Always have a backup.

• Author: Shaevitz, Marjorie Hansen
• Position: Education - College admissions

NOT LONG AGO, applying to college meant spending time during the fall of your senior year filling out applications to a few universities-and then waiting to hear whether you were accepted. Once the acceptance and rejection letters came in, you decided which institution you would say yes to and showed up on campus the following fall. Many students never saw their chosen school until they moved into their freshman dorms or enrolled in classes. In fact, it never occurred to them or their parents that they should visit the schools. The admissions process was a lot simpler then.

Fast forward to 2013. Admissions now is one of the most anxiety-producing, confusing, and overwhelming experiences that high school students (and their parents) face, regardless of whether a student is at the top or bottom of his or her class. Because getting into--and attending--a name school has become an ego issue, admissions is one long, nail-biting experience. Students scramble to get the "right" classes; extracurricular activities; SAT, ACT, and Subject Test scores; and summer programs or jobs. Today, there are more applicants and greater competition for the same number of admittance slots, especially at highly selective institutions. Unlike a few years ago, students now apply to a dozen or more places all around the country. A grade point average of 4.0, SAT score of 2260 (or a 34 on the ACT) and many rock-solid activities often are not enough for Ivy League and other "super" schools. Moreover, less competitive colleges no longer are "sure things."

Deciding where to apply is the first important admissions decision students make. A good list should contain eight to 12 universities that fit a student's GPA and test scores, and also match his or her personal and financial needs. More than anything else, students should look for venues where they feel at home.

The selection process should begin and end with who an applicant is as a student and person, and what he or she wants from an undergraduate college experience.

The goal in creating a list is to identify schools that are "best" for the student, which may not be the "best" according to other people or to the U.S. News and World Report rankings. Students should try to avoid falling into the trap of thinking they need to attend the most prestigious school they can get into. A high ranking does not mean that its educational opportunities and lifestyle are right for any particular person.

A critical part of developing...