Now is the perfect time to learn as much as you can about the colleges and universities you are considering.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, choose a school simply based on its name or on your brothers’ best friend’s opinion.
Do your own research. If possible, visit the campus. Go to an Open House. Get a feel for the campus and the people who run it. Can’t make it to campus, get online to check the majors and minors being offered. Check the demographics of the student body. Take a look at the student organizations. Find out the graduation rates. What’s the average class size? How many students study abroad? Have interesting speakers been on campus lately?
Simply put, get as much information as you possibly can about the school. After all, it will be home for the next four to five years.