Whether you are about to graduate high school, or thinking of switching careers and going back to school applying to college can seem somewhat daunting. How to apply to college does not have to get majorly complicated, but there are a few guidelines to follow to get you started on a smooth path to success. Important things to consider are: desired location and field of study, out-of-pocket costs, grants, scholarships, and rate of acceptance to name just a few.

Generally, it is advisable to build a list of at least ten schools that you are very interested in attending, and then narrow down your choices from there and begin the application process for each. Do thorough research on each school you are considering and make sure you like the location and courses that each college campus has to offer. Do your best to base your decision of whether or not to apply to one school over another on your own educational wants and needs, not just because your parents went there, or all your friends are going there. If you can, go on campus tours of your top choice schools. Visiting a school is the best thing to do to really be able to envision yourself studying there.

Vary your list of selected schools in this way:

• Pick at least three colleges that would be your ultimate dream (these usually are extremely selective of their student intake and have a low acceptance rate).
• Choose three that match your academic records well overall (maybe not your favorites on the list but you will probably have a better chance of getting in).
• Lastly, be sure to list at least two safety schools in the event that you don't get in to any other schools on your list.

It is important to keep in mind that college applications are not free. So be sure you are applying to schools that you could really see yourself attending. If you are concerned about money there are many college financial planning services available to help you with things like applying for financial aid, grants, scholarships, loans, and more. To assure that you send in the best possible college applications give each one ample personal attention so that you are satisfied you are sending in a quality submission. The more personality a college application has, the better chance you have of it getting noticed by the right people

Does it matter what time of year you start applying to colleges? Definitely the best time to apply is as early as possible. If you do not know how to apply to college there are many resources you can turn to for help online. High school students in their junior year should begin the process of choosing which colleges to apply. Beginning with a list, students and parents should then collect brochures, discuss options with friends and family, and speak to college prep Los Angeles counselors to get a feel for what they want to go to school for and where they might like to attend.

For those students who are confident and ready to apply to colleges, early decision may be the best option. The acceptance rate in this first round of applications is much higher, however if you are accepted you must be absolutely sure that you want to go to that school. Upon acceptance you are then bound to attend that college. Early decision is a definite advantage for the right candidate. If you still want to get a jumpstart on your college applications earl you can go with an early action type of application which allows you to still apply very early but with a somewhat lesser acceptance rate due to the fact that if you do get accepted to a school, you are not necessarily bound to attend that college and may end up going somewhere else, if that is what you want. Both of these early applications are usually due sometime in November.

For all the procrastinators out there, you can still apply and get accepted to colleges through the regular decision application process. These are generally due by the first of the year and then you will know your application statuses by springtime. Acceptance rates vary by college and you can apply to as many as you like or can afford (some applications require a fee just to apply). It is all about personal preference which time you decide to start applying to colleges.

The earlier you begin your planning, however, the better chance you have at getting into the school of your choice. Maybe you are having a hard time figuring out what you want to do, and that's okay, too. Attending college is a major life decision and you want to be sure that you are not applying anywhere due to stress and pressure of deadlines alone. Take your time in deciding what may be the best fit for you so that once you get there you can be confident in your decision.