12 College Application Books to Help You Get Into Your Dream School

1. The Fiske Guide to Colleges

By Edward B. Fiske

The leading guide to four-year schools, “The Fiske Guide to Colleges” (2022) has been one of the go-to books to prepare for college over the last 40 years.

In this guide, you can find a quiz to help you determine what college is the right fit for you and a list of programs and majors with overlapping listings to broaden your options.

You can also find detailed information on the colleges, including financial aid and acceptance rates.

2. 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays, 5th Edition: What Worked for Them Can Help You Get into the College of Your Choice

By Staff of the Harvard Crimson

The essays in this collection helped their authors secure admission into Harvard and demonstrate various points you can use to impress with your own essay. In addition to real application essays, this book contains invaluable tips for standing out to admissions officers.

The collection highlights common essay pitfalls and sets students up to write stellar essays. “50 Successful Harvard Application Essays” (2017) is an excellent tool for students who don’t know where to begin.

3. Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions

By Jeffrey Selingo

New York Times Notable Book of 2020, “Who Gets In and Why” (2020) reveals the inner workings of the college admissions office. This invaluable insider information offers surprising strategies that can aid in your college search.

According to author Jeffrey Selingo, knowing your college’s admissions agenda may help you find the right fit and market yourself in your application.

4. College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay

By Ethan Sawyer

Written by the famous College Essay Guy, this book not only contains tons of essay writing tips but also includes writing exercises to help you craft the perfect essay. “College Essentials” (2016) also walks you through selecting an essay structure and revising and editing your application essay.

5. The College Bound Organizer: The Ultimate Guide to Successful College Applications

By Anna Costaras and Gail Liss

This No. 1 bestseller presents your need-to-knows and must-dos in a helpful workbook format. “The College Bound Organizer” (2017) prepares you to build a profile, develop a balanced list of schools, and secure letters of recommendation.

It also goes over how to complete applications and develop your essays.

6. The Kids Who Get In: A New Authentic Approach to College Admissions

By Daavi Gazelle

Daavi Gazelle’s essential guide aims to provide readers with a stress-free approach to the application process. “The Kids Who Get In” (2020) offers 20 successful applications from students through an admissions officer’s eyes, highlighting the process’s dos and don’ts.

Gazelle demonstrates that by highlighting real aspects of yourself, you can still be admitted without a 4.0 GPA or a laundry list of extracurriculars.

7. Valedictorians at the Gate: Standing Out, Getting In, and Staying Sane While Applying to College

By Becky Munsterer Sabky

Written by a former Ivy admissions director, this book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the admissions process. It addresses prospective college students and offers empowering advice while including humorous asides, avoiding the usual hum-drum reading found in many college application books.

Throughout “Valedictorians at the Gate” (2021), Sabky guides students to find the perfect fit for them — not where others think they should attend.

8. Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania

By Frank Bruni

The goal of New York Times bestseller “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be” (2016) is to center both parents and students during the frenzied, terrifying, and sometimes devastating process of getting into college.

Reminding readers that where you receive your degree doesn’t solely determine your future success in your career, Bruni works with readers to take the anxiety out of the college application process.

9. The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race

By Timothy L. Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown

This soon-to-be-released book (Sept. 2022) provides great insight to readers into the application process for Black families. Fields and Herndon-Brown strive to address concerns often neglected by school counselors and college application resources.

“The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions” also includes a list of best colleges for Black students, FAQs, and information on recruitment in specialized fields, athletics, and the arts.

10. Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps

By Alan Gelb

A top seller in the college prep category, “Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps” (2017) prepares you to craft a memorable personal statement.

Gelb’s encouraging step-by-step instructions educate students on how to find an engaging topic and use creative writing to bring their statement to life beyond the typed page. The book also guides readers in crafting supplemental and waitlist essays.

11. 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

Written by two leaders in the field, this book assists parents and guardians in the conversations needed between them and their college-bound students. The five sections of the book walk you through how to have discussions and guide your students through the college discovery process and the search for the perfect school.

“The College Conversation” (2020) then helps with having conversations about submitting applications, making the hard decisions after the admissions process, and preparing students for a smooth transition to college.

12. On Writing the College Application Essay: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice

By Harry Bauld

Though many find writing the college essay to be the most stressful part of the application process, “On Writing the College Application Essay” (2012) aims to provide prospective students with an insider’s guide.

In this book, you’ll learn to discover your authentic voice. Bauld provides students with tools to help them find original entry points into their essays and even advises them on what topics to avoid.