When to start the college search?

When should you start thinking about your college search? There are so many "right" answers to this question. Ideally, thoughts of college should begin by freshman year, as you start to plan your high school curriculum. If you know that you want to go to college and you want the most options possible, you will want to consider taking the most challenging curriculum you can handle. You will also want to be involved in activities that you are excited about and interested in. You should spend your time in high school figuring out what you like to do, what you are good at, and what you have a passion for, not getting involved in meaningless club after meaningless club in order to pad your future college application. If you participate in things you enjoy, you will be working on your college search without even knowing it throughout your high school career.

With all of that in mind, your official "active" college search should begin during your sophomore or junior year. By active, I mean visiting colleges and reading about them. You'll want to give yourself this extra time so that you aren't jamming 20 school visits into a three week period between junior and senior year. Take it from me, you won't remember anything past the 4th school and neither student nor parent will appreciate one another's quirks by midway through week one of this ultimate road trip. Do some preliminary research during sophomore year so that you have an initial list of schools to visit in the year before you become a high school junior While this is the schedule I'd recommend, there are always ways to shorten, adjust, and abbreviate the process if you are getting a late start. No worries.

College sports will add a twist on this schedule, as you will read in a later post.

What is "college demystified"?

College Demystified is a mission. . . A sincere initiative to assist parents and high school students as they begin to navigate the college search, application, and admission process. This blog will serve as a resource for you as you embark on the college journey.

Questions you may have:
How many schools should I apply to?
How do I know which school(s) is/are right for me?
I want to compete in a college sport, what should I do next?
Am I being recruited to play in college?
When should I start the financial aid process?
Who should I contact at a school?
Where can I get in?