I’m a junior. I know about all the requirements for college, I’m taking my SATs soon. But, I’m still kind of confused when it comes to how to pick a major or where I have to send my information, but I HAVE NO CLUE where to find the applications! HOW DO I SEND THEM? WHERE? HELP!
If you’re a Junior, you need only worry about actually applying your Senior year. Applications become available toward the beginning of your Fall semester, and dependent on the school, will close at varying times throughout your Senior year. Almost all this information can be found under the undergraduate admissions portion of whichever universities you decide to apply to. Typically, everything is done online - you just fill out the forms and submit your essays through a site (either the university website or something like the Common Application,) and then have your scores submitted through the testing agency (done online at the time of taking your test or later at an extra price.)
Each college has an admissions website with instructions, the application, and often a timeline. Many colleges take the Common Application.
Go to the library and get a book like The College Solution _ or _adMission Possible, and start reading. Everything’ well-explained. 
Then get a book like the Fiske Guide, Insider(s Guide to the colleges, or Princeton Review’s Best Colleges, and read about colleges in your state as well as nearby states. Then expand your state. Remember that for public colleges, instate is cheaper UNLESS you get about ACT 30 or 32 (really difficult to do), that would give you the possibility to apply for merit scholarships at both in-state and some out-of-state universities, but for private colleges, if you live 400 miles away you actually get a little boost (unless we’re talking top 10.)
OK, deep breaths. You have lots of time.
First of all, have you registered for the SAT? Many Juniors take the May exam, and registration is due in April. (I’ve been nagging my Junior homeroom for a few weeks now to register.) You can register at the College Board site.
OK, here’s the good news: While you’re new to this, the guidance office in your school is not. When you get to school tomorrow, make an appointment with your guidance counselor.Tell him you’re interested in starting the college search process. He should be able to advise you from there.
You’ll want to start narrowing down the list of schools to consider. Here are some of the parameters my 16 year old son is working under:
- He knows he wants to go away. But not TOO far. We’ve set a ballpark radius of 250 miles-- about 4 hours-- from home.
- He wants to major in Sports Management. So he wants a school that carries that major. Since you don't know what you want to major in, skip this step.
- We've visited 3 schools so far. He know nows that he'll be more comfortable in a school no larger than about 8,000 kids-- the second school we visited had that number, and he realized that it was about the largest he would want.
- Price is a huge factor. We can't afford anything more than about $30,000 per year, including room and board. His grades aren't high enough that he can count on merit aid, and both my husband and I make Long Island salaries, so it doesn't look like much financial aid will be forthcoming. (He'll still apply for anything he can, but it would all be a bonus.)
Take a look at the College Match link on the left. Answer the questions as best you can, and take a look at the schools that are suggested. Then change your answers a bit, and see what else comes up. Hit those websites, and start to compile a list you can run by your guidance counselor.