Frequently Asked Questions

  • Many of the families we work with won’t qualify for “need-based” financial aid. We help these families by creating a plan that involves a combination of academic student positioning along with financial and tax planning strategies. Our higher income clients are often surprised to learn that with our strategic deep-dive into all the possible options their student can qualify for financial aid.

  • Yes! Some schools require need-based forms (FAFSA and CSS Profile) to be completed in order to qualify for merit based financial aid. There’s really no downside to filing these forms apart from the time it takes to do so.

  • Yes, but we help you put it all into perspective and consider all the factors. “Reach” schools might not be a right-fit school for the student. We make sure we discuss the fact that if they are accepted, a student choosing to enroll at a “reach” school may have a difficult time building confidence throughout their college career if most of their peers are more academically gifted. That said, you may not qualify for any merit-based aid. We focus instead on identifying schools that are truly “the right-fit”. We do recommend having at least one “safety” school on the list that has a well above average acceptance rate, just in case. This often provides a measure of comfort to students and families.

  • Yes, we can help your student find grants and scholarships. There are three types of grants or scholarships. There are those awarded by the federal and state government- which are mostly need-based; there are those offered by the colleges and universities; and there are private scholarships that are offered by clubs, foundations, corporations, and other organizations. We help students search for as many of these as possible based on their unique strengths, ethnicity, major, geographic location and a myriad of other qualifying factors.

  • A good number is between 6-10. Applying to more than 10 is typically not necessary. However, you want to apply to enough schools with the strategy that at least one will offer a strong financial aid package. Even if the best aid package is not from your first choice, you may be able to use it to leverage a better deal from the school(s) at the top of your list. We can show you how.

  • Working with us will give you the knowledge, expertise and proven strategies most people don’t even know exist! Utilizing a combination of these strategies can tremendously benefit your family and your pocketbook. The services that we provide are designed to relieve you from the stress and anxiety that is typically associated with the college journey. It is extremely valuable to have an adviser working on your behalf of you and your student throughout this process.

  • Many college advisors, counselors and consultants only focus on the academic side of the college process- school selection and the admissions process. However, that’s only one side of the college journey! The other is how to pay for college, and what you can do to pay less for college. As certified college funding specialists, we help students and families with both the school selection and admissions process AND expert college financial aid and funding guidance as well. We feel it’s crucial to address both sides of the college equation.

  • Absolutely! College is the second highest expenditure for many families, next to the purchase of their home. Have you ever purchased real estate without seeking the advice of a professional? Of course not! Paying for college shouldn’t be any different. There is crucial information you need to know about the dos and don’ts and proven strategies that can help you pay less for college.

  • The earlier the better! Sophomore year of high school is the ideal time to start working on your college plan. That said, juniors and early seniors make up the majority of of our client base. We even work with students already in college to help them increase their aid packages to make the rest of their college years more affordable.

  • We recommend you start getting a feel for nearby campuses as early as freshman year of high school, with a goal of finding preferences for size, location (urban vs. rural), etc. Scheduled, more formal visits should not be done until a targeted list has been created during junior year. This avoids spending excess time and money visiting colleges that may not be a good fit or that may not be financially feasible. Visiting colleges while their classes are in full swing is always a better option than during summer, so that students and parents can get a feel for the campus while classes are in session. April vacation of Junior year in high school is a great time for targeted college visits.