Shoot as many bows as you can . Dont worry about brand name buy what feels and shoots good. I would suggest using a pro shop to get you correct measurement for draw. Also a good proshop can help you get your bow tuned with all the accessories on it eliminating a lot of headaches. The extra money spent is woth it in my opinion for a novice shooter. Also dont buy a bow with too much poundage. Some people fall into a macho sterotype that more is better, it aint necessarily so.