Once you've got an idea of what you're looking for in a school, check out this guide. College Prowler does a really good job of giving you an idea of what life at a school is actually like. There are student reviews on everything from the attractiveness of the student body to the quality of campus food to the weather. If you haven't already taken these things into account, you need this book.

If you're looking for an extraordinary college experience, check out the schools listed in this book. They may not be the highest ranked, but if you want something more than prestige, this will guide you in the right direction.

If you want to get into a good school, you'll need to do well on your SATs: that's where College Board comes in. Their official guides include real SATs to practice with. You should take at least one of them under real SAT conditions. It will help you become familiar with testing procedures and stay calm come test day.

If you're uneasy about taking the SAT, try out the ACT. I spent years planning and preparing for the SAT, only to realize upon a single testing that the ACT was a much better test for me. In that one test, I ended up doing much better than I ever had on the SAT. Plus, many colleges require either the SAT and SAT subject tests or the ACT, so it's worth looking into.

Once you've figured out where you're applying, spend some time going over this book to understand how to present yourself on your application. Your application is your chance to show the admissions office that you would bring something unique and special to their school, something other than test scores and GPA, and this book will show you how to highlight that.

Especially in the current economy, college is a big expense. This book gives a general overview of scholarship information - something definitely worth investing in.

This book actually was required for an intro class I took in college, and with good reason. It gives you a very good perspective about what you should be trying to get out of college, allowing you to recognize the world beyond the scramble for GPA. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the craziness of senior year, or are just stressing about freshman year, definitely spend some time with this book.