Most high school students dread junior year. Not only is it one of the most difficult, but it is also one of the most important years when it comes to applying to colleges.

Students have to take the SATs, visit schools and make other college-related decisions. With so many colleges out there, how do you know which ones to apply to, let alone know which one to finally go to? Believe it or not, you can make these decisions stress-free. Here are a few simple steps for teens to follow that will make the whole process easier on everyone.

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Write down reasons for wanting to attend college. Though your reasons can be to become a doctor or study art history, they don't have to be limited to getting a degree. You might want to live in another part of the country or be in a community with a lot of artists. Then, prioritize the list of criteria. (Revise the list a few times during your search, since your priorities are likely to change.) By deciding what's important to you and what takes priority, it will be easier to find schools that interest you.And if this still sounds overwhelming, many students also factor in school size, location, academic philosophy, courses of study, reputation and extracurricular activities when applying to various colleges.•

Make a list of ideal colleges. Once you've established why you want to go to a school, try to find schools that offer what you're looking for.Michael Fleischner, vice president of college guide publisher Peterson's, says you should apply to between four and seven schools. You want to name at least seven schools, preferably more. Place schools that meet all of your criteria toward the top of the list and colleges that only have one toward the bottom.However, don't disregard the schools at the bottom of the list. What's important to you might change as you go through the process. If this school has a great architecture program and is within your price range (we'll get to that in a minute), it might end up being a better possibility than you first thought.•

Get information. See as many colleges as you can in person. Though a cafeteria might look really fun and full of life in an online virtual tour, you'll never get its real vibe until you have lunch there. While at the school, take advantage of it as much as you can. Take a tour of the campus, ask current students questions and sit in on a class. Some schools even offer a chance to stay in the dorms with a current student —- a great opportunity to experience dormitory life firsthand.Of course, if it's completely unrealistic to head cross-country just to visit one campus, a virtual tour is better than nothing. Also, many university Web sites include student pages and blogs by current and former students which can provide insight into campus life.Read the college paper online to get in the loop on campus happenings and issues. On top of that, there are numerous books and magazines that describe campuses and schools. College fairs enable you to pick up information and chat with alumni. And local alumni branches can put you in touch with previous students.•

Think about money. Figure out who will be paying for college. If you, the parent, will be paying for everything, establish how much you are willing to spend.If the student will be responsible for part of or all of his educational costs, he or she will need to figure out how to pay for it, such as taking out student loans, applying for financial aid or working a part-time job while going to school. Whoever is responsible, it's important to get an early start on researching financial aid since federal forms are usually due in January of a student's senior year in high school.In the end, be realistic about how much you want to spend on education. But if you love one school that is out of your price range, apply to it anyway. Check out fafsa.ed.gov for information on federal loans and college Web sites for financial aid information on individual schools. You might be surprised by how much merit-based financial aid you may receive and end up paying less than if you attend a state school.•

Narrow down your options. Now that it's time to figure out where you'll actually apply, take a look back at your initial list and assess if your priorities are still the same. If they're not, juggle your list as well as the ranking of schools.Also, you might be able to eliminate some schools based on what you found out when you were gathering information. For example, if you want to go to a school with a football team and found out that George Washington University doesn't have one, it would be a waste of money and time to apply there.Now is also the time to assess how your academic standing matches up with that of the university and how your financial situation factors in. Keeping all of these things in mind, you should now be able to select four to seven schools that you would like to apply to.•

Re-evaluate acceptance schools. After the applications were sent in and you've received your acceptance letters, there's one more big step: Deciding on which school to attend.Re-evaluate the schools you were accepted to based on your list of priorities and financial situation, considering how much financial aid you've received, student loans and whether you'll have to work during school. If you can, revisit the colleges. It might sound silly, but it's different looking at a school once you've been accepted, and a second visit can answer any last-minute questions or concerns.Whatever college you finally decide on, make sure that it is your decision and that you feel good about it. Don't go to a school just because a friend or even a parent wants you to go there. If you listen to your inner voice, you'll make the right decision for you.