Try not to visit campuses during their summer or winter breaks. Carleton may be beautiful in July, but it's sort of an empty shell without the students here.

Don't pay attention to US News and World Report college rankings. What matters in a school is personality. If you like the personality of Carleton, or Wash U, or the University of Chicago, or Williams, or Harvard, better than the personality of Princeton, don't pick Princeton because US News and World Report ranks Princeton highest. At this level, you'll get a top-notch education no matter which one you pick. What you want is to get that education in a place where you feel comfortable and at home. No ranking algorithm can tell you where that place is.

Think very carefully about what you want the next four years of your life to be like. Even if academically a college seems perfect for you, it is also important to remember that only part of your time is spent in the classroom. Campus atmosphere, small-town vs. urban dynamics, and the support of staff/faculty are all relevant issues that are often overlooked, which can be a critical difference between an overall wonderful college experience and being miserable.

I believe that the people make the place. Take some time to talk to people at the college. Do these people make you want to further a conversation with them? Also, once you have a few schools in mind where you know you would succeed, it's okay to base your final school decision on little details that might be trivial to other people, but are somehow important to you.

Think about what kind of school you want to go to. Big? Small? Are they particularly good at teaching the subject you want to major in? Ask everybody you know for college recommendations. Listen to their advice, but don't necessarily take it. Seriously, check out the Princeton Review. You can survive the winter in Minnesota; it's not as bad as it's cracked up to be.

Find a school that stresses both intellectual and personal growth. College shouldn't just be seen as a necessary tool to getting you to the next stage of your career aspirations, but it should be a period in your life when you are challenged to learn more about yourself and how you impact the world around you.

When I looked at Carleton at first, I was sure I wouldn't get in. The students featured in the admissions materials seemed intimidatingly amazing. Don't limit yourself to those colleges where you think you'll get in easily, because you might be pleasantly surprised. Also, apply to schools that seem interesting to you regardless of how well-known they are – none of my friends had ever heard of Carleton, but now that I'm here, I can't imagine going to an East Coast school that everyone at home would have recognized.

When visiting schools, don't get nervous if you don't find that One perfect school for you. If none of your schools say "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ATTEND ME!" That's probably because you'd be happy at many places. What's important is finding the little things - the quirks - that set one small liberal arts college (or one huge university) apart from another.

Don't look at the rankings; they don't tell you what the best undergraduate education for YOU will be. Research every school and find the ones that fit your personality best. I've become a big proponent of the small, liberal arts education because learning should be a personal experience in which you make your decisions about how you see the world and what you want to do with your life. No numeric system can do that for you. Visit every school on your list!

If possible, visit schools you are applying to. Admissions tours will be great everywhere but nothing will be more valuable than interactions with the students. I recommend an overnight stay if possible.

Parents definitely have their own ideas and aspirations for their children when it comes to college. Follow what feels right and be yourself. I recommend visiting both small and large schools and staying overnight with students wherever you go.

Don't think too hard. Pay more attention to your gut, to your feelings.

It is important to take into consideration what you can get from the school, the professors, the programs, and the facilities. Looking over at what kind of classmates you will have throughout your college career should also be a crucial determinant of your college choice.

One of the most important things about looking for a college is to feel the vibe the college gives out. Most college websites will look the same and give the same sort of information, but some will strike out--and it's usually the one with which you can identify with the most.