Wes: Given the number of high school students I see, I didn’t need a reminder that December is the beginning of college decision season. But Kyra offered me one anyhow, when she texted me that she’d received a big scholarship to Emerson College in Boston, one of her top picks. The next day we learned that one of our 2014 Double Take runners-up was admitted to Cornell and another to Harvard.

Alas, while it is impressive and necessary, getting into college is about 1 percent of the battle toward getting out. Over 40 percent of the 2015 freshman won’t finish in six years. Many never will. Several variables separate those who finish from those who do not, and one of the most important is selection. As in dating, choosing a bad match for college can leave you lonely, demoralized and wondering, “How did I get here?”

So, here are my suggestions for how to make a good choice:

Know Thyself. Maybe the dumbest thing we do to our kids is expect 17- and 18-year-olds to make sensible college and career plans and then get them to sign loan papers that they can never, ever default on. But it is what it is, so to the extent possible, teens need to look at themselves and consider who they are and who they could conceivably become. This process is so complex as to require about a hundred 700-word columns. Suffice it to say that more than one parent has brought a teen to therapy or career coaching to sort all this out. In most cases it’s money well spent.

Don’t Follow The Crowd. There are many reasons to go to college. One of the best is to differentiate from your family and social group (read: become your own person). Thus, I suggest teens not go to the same school as friends or apply to a certain tier of schools (e.g., Ivy League, Big Division I, etc.) just because others did. Pick a school that fits you. If you don’t know who you are or what school that might be, lay out a year and work or go to junior college. Waiting to explore yourself at college can get pretty expensive.

Consider Your Mental Health (A Lot). Parents often say of the college decision, “We just want you to be happy.” Trust me, they don’t mean it. They really want you to be productive, have meaning and organization in your life, graduate, and not come home broken. It’s too easy for top students to select a prestigious school without considering the toll it could take on mental health. If you really want to live the life of the mind and push yourself hard, and you are reasonably resilient and tenacious, go for the gold. If you’re just living a dream — yours or someone else’s — wake up. Dreams don’t get you up for physics every morning.

Kyra: Considering how many college essays my friends and I have cranked out, I’m surprised we still have fingers and sanity. So, here’s my advice regarding preparation for college during the rest of senior year:

Don’t Check Out Second Semester. Most college applications are in by early January; the game’s not over. You’ll need second semester to prove that senioritis hasn’t gotten the better of you. Colleges can rescind acceptance if you drop hard classes, slack, or start skipping.

Keep Your Options Open. If you’re unsure about which college you should attend, meet the deadlines for all of them. It can be tedious, but if you decide last minute that a certain school really is for you, you won’t have missed your chance to apply.

Be Realistic. Too often we have an idealistic view of college: breaking away from families, exploring uncharted territory and “finding” ourselves and maybe a romantic partner. Unfortunately, there’s a little monster called “tuition,” and it — along with its sidekicks “housing and meals,” “fees” and “textbooks” — devours thousands of dollars fast. Apply for aid. Apply for scholarships. Get a job. And, if necessary, apply somewhere less expensive.

On the Air: Join Dr. Wes, Kyra and Katie Guyot at 11 a.m. Dec. 22 on Up to Date with Steve Kraske to discuss how teens can make a good college decision. We’ll be taking listener calls.

— Wes Crenshaw, Ph.D., ABPP, is author of “I Always Want to Be Where I’m Not: Successful Living with ADD & ADHD.” Learn about his writing and practice at dr-wes.com. Kyra Haas is a Free State High School senior who blogs at justfreakinghaasome.wordpress.com. Send your confidential 200-word question to ask@dr-wes.com. Double Take opinions and advice are not a substitute for psychological services.