I'm just going to cut to the chase and admit that I applied to lots of colleges because of their prestige and reputation. Or even arguably worse, I blindly applied to certain colleges because others told me to. I only started doing research on UCLA after I got accepted. Please don't be like this, seriously. There are certain factors that I think one needs to consider carefully before making his/her college list.
Many would tell you student loans were the worst decision in their lives. As the price of higher level education inflates overwhelmingly, you have to talk with your parents about your family's affordability. In my opinion, this is one of the most, if not the most important factor when it comes to choosing your college.
Additionally, the cost of education does not always reflect its equality. Bigger and supposedly more "prestigious" schools can definitely provide you more resources and networking but at the end of the day, it's what you do that matters, not where you go. You and I both know many successful people that went to lesser known and cheaper colleges. Again, grit matters.
Some of you already have clear career goals since freshman year while some are finding their vocations still. Anyway, you should have a broad idea of what you want to do. Consult with teachers, friends, family and even take some personality tests to narrow down your options.
Many people change majors in college anyway so you probably want to apply to schools that offer a wide range of degrees. If you really don't have any idea of what you want to do, community college is an excellent choice. Forget the social stigma that community college is only for "dummies", it is one of the best thing that ever happened in American educational system.
Another thing you want to look at is graduation rate and what students do post-graduation. Schools are required to provide these statistics so a quick search on their official websites should do the trick.
I applied to a lot of out-of-state colleges without realizing in the end that there was no way I was going to leave California. The area surrounding your school should suit your lifestyle. Additionally, some campuses are more dynamic or studious than others, so make sure you have plenty talks with the schools' alumni and have some campus visits to get an idea of their student bodies.
Also and make sure you can endure the weather changes if you study far away home. I applied to the East Coast schools while I need 2 blankets when the temperature hovers around 50 degrees. Nope. Definitely not a snow nor cold person.
Degrees only in America are apparently not enough for employers. They want experienced candidates, even at entry level. But how can fresh-out-of-college job-seekers have job experience already? Through internships and research opportunities for the most part. Find out about the schools' majors and what they have to offer to help you toward your career track. Personally, I applied as a pre-med student at UCLA because of the surrounding hospitals that provide lots of opportunities for UCLA students to volunteer and shadow physicians.