Sitting in the passenger seat of my father’s old minivan, I looked out the window, watching the rain drops drip down.  At this point, we were about three hours into our trip up to Vermont, where I was set to do a college visit at the Community College of Vermont.

My father stated, “Well, we’re going drive toward Massachusetts. Do you want to see if we can make it happen?”

What my father was referring was a college visit to the Hallmark Institute of Photography, which has been a dream of mine since my freshmen year when I realized that my love affair with my camera was something I wanted a career out of.

Without even responding to his question, I looked up the school and called to make an appointment in two hours.

For me, and the 316 other members of the Class of 2015, deciding on which college to attend is a big decision with many factors.  Whether its location, money, or the majors, we all have problems to iron out in our plans.

Senior Carolyn Fitzpatrick, for example, has gone on three tours already: Ramapo, TCNJ, and Stockton, while Susan Snuffin has pursued sending applications to Stony Brook and Rutgers, New Brunswick.

Students are trying to find time in there busy schedules to visit as many colleges as they can.  Some colleges are close and can be done on a weekend trip and some are road trips like mine.  It is important to see a school so you really know if it is right for you.

We have spent our high school careers in preparation for college.  FitzPatrick told me that she has been focusing on creating her college resume.  She has been keeping track of her grades, collecting service hours, trying to bring up het SAT scores, and keeping track of all of the application deadlines.

Tours are planned, SATs are being taken, resumes created, and applications are being sent out.  Anticipation is rapidly growing for the acceptance letters so we can make the decision that will start our new lives.

The question is, “Are we ready?”