Parents: If you had it to do all over again, where would you choose to go to college? Imagine yourself in your child’s position and think about what you loved about college and what you wish you could have changed. Now think about your child’s needs, wants and expectations.

Start out with a long list of 20 to 30 colleges. Don’t worry, you don’t need to visit all of them, and you will eliminate the ones that don’t meet your criteria. Cast a wide net in the beginning of your search, then do your homework on college Web sites and with guidebooks and begin to narrow the list.

Here are some important factors to consider when making your college list:

¢ Location/setting: Some students may crave known comforts, but most of them have at least a twinkle to set out on their own and try something different. While location is important, so is the school’s setting. This is why campus visits are helpful.

Things to think about: How often do you think you’ll want to come home to do laundry? What are the additional expenses of attending a college that will require you to fly back and forth? Many Southern students seem intimidated about heading north where cold weather and snow can last from Halloween to Easter.

¢ Size: Try to get away from stereotypes and blanket assumptions such as, “There’s nothing to do at small schools” or, “I’d just be a number at a big university. I’d never get to know my professors.”

Things to think about: Are you looking for an intimate environment? Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a bigger pond? There are a lot of wonderful mid-sized colleges – small, but not too small, and yet big enough to sustain clubs and sports. There are also honors programs at some larger schools that provide a small, private college feel.

¢ Public/private: Public colleges generally cost less than private institutions. Attending a public institution outside your home state will likely cost as much, if not more, than attending a private college. Private colleges tend to offer more scholarships.

Things to think about: It is usually a good idea to consider having an in-state college in the mix.

¢ Academics: Colleges list their strongest/most popular majors in the guidebooks, and admissions offices often will provide applicants with a breakdown of students by major.

Things to think about: Don’t discount a college because your major isn’t listed as one of the top three, but be sure to identify the strengths of different departments of interest.