What exactly does the process involve? There are four important steps in the college search process:

Step 1 – “What do I want?”

Doing self-assessments that include values, desires, interests, activities, geographic location, personality (yours and the college’s) are some of the important things to consider.

Step 2 – “What’s out here?”

Exploration and search is a critical part of the process. This involves creating a list of possible schools and seeking colleges that are the best fit. The student must become involved in the research to gain the knowledge needed for an informed choice.

Step 3 – “What’s right for me?”

Now that the research and self-assessment are complete, it’s time to sort out location, school size, academic program, college majors, athletic opportunities, sororities and fraternities, rigor, affordability and all the specific aspects of your personal college choice.

Step 4 – “Where shall I apply?”

Narrowing the list of colleges to 8-9 schools can be challenging for the student. Grades, test scores, extra-curricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, etc. all come together at this point in finalizing the colleges that might be best suited for the student. If the process has been well researched, it is easier to know what schools are the right ones for you.

From this point, the steps fall easily into place.