Recommended Reading for College Planning
Navigating the college admissions process can be overwhelming for many families due to the abundance of books available on the topic. As part of preparing my curriculum for the Fall, I surveyed Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) to compile a comprehensive list of recommended college planning books based on their insights. Here are the top recommendations to help you make informed decisions about the college admissions process:
Winner:
Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo, September 2020. This book offers an in-depth look at the college admissions process, drawing on the author's experience inside three different admissions offices. It provides valuable insights into the complex factors influencing admission decisions, making it an excellent resource for students and parents.
Runner-Up:
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni, March 2015. Frank Bruni challenges the obsession with elite college admissions and encourages readers to focus on personal growth and opportunities rather than brand-name institutions.
Third Place (Tie):
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025 by Edward Fiske, July 2024. This authoritative guide offers detailed profiles of over 300 colleges in the US, providing valuable insights into academics, campus life, and admissions.
The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make by Ron Lieber, January 2021. This book provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the complex financial aspects of college education.
Finalists (Alphabetical Order):
College Admission Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing Colleges Who You Are and What Matters to You by Ethan Sawyer, July 2020.
College Match: A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You by Steven Antonoff, January 2022.
How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims, June 2015.
The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together by Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark, September 2023.
Valedictorians at the Gate: Standing Out, Getting In, and Staying Sane While Applying to College by Becky Munsterer Sabky, August 2021.
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetical Order):
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting into College by Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, Nancy Griesemer, and Joyce Vining Morgan, August 2023.
CollegeAdmissions Together: It Takes a Family by Steven Roy Goodman and Andrea Leiman, September 2007.
College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay by Ethan Sawyer, July 2016.
How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out) by Cal Newport, July 2010.
How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You're There) by Andrea Malkin Brenner and Lara Hope Schwartz, April, 2019.
How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, August 2006.
Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace, August 2023.
Soundbite: The Admissions Secret that Gets You Into College and Beyond by Sara Harberson, April 2021.
The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race by Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown, January 2024.
The College Conversation: A Practical Companion for Parents to Guide Their Children Along the Path to Higher Education by Eric J. Furda and Jacques Steinberg, September 2020.
The College Finder: Choose the School That’s Right for You by Steven Antonoff, March 2023.
The Inequality Machine: How College Divides Us by Paul Tough, September 2019.
This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life by David Foster Wallace, April 2009.
Your Turn: How to Be an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims, April 2021.
