5 Best College Planning Books

If the idea of college planning overwhelms you, know that there are plenty of high-quality resources to help. The market is flooded with college planning books, so I’ve chosen what I believe are the five best college planning books to help you on your journey.

If you’re a parent of a high schooler, add these books to your TBR pile right away!

FIVE BEST BOOKS ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

Who Gets In and Why by Jeffrey Seligo

If you’re at the beginning of your college prep journey, this one should be at the top of your pile of college planning books. It will dispel myths and misconceptions about the college admissions process. Ultimately, it will help you learn the rules of the game so you can strategize accordingly.

Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Bruni

Bruni’s college planning book focuses on breaking the myth that only top colleges produce successful students. Furthermore, he attempts to dispel the idea of a top college altogether, noting that most students can be successful at a lot of different schools. Once parents and students release themselves from longheld beliefs, the college planning process is much less stressful.

The College Labyrinth: A Mindful Admissions Approach by Dr. Erin Avery

Now that you understand the game of college admissions and have divorced yourself from the idea that only big name schools are worthwhile, pick up Dr. Avery’s college planning book. The College Labyrinth will help you see the whole college admissions process as one of self-discovery and personal growth. With this mindset, the focus can shift to what is best for the student in front of you.

College Match: A Blueprint for Choosing the Right School for You by Dr. Steven Antonoff

While the graphics of this book are hopelessly out of date, the content is as relevant as ever. Dr. Antonoff offers a series of worksheets and reflections to help college-bound high schoolers make thoughtful decisions about what they are looking for in a college experience. The chapters are short and completed quickly, and all of the exercises are worth your time.

The Fiske Guide to Colleges

This annual guide has been an essential college planning book for decades. Each school summary follows a similar format, so it’s easy to get an overall sense of what each campus is like and to compare pros and cons of different schools. I especially appreciate the “similar colleges” comparison boxes; they are a great tool to learn about schools that may be new to you.

These five books about college admissions should give you a good idea of what today’s high school students face as they move into the next phase of their academic journey.

Looking for more personal direction than you can get from college planning books?

Does the idea of reading college planning books stress you out even more? Maybe it’s time to talk to a college consultant.

I offer a standalone College Overview Consultation that can help! In this consultation, the student, parent(s), and I will discuss the current college admissions landscape, start to think about what the student is looking for in a college, and learn strategies to take the stress out of this exciting but overwhelming time. It’s a great way to get everyone on the same page about college planning without any obligation of further services.

Interested? Click here to learn more or to book your College Overview Consultation today!