COLLEGE PLANNING
STUDENT LOAN DEBT
We want your kids to go to a school where they can thrive academically and socially. What we don't want is after graduation for your kids or you as parents to be burdened with a mountain of student loan debt.
The fact is the cost of college has increased far faster than our incomes. The cost of a typical four year education will now run between $100,000 and $300,000. As a result it is no longer a realistic option to work your way through school. Instead students and their families have had to turn to loans.
There is now $1.6 trillion in student loan debt. This is more than all credit card debt in the country. What can we do? Let us help you by shopping smarter for college.
How do we shop smarter for college? We become better informed consumers. In the world of college shopping that means getting an understanding of YOUR cost of college before you visit campus and apply.
Too many families don't know their cost until they receive their financial packages from a school in December of their senior year. That leaves little time to pivot and find other options the family can afford.
Ideally, you would have your list of schools that are also a financial fit before you ever go on campus visits or apply for admission.
YOUR TRUE COST OF COLLEGE
It's easy to find the sticker price of a school. This information is readily available online through numerous sources. But the price you pay may very well be different.
Your true cost of college includes knowing Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the cost of attendance and whether you are projected to receive any financial and/or merit aid.
What if you could take this information and compare to your financial resources to understand how much in loans you would need for a particular school?
FINDING SCHOOLS THAT ARE A FINANCIAL FIT
Finally, what if you could see the reality of what those loans will mean to your financial future? Once you get a feel for what you would be comfortable with you could
search on schools that meet specific criteria so you know which schools are a fit?
If you had this knowledge in your junior year you could put together a list of schools for visits. The best part? No more surprises in your senior year when you get the financial packages.
COLLEGE PLANNING PROCESS
We work with you from the time of beginning to select colleges all the way through paying for school.
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Junior year - collect personal information and begin developing list of financial fit schools
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Senior year fall - Meet to review FAFSA and college applications
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Senior year winter - Review acceptance letters and financial award packages
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Senior year spring - college decision and work through details of how to pay for college