The biggest obstacle for me was going through all the dull and dreary paperwork. I had the advantage of knowing exactly where I wanted to study, in which specific program and the application process for that was relatively easy, as was the admission, so what remained was getting all the bureaucratic things in order. Pay attention to them, they are very important. More important, though, is to get a sense of what it is you want to study and where. Have you looked into all possible places? Have you tried checking out colleges that offer very general education so that, for one or two years, you get an idea of what a Western education is like before you decide on something in particular? Once you get to the States, your impressions, motivations, and intentions may change.
