When to Start the College Search

As children enter high school, parents often begin wondering when to start the college search. Usually a school's college counseling program has a formal beginning and end to the process, typically starting sometime in the junior year.

But parents may worry that by then, there won't be enough time to become familiar with all the different options, visit schools, and narrow down the choices to a reasonable number (say, ten). So, assuming a child isn't being pressured, there's no harm in starting the college search informally much earlier—in the freshman year or even in middle school.

One way to do this is by making a point of seeing any colleges that happen to be near home or the family's vacation spot. This doesn't mean signing up for formal tours, but rather simply driving by a school or around its grounds to take a quick look. Mentioning a couple of interesting facts about the college and restricting the number of school drive-by visits to perhaps one or two per vacation can help kids remember what they've seen.

Another informal way to start the search process with younger students is by asking them what part of the country they might like to attend college in or whether they've ever considered going abroad for their studies. Similarly, encouraging them to reflect on the kinds of places they feel most drawn to—such as urban versus rural environments, or big versus small schools—can be another unstressful way to start thinking about colleges.

The biggest risk to beginning the search process earlier than the junior year is that, despite parents' best intentions, students may end up feeling pressured. If this happens, it's probably best to forgo any future visits or conversations until the student either expresses an interest or starts the formal process at school.

Keep in mind that choosing a college involves many stages—things that seem important to younger students may be totally irrelevant to them a few years later. But watching how their thinking progresses over time can add interest (and fun) to the entire college search process—not just for parents, but for children as well.