<p>I want to choose a college and I have no idea how to approach looking for one. Everytime I look in a database, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of colleges available to me. How do I start looking??</p>
<p>Start defining your main priorities in a college. If you don't know what these are, go visit a few that are close (state school, liberal arts college, large campus, small campus, liberal/conservative, commuter vs. campus school, urban vs. suburban, etc.). You will probably realize that some places appeal to you a lot more than others; think about what you like about those places and use those criteria to start narrowing down your list. A good place to start looking is within your state's public universities, since these will probably be your cheapest options. Your list may also narrow itself based on whether or not they are likely to admit you, so be aware of each school's admission standards.</p>