Who should I turn to for advice about my college search?

Think of the answer to this question as a circle. At the outer edges of the circle are some of the people closest to you—your brothers and sisters and friends. As a starting point, their advice can help you take the first big steps: the colleges they’ve attended might be a good place to begin your search. From them, you’ll probably also hear good tips, such as “choose a range of colleges,” “gather as much information as possible,” and “talk to experts.” To expand this search, you’ll need to rely on your high school teachers, who are often an excellent resource. Your teachers will have a reliable sense of your academic abilities and potential and colleges that will offer a good fit for both. As professional educators, they can also clarify commonly used college search terms, such as “prospective student,” and explain how colleges work, how you decide on a major, and much more. In addition, your teachers can share their own college experiences with you.

Because they can do so much, high school teachers move you closer to the center of the circle. Even closer, your high school guidance counselor can really help you go the distance. He or she can provide a full range of information thanks to an in-depth knowledge of the college search process. Your guidance counselor will connect you to key resources, such as college ranking and test-prep guides, college guidebooks, and useful web links. Above all, your guidance counselor can you give a truly professional and objective perspective, and help you map out every step you need to take.

At the center of the circle—and probably your best resources—are your parents and admissions counselors who work at the colleges in which you are interested. Your parents will play a fundamental role throughout your search and will be there for you wherever and whenever you need a hand. Admissions counselors will be very useful to you once you’ve narrowed down your choices to the colleges in which you are seriously interested. Once you’ve made that commitment, a good admissions counselor can not only provide general advice about your search, he or she can help you make a meaningful connection to the college of your choice.