First - how much money do you have available? Do your parents have money set aside for you? How are your grades - will you qualify for scholarships? Do you have another skill that would make you eligible for scholarships - athletics, arts, etc.
The cost of education is a huge factor for many, from the local community college to the Ivy private college, the range in cost is HUGE. Lots of institutions can help you cover costs through Grants, Scholarships, and Loans... but remember that you have to pay Loans back. In-state tuition is typically much less than out-of-state tuition, so that's a whole other thing to consider. Knowing financially where you stand will help narrow your search.
Second - decide how far from home you want to be. Some prefer to be close to home, others want to move across the country. Having some sort of geographical bounders will help.
Third - think about your priorities. Do you want to focus on a major, an experience (ie Greek life), sports, fine arts, or maybe campus work options. Students that have at least one non-academic connection to their school tend to do better socially and academically throughout their college life.
Not sure what you want to major in? Do you have a couple stand out ideas? If you are truly unsure about your major, then I typically recommend a community college (unless you have another strong priority). Community colleges are a smart financial choice in knocking out some of those basic requirements for all majors without the huge cost and life change. You may choose a CC for one semester or up to 2 years to earn your AA/AS. Nearly every bachelor degree requires a college writing, math, science, and social skill type class. Depending on the college, other common requirements are a Foreign Language and Physical Education class.
