The first half of high school is for exploring. That means developing your interests, and learning about colleges in a general way to start getting a sense of what you might want your college experience to be like. This summer is a great time to do your first campus visit. There’s no need to buy a plane ticket just for this purpose; instead, visit two schools of different sizes near where you live, or in two different settings such a school in the heart of a city and one more removed. Another option is to visit a college in or near a city you might be traveling to for vacation. To plan your visit, register for a tour on the admissions department’s website, and then check out his list of tips for making the most of a college visit.  (But don’t feel you need to do everything on the list, especially at this early stage.)