Getting Recommendations
See what your friends already own. They might have one to recommend. They may have dolls they love and dolls they wish they never bought, so they can give you great tips and warnings. They might also have one that you don't like, so that you definitely know you won't be getting that one.
Read online reviews of the dolls. What are other people who already own the dolls suggesting? And how good of a rating do the dolls have?
Doing Your Research
Check out a store, catalog or go to the American Girl website. In the store, you can see them in person to know for sure what they look like. Catalogs and websites are great, too.
Read some of the doll's books, if she's a BeForever (historical) character or a Girl of the Year. The books let you know about their personality, if that's important to you.
Borrow some of your friends dolls, if they have any. Try playing with their hair and playing with them in general. See which dolls you are starting to like and which dolls you know you don't want.
Check YouTube. They have great videos on how to care for your dolls, which can influence your final decision.
Making Your Choice
Decide whether you want a doll you can use in any particular way. For example, the short hair may look cute, but you can't do many hairstyles. Long hair is fun, but it can be tough to take care of.
Pick out the three or four American Girl dolls that you want the most. List them alongside why you want them and what you would name them (if they don't have names or you don't like the ones they have).
Consider the following questions: Do you want the Girl of the Year? She's only here for one year and you might miss the opportunity to get that doll if you wait too long. Do you want a doll that looks like you, just a pretty doll to add to your collection, or a doll that you can make up your own story for? If you say "yes" to any of these questions, a Truly Me doll might be the best choice. Do you want a historical doll with which you can reenact stories and past events, and make up your own?
Eliminate. Consider the following questions: Do you really want this doll? Do you have any other dolls similar to this one? Is she a Girl of the Year and will you regret not getting her? Is she probably going to be retired pretty soon? (You can figure this out by Googling when the doll was released. For example, Julie has only been out for nine years so they probably won't retire her soon, while Addy has been available since 1993, so she has a higher chance of being retired.) What are her ratings and comments on Americangirl.com?
Make the choice. After eliminating one, you're down to two or three and it's up to you to repeat these steps.
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