A C172 LOW TIME PVT PLT GOES IMC IN VFR FLT 10 MI NW OF ORF; VA.

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ON AUG/TUE/03; I FLEW MY C172SP INTO IMC CONDITIONS. MY POS WAS 10 NM NW OF THE NORFOLK (ORF) ARPT. AS I APCHED THE CLOUD LAYER I REALIZED THAT THE BASES WERE LOWER THAN WHAT THE WX RPTED; SO I CALLED THE NORFOLK TRACON AND TOLD THEM I NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. I WAS IMC FOR ABOUT 1 MIN BEFORE I COULD STABILIZE THE ACFT AND ENGAGE THE AUTOPLT. I NOTIFIED ATC THAT I WAS READY FOR A VECTOR TO THE S. ATC TURNED ME TO THE S AND AT ABOUT 5 MI I WAS VFR BACK TO THE ARPT. I BELIEVE I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO DEPART VFR BASED ON THE CURRENT WX AND THE FORECASTED WX. HOWEVER; I LEARNED 2 VALUABLE LESSONS CONCERNING WX AND VFR FLYING. 1ST; NO MATTER WHAT THE FORECASTED CLOUD BASES ARE IN THE TAF; ALWAYS PAY ATTN TO THE DEW-POINT SPREAD AND USE THAT AS A CLOUD BASE ESTIMATE ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN THE AIR IS VERY SATURATED. 2ND; ALWAYS FLY THE PLANE 1ST AND COMMUNICATE 2ND. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED CLR OF THE CLOUDS BY TURNING 180 DEGS. AT THIS POINT I COULD CALL ATC TO MAKE A DECISION TO PROCEED TO MY DEST OR TURN BACK TO THE ARPT. I FEEL I WAS NOT IN ANY DANGER. THE PLANE WAS UNDER CTL THE ENTIRE TIME BY USE OF THE AUTOPLT AND WITH ATC'S HELP I CLRED THE IMC WITHIN 3-4 MINS.