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When I worked in admissions, I could usually tell which students had really looked into our school and which had picked it off a list. The first group wrote specific essays. They asked good questions. And when they enrolled, they tended to stay - and make the most of the opportunities on and off campus. Good research doesn't just help you get in. It helps you end up somewhere you'll want to be.

Here's how I suggest going about it.

1. Start with yourself

Before you open a single college website, write down what you want. What subjects do you enjoy? Do you want a big campus or a small one? A city, a college town, or somewhere rural? How far from home feels right? Thoughts on potential major(s)? You don't need firm answers. A rough outline gives you something to measure schools against.

2. Do the research

Living in an age where most of the world's information (whether accurate or not) is at our fingertips is a mixed bag. There are two big mistakes I often see students make at the outset when they start thinking about building their college list: relying on rankings (see my other article on those), and relying on where other students from their high school are applying/enrolling. 

Simply put, there are better ways of going about this that will yield a stronger list of "right fit" schools when the time comes to apply. To start, I would recommend checking out Scoir. It's a free site that students and parents can use to find up-to-date information on thousands of colleges and universities. (I promise I'm not a paid shill for Scoir - I'm just genuinely impressed by their platform.) You can input lots of data points on what you're looking for in an institution (location, size, programs, financial aid, etc.) and it will show you potential schools that might fit the bill. Princeton Review and U.S. News have solid information as well, but take their passion for rankings with a grain of salt.

3. Check the real cost early

Another common mistake I see students make is when they look at the "sticker price" (the total cost of attendance - tuition, housing, food, fees, books, etc.) and immediately write off a school. I don't blame them. Paying $100,000 a year for anything is an impossibility for most. But the truth is that the sticker price is rarely what families pay. Most colleges have a net price calculator on their websites, and sites like Scoir also have them. You can also use the Federal Student Aid Estimator. You might be surprised what these calculations reveal. Depending on your family's situation, some private colleges with high sticker prices turn out to cost less than public options.

Unfortunately, different institutions can have widely varying financial aid policies, but part of my work with students and parents focuses on considering financial need and financial aid opportunities as part of the process from the start.

4. Reach out to colleges directly

Every college has an admissions office with a team of folks that exists largely to be subject matter experts about their institutions so that they can answer your questions. Make the most of that. Check out the admissions websites for colleges you're interested in. Often times, you can find the direct email address for a representative who is specifically assigned to your geographic region. If not, there will likely be a general admissions office email address that you can send questions to. You can ask them anything about their college. If any of your questions are beyond the scope of the admissions team (sometimes they don't know granular details about specific classes and departments), they will probably direct you to someone who can help.

And for any students brave enough to pick up a phone, admissions office phone numbers are usually listed too. (And get this - most of these offices will make a note in your file that you called and asked a question. That's considered "demonstrated interest," which can be a big plus at certain schools when your application is eventually reviewed!)

5. Keep notes as you go

Make a simple document or spreadsheet with one row per school that you can update as you learn more about them. Note what stands out, the estimated cost, and any questions you still have. These notes become the raw material for your interviews and "Why this college?" essays later, and they make it much easier to compare offers in the spring of senior year.

6. Aim for a balanced list

A good final list usually has eight to twelve schools: a few where admission is a reach, several where your chances are reasonable, and a few where you're very likely to get in. Every school on it should be one you'd be glad to attend, no matter what category they're in. And remember: reach/target/safety schools can be different institutions depending on the student. And that's completely okay.