I have a senior in high school who is working on his college acceptance.  I have found that there is so much red tape involved.  First of all you have to take the SAT or ACT test in the spring of your junior year.  This is get your baseline score and let you know if you need to retake one or both tests.  I have found that you can retake the SAT and keep different parts of the tests with the higher scores.  This enables you to throw out the lowest score in a section.  If you do better on reading the second time and not on the math you can keep your math score and upgrade the reading.  I found this rather interesting.    After getting the scores you need for college entry and they range greatly.  Each college may require a different score for admission.  You have to keep your grade point average at 3.0 or better to have the best chance of admission.  The higher you grade point average the greater you chances of getting accepted.  Next when you don’t really know what you want to be, you have to start declaring a major.  This is the hard part most of us don’t know what we want to do the rest of our lives when we are 50.  After you presumably pick a major then you have to pick you favorite colleges.  Are you kidding,  this is impossible.  I have watched my son fret over this for hours.  I eventually stepped in and said has to be within 3 hour driving distance.  that helped reduce the number.  I have now to fill out tons of applications with these colleges, request transcripts be sent, send application fees, fill out financial questioneires, find time to visit , make sure he writes an essay, see about getting any scholorships, and go crazy.  Everyone thinks he is overwhelmed with the classes he takes and I am overwhelmed with this. I have now to make sure after next week when he retakes the SAT (after pulling teeth to get him to do so) that these scores go to the right colleges.  I am getting broke just paying for all the pre stuff you have to do.  The SAT and ACT charges 40.00 ea.  they charge a fee to send the official scores after the couple of free ones that is.  If you get accepted to one or all of the colleges you then have to see which one will help you get the most bang for your buck before you commit.  After you pick you have to let the ones you did not pick know so they don’t hold space for you.  I am going crazy,  When I get the rest figured out I will come back and continue.