<p>As Northstarmom points out, some people know the ropes because its just informally learned in their family, others may need guides to the process. But I think an informed approach is better than the alternative in far too many cases in which people make ill-informed decisions. </p>
<p>How many times have we seen people post that so-and-so (teacher, counselor, student) says they're a "shoo-in" for an Ivy because they have a 1500 SAT? How many kids are fixated on the household-name colleges rather than taking the time to explore the college landscape and decide what's actually a good fit?</p>
<p>Some people buy a car without much consideration but because its trendy or catches their eye. I wouldn't buy a car without knowing something about the reputation of the brands and models out there, and I'd take a test drive before spending $30K. For a college education that can cost 4x this or more and is much more important than a set of wheels, I think the degree of due diligence should be even higher.</p>