After months of filling out forms and waiting, admissions decisions have been mailed out or viewed on online portals and scholarship awards and financial aid have been offered out. As May 1st looms ahead, it's crunch time for undecided high school seniors to choose a college. As a senior last year, I agonized over my decision, and didn't commit to my school until April 20th (just after having visited campus for the third time). Here are some tips for high school seniors just as indecisive as I was.

1. Check out the college's Instagram

Sure, most Instagram's are run by admissions in a PR sort of way, but people tend to take and post photos of what matters to them, and colleges are no exception. Look at the student engagement in posts, who is picked for student take-overs, or just get yourself ready for what your college looks like in the winter. If they say students like to sit on the green in the spring or engage in community service, do they have a lot of pictures that show that?

2. Take a look at your club options

College is hard work, and you're going to want to find good, supportive outlets to help you relax. Look at the college's website to find a list of clubs, and see if you can reach out to leaders of clubs you are interested in or check out their social media pages.

3. Get acclimated to the library

You're going to be spending a lot of time there. Make sure it has the resources and study spaces you need.

4. Look at the school's history, traditions, and mission

You may have heard all about these on your tour or looked it up before your interview or sending in your application, but it's not a bad idea to revisit the history and traditions of the college. Who has come for concerts or lectures or commencement? What annual events unique to the college are held? What is the college's goal in educating its students?

5. Look up your professors

How many are tenured or on tenure-tracks? Are you more likely to be taught by an adjunct, TA, or an actual professor? Your professors will be teaching and most likely advising you and can offer you a lot in terms of education and otherwise. Take a peak at their research or where they went to school.

6. Reach out to a student that goes to the college

Most students are happy to talk candidly about their college. Reach out to admissions to help you find someone who has similar interests as you, or someone who went to your high school that went to that college, or even reach out to someone on social media.

7. Look at what there is to do off campus, and transportation options

You will be spending a lot of your time looking at books and your laptop screen, and that will get tiring ver quickly. Look up what's available to do around you. If you like hiking or rock climbing or just grabbing ice cream or hanging out at the mall once in a while, look at how close those things to do are to campus. Can you take public transportation, Uber, or a Zip Car to get to these activities?

8. Go to an accepted student's day or stay overnight

If you live close enough to your top colleges to make this an option, definitely do it. The only college I stayed overnight at ended up being one I found I was very happy not to attend. This will give you the opportunity to ask questions, eat in the dining halls, check out what dorm life is like, get a feel for the class sizes and academics at the college, and connect with current and perhaps other prospective students.

9. Look up retention rates

Being a first-year college student is hard, especially if you're moving away from home. You have to adjust to being away from your friends and family, a new course and work load, living with people you don't really know, being independent, and making new friends. It's a lot. Wanting to transfer is very common for a first-year student to look into, but it's a good thing to know how many people actually go through with it at each college you are looking at. It's a good indicator of whether or not people like their school.

10. Join Facebook groups

You might not even have an account or haven't logged on in years, but believe it or not, Facebook is used pretty often by college students as a way to find events both on and off campus and connect with people in clubs or classes. Most colleges have a group page for accepted students, and this is a great way to introduce yourself and get a sense of who your peers might be and what their interests are.

11. Look at opportunities for internships and study abroad

Internships can happen at any time and in any of your college years. Look at what students do during their breaks and summers. See where the college has programs for study abroad.

12. Look at networking opportunities

Look at how often and willingly alums connect with current students. They can provide a wealth of guidance and opportunities, as well as inspiration. It's also just fun to look up well-known people who could have the same alma mater as you.