How to Start College Planning

College Board

  • June 16, 2026

 Step 1: Get Started 

Assess your strengths, weaknesses, goals, passions, learning style, and social skills. What is most important to you in the college-search process? What do you hope to learn from the process? 

 

Step 2: Make Some Basic Decisions 

  • Where do you want to live? 

  • Will you go to college full time? Part time?  

  • Do you want to attend a single-sex school, a technical college, a public or private college, a large university, a small liberal arts college, or a historically black or religiously affiliated college?  

  • Are there majors and opportunities that will lead to my potential career? 

 

Step 3: Enlist Help 

Who do you want to assist you in this process (family, teachers, siblings, relatives, friends)? 

 

Step 4: Consult References and Websites 

Look at college directories (College Board’s College Handbook, Barron’s, Peterson’s) and use college searches (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search). Visit the websites of the colleges that interest you. 

 

Step 5: Talk 

Discuss your goals and plans with your family, teachers, and school counselor. They can provide helpful advice. 

 

Step 6: Meet with College Representatives 

Visit with college representatives when they come to your high school. Make a list of your important questions to ask the representatives. Also meet college personnel at area college fairs. 

 

Step 7: Visit Campuses 

Try to go to the college campus and take a tour, meet with admission and financial aid representatives, and ask students what they think about the college. Can’t make the trip? Many colleges provide virtual tours on their websites. 

 

For more help staying organized and making smart college choices, check out the College Advising Essentials guides.

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