Best College Guides of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: Apr 24, 2023

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College Guides are essential tools for any student looking to navigate the complex world of higher education. These guides provide comprehensive information on everything from college rankings to admission requirements, financial aid options, and campus life. They also offer insights into the application process, including tips for writing personal statements and securing letters of recommendation. Many college guides also include profiles of individual colleges and universities, highlighting the unique features and opportunities offered by each institution. Whether you're a high school student just beginning your college search or a current college student looking to transfer or pursue graduate studies, a college guide is an invaluable resource to have by your side.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023: 9 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation) Cover #TOP 1
Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023: 9 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation)
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023 Cover #TOP 2
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023
ftb score rating icon 9.8
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Essential College Life Survival Guide and Graduation Gift for Students, Banned Book) Cover #TOP 3
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Essential College Life Survival Guide and Graduation Gift for Students, Banned Book)
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 College Guides

Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023: 9 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review
Jun 7, 2022
Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023: 9 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation) Cover
Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023: 9 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation)

The "Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep, 2023" is an all-in-one solution for achieving the highest possible score on the SAT. The guidebook includes nine full-length practice tests, subject reviews for every section of the exam, and techniques for scoring success. Additionally, the book provides access to premium online extras, such as SAT test-taking strategies, college rankings, and financial aid tips. The Princeton Review has been helping students succeed on standardized tests since 1981, and their expertise shines through in this comprehensive guidebook. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to ace the SAT and gain admission to their dream college.

Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023

Fiske, Edward
Jul 19, 2022
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023 Cover
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023

The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023 is a comprehensive and reliable guide for students and parents looking to navigate the complex process of college admissions. Written by former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske, the guide offers an insider's look at over 320 four-year schools in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland, providing candid stories, academic and social ratings, financial aid stats, and acceptance rates. What makes this guide unique is its self-quiz, which helps students understand what they are looking for in a college, and its exclusive "Best Buy" schools list, which highlights the top 20 institutions that provide the best educational value. Overall, the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2023 is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to make informed decisions about higher education.

The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Essential College Life Survival Guide and Graduation Gift for Students, Banned Book)

Cohen, Harlan
Sourcebooks
Apr 4, 2017
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Essential College Life Survival Guide and Graduation Gift for Students, Banned Book) Cover
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College (Essential College Life Survival Guide and Graduation Gift for Students, Banned Book)

The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College is an essential college life survival guide for students. Packed with real-life advice on everything from making friends to managing stress, this fully updated edition covers all aspects of college life. The book is hilarious, outrageous, and tells stories from students on over 100 college campuses. Harlan Cohen, the author, is a speaker who helps thousands of students, parents, educators, and professionals every year, and his experience shows. Overall, this book is a great gift for high school grads moving on to college and provides excellent insights into college life.

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2023: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

Tanabe, Gen
Tanabe, Kelly
Sep 6, 2022
The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2023: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes Cover
The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2023: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2023 is an excellent resource for students and parents looking for information on scholarships, grants, and prizes. With over 1.5 million indexed awards, this revised directory features more than 300 new listings, making it easier for students to find scholarships that match their career goals, major, academics, public service, talent, athletics, religion, ethnicity, and more. The book provides practical tips on how to conduct a scholarship search, write a winning application, and avoid scams. Overall, this book is highly recommended for anyone seeking financial aid for higher education.

#TOP 5

Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review
Dec 6, 2022
Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation) Cover
Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review ACT Prep, 2023 is a comprehensive guide that provides students with all the necessary tools to ace the ACT. The book includes six full-length practice tests, thorough ACT topic reviews, and extra practice online. The techniques offered in the book are effective and aim to help students avoid traps and beat the ACT. The book also offers tips for pacing oneself and guessing logically. The complete coverage of all test topics, including the reading and written portions, makes this book a must-have for ACT test-takers. The instant score reports for online tests and essay checklists are additional features that make this book unique.

Princeton Review SAT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review
Jun 7, 2022
Princeton Review SAT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation) Cover
Princeton Review SAT Prep, 2023: 6 Practice Tests + Review & Techniques + Online Tools (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review SAT Prep, 2023 is a comprehensive guide that includes six full-length practice tests, in-depth reviews of all exam content, and strategies for scoring success. It covers every facet of this challenging and important test, providing powerful tactics to help students avoid traps and beat the SAT. The book also includes pacing tips to help students maximize their time, detailed examples showing how to employ each strategy to their advantage, and valuable practice with complex reading comprehension passages and higher-level math problems. The drills for each test section, in-depth online score reports for all practice tests, and comprehensive subject review make this book an excellent choice for anyone preparing for the SAT.

#TOP 7

The Best 388 Colleges, 2023: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College For You (College Admissions Guides)

The Princeton Review
Franek, Robert
Aug 23, 2022
The Best 388 Colleges, 2023: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College For You (College Admissions Guides) Cover
The Best 388 Colleges, 2023: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College For You (College Admissions Guides)

The Best 388 Colleges, 2023: In-Depth Profiles & Ranking Lists to Help Find the Right College For You is a comprehensive guide to choosing the right college based on candid feedback from 143,000 students. The book provides in-depth profiles on schools, best-of lists by interest, and tons of helpful student-driven details. The ranking lists and ratings scores are based on students' opinions of academics, campus life, facilities, and much more. The book also provides detailed admissions information, including the "Inside Word" on competitive applications, test scores, tuition, and average indebtedness. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to find their best-fit college.

#TOP 8

Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024

Fiske, Edward
Jul 11, 2023
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024 Cover
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024

The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024 is the ultimate college guidebook for students and parents alike. With over 320 four-year schools reviewed, the guidebook provides insider information on each college, including quotes from real students and exclusive academic, social, and quality-of-life ratings. The guidebook also includes a self-quiz to help students understand what they are looking for in a college, lists of strong programs and popular majors, and indexes that break down schools by state, price, and average debt. The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024 is a must-have for anyone navigating the complex college admissions scene.

Princeton Review ACT Premium Prep, 2023: 8 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review
Dec 6, 2022
Princeton Review ACT Premium Prep, 2023: 8 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation) Cover
Princeton Review ACT Premium Prep, 2023: 8 Practice Tests + Content Review + Strategies (2022) (College Test Preparation)

The Princeton Review ACT Premium Prep, 2023 is an all-in-one solution for students seeking their highest possible ACT score. The book offers eight full-length practice tests, including four online, content reviews for all test sections, techniques for scoring success, and exclusive online student tools. The book provides powerful tactics to help students avoid traps and beat the ACT, tips for pacing themselves, and guessing logically. The book's exclusive online student tools include customized multi-week study plans, expert video tutorials, college admissions and financial aid tips, and more. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for students looking to ace the ACT and gain admission to their desired universities.

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2024: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

Tanabe, Gen
Tanabe, Kelly
Jul 18, 2023
The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2024: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes Cover
The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2024: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2024 is a comprehensive directory with information on 1.5 million scholarships, grants, and prizes. With more than 300 new listings, the awards are indexed by career goal, major, academics, public service, talent, athletics, religion, ethnicity, and more. The book provides all the necessary information for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, how to obtain an application, sponsor website listings, award amounts, and key deadlines. The guide also includes tips on how to conduct the most effective search, how to write a winning application, and how to avoid scams. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking financial aid for education.

Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best college guidebook?

Fiske Guide to Colleges 2021 by Edward Fiske For more than 35 years, Fiske's comprehensive college guidebook – which includes more than 320 four-year schools – has been updated yearly with quotes and info from real college students.

2. What are college guides?

Each year AICCU publishes a College Guide to California's Independent, Nonprofit Colleges and Universities. The College Guide helps counselors, students, and families learn about higher education options offered by the state's independent, nonprofit colleges and universities.

Editor's Notes

During our college guide research, we found 1,200+ college guide products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 19,732 customer reviews through our big data system to write the college guides list. We found that most customers choose college guides with an average price of $21.70.

Written by
Wilson Cook Avatar

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.