Good to know, and related to reducing college costs, what can happen if I live off campus?
You could save money by sharing a house or apartment with multiple housemates to cut down the cost of rent, and carpool to save on gas and parking.
Is there any way for me to research schools by actually attending them in person?
Most schools organize college fairs, which gives you the opportunity to talk to representatives from lots of different colleges. One example of a college fair is organized by the National Association for College Administration for College Admission Counseling