Explore Your Interests
Once you start thinking about your interests, you can begin matching them to potential careers. Take advantage of student activities, volunteer opportunities, part-time jobs, "job shadowing," and internships to discover what career areas interest you. Use online career-planning programs, such as ACT's DISCOVER, to help you match interests with career ideas.

Get Organized
Start collecting the appropriate forms for financial aid and college applications. Inquire about specific application requirements and related deadlines. To find answers, search the Web; visit your school or public library; and consult your guidance counselor's office. Keep a calendar with all your important test and application deadlines.

Talk to Your Parents
Barron emphasizes that a student's search for the right college involves the whole family. "The process of defining your values and selecting the appropriate college can redefine family relationships if approached openly and constructively by both students and parents." Time at the dinner table and in the car during college visits give families the chance to share their values. "Students can talk about what they want, and parents can comment on whether they'll pay for it!" Barron says. "You need an open, honest communication line to work through these issues. That may be the most important advice I have to give."