Help me educate my sister about college admissions and selection!

Quite honestly, I wouldn’t start anything at this point. She’s only just started high school. Make sure she’s taking a courseload at an appropriately challenging level for her, and encourage her to get involved with activities that interest her both in school and in the community and not to be afraid to try out new things. She has no grades or test scores, she is young and whatever ideas she may have about majors or colleges will probably change over the next few years. I would hold off on trying to make any kind of list at this point–I think it can only create stress and pressure to do things to look good to colleges at the expense of the exploration that will benefit her more.

I think the only thing she really needs to know now is that grades do matter and may restrict her options later, so she should work hard and take school seriously.