begin
Sure, you can visit your high school counselor's office or surf the Web sites of some big-name schools to find info on them, but you'd be skipping the most important step in your university research -- figuring out what you want to get out of your college experience.

Believe it or not, by starting your College Research with some questions about yourself, you'll be narrowing down the thousands of school choices out there. For example, if you know what you'd like to major in, you can narrow your choice down to schools that offer that major. Another college research factor to consider is finances, and how much you can afford and/or are willing to borrow. Naturally, if you want to attend a lower-cost institution, public universities, community colleges, and smaller, lesser-known private schools would better fit your criteria than, say, an Ivy League. However, don't forget that financial aid opportunities are out there, so cost shouldn't be your only university research topic.

Next, consider if you want to live on campus or commute from home. Is there a particular area of the country you want to live? Do you see yourself at a large or small school? Or, do you prefer a more focused type of college, such as a religious school, Historically Black College, or a women's college?

College Research Underway
Once you've carefully thought about all of your options -- and of course, if you're not sure on some issues, that's OK, too -- you can then delve deeper into the university research process. This is when you'll start requesting information from schools, surfing Web sites, and talking to counselors, parents, and friends.




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Dawn Papandrea is the Managing Editor of The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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