How do you determine which universities you want to apply to?

I am a high school sophomore, and I have no idea which universities I really want to apply to. I’m not sure what I want to major in, and I haven’t visited any universities. I have names of universities in my mind (Ivy Leagues and other top universities), but I don’t know how to narrow down my focus. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, and I haven’t taken the SAT/ACT officially yet. Do you have tips on what I should do first? And what did you narrow your college selection focus by? (I know that’s a personal thing, but I’d just like some ideas.) Sorry for the long post, and thanks for reading.

  1. First start by asking your parents how much they can pay for college and get a solid committment with a number. This will determine if you need to look for merit and need-based aid and which schools you need to target for your needs.

  2. You can ask for parents to start visiting some local universities first, such as a Large in-state public and a small private LAC. This will give you an idea of your likes and dislikes and most can trips can be done in a day. Always start with your in-state schools which will be the most reasonable in costs.

  3. This summer, start looking into some study prep for the SAT/ACT and take during your the beginning-middle of your Junior year. This will then give you plenty of time to study and retake again if needed.

  4. Do some research yourself on the internet by checking common datasets for schools of interest to find out unweighted GPA/ Test scores and acceptance rates for schools of interest.

Keep up your grades. Get involved in EC’s that you enjoy and work hard this next year.
Good Luck

Thank you @Gumbymom for the advice!

Sorry for the typos. GPA/Test scores/Intended major besides affordability will be the most important factors in determining which colleges to put on your list.