Malia Obama navigating college decision-making process

WASHINGTON -- Michelle Obama's message for high school seniors fretting about their college prospects is simple.

Do your research. Visit college campuses. Sit in on classes. Talk to professors, graduates and students. In the end, picking a college "is a very individual decision."

The first lady could just as well have been talking to her older daughter, Malia, who is expected to head off to college next fall with the Class of 2020.

The 17-year-old is among U.S. high school seniors who are nervously taking standardized tests, completing college admissions applications, filling out financial aid forms and writing personal essays - all on deadline. Then they get to spend a few months waiting to find out if they got into their dream school.

Malia has some advantages, though. What school would turn away a president's daughter?

She also doesn't have to worry about how to pay for her college education, unlike many of the students President Barack Obama and his wife regularly encourage to pursue post-high school education.