When I look back at when I first started using Photoshop I am amazed how long I used the program before learning how to really use many of the tools.  As someone who jumped into graphic design and taught myself how to use programs like Photoshop, I often did things "the hard way".  As I become more familiar with Photoshop both exploring on my own and following tutorials, I learn more and more about ways to use tools. 

I created this compilation of tutorials about the selection tools to help new Photoshop users (and some long time users who may not fully understand these useful tools) understand how to manipulate these tools to work for them.

The selection tools are:

The Marquee Tools

The Lasso Tools

Quick Selection Tool

Magic Wand Tool

The Pen Tools

Extract

It is helpful to understand each one of these tools because different selection tools work best for different situations.  Before looking at each specific tutorial, here are a few notes that apply to all selection tools:

When making a selection, realize that sometimes it is easiest to select the background around the object you would like to select and then right-click and choose Select Inverse.

Most selection tools have a Refine Edge button in their menu bars that allow you to easily adjust the selection border for more advanced selection.