How to start the college application process?

I'm a junior, and I want to start thinking about college applications. What's the first step I should take? I feel a bit confused with all the different parts. Any advice on where to begin would be awesome!

The first step in the college application process is to assess your own interests, strengths, and goals. A good starting point is to reflect on what you want to get out of your college experience—the type of education and majors you're interested in, the campus culture that suits your personality, and the career opportunities you'd like to pursue post-graduation.

After you've gathered some ideas regarding your preferences, you can start researching colleges that align with those criteria. College search engines or guides, such as CollegeVine’s school search tool, can be a great resource here. Filtering by attributes (such as location, size, major offerings, and campus culture) helps narrow down the pool.

Once you have a working list of colleges, start digging deeper into each school. Look at their course catalogs to align fits with your interests, read about student experiences to get a sense of campus life, and review the financial aid and admissions statistics. If possible, visiting some campuses or taking virtual tours can also be valuable.

Next, consider your academic profile: grades, test scores (for schools that aren't test-optional or test-blind), and extracurricular involvement. Compare your academic profile with the profile of admitted students at your desired schools to gauge your chances of admission.

Keeping an organized system will be useful as you progress. Start a spreadsheet to track deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and requirements for each school. This will help ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Finally, in your senior year, you'll begin the actual application process — filling out the Common App or other types of applications, writing essays, and asking for recommendation letters. You'll likely need to dedicate time in the summer before senior year and in the first semester of senior year to complete these tasks.

Remember, the process is a journey, so don’t worry if it feels overwhelming at first. Break the process down into manageable steps, and tackle each one at a time. Good luck!