An essential resource for college preparation.The ideal guide for students looking for the best college to suit their needs, Preparing for College helps them evaluate their strengths, interests, and goals in order to find the right educational fit. This accessible, all-in-one resource guides students with everything from choosing a college and undergoing the application process to uncovering the financial resources to pay tuition and expenses and adjusting to the academic and personal challenges that first-year students face. The authors use their decades of college experience--both as students and as professors--to offer illuminating and reassuring advice to prospective college students and their families. With an emphasis on successfully navigating the high-pressure college application process and dealing with the stress of balancing college and family life, Preparing for College explores practical techniques to help students identify and concentrate on their most important considerations.A handy "Appendix of Online Sources for College Planning" provides links to up-to-the-minute information on the many facets of college planning as well as listings of the organizations mentioned throughout this comprehensive book.Topics covered include: