The best time to start planning for college is before students enter high school because there is more time to select a school that provides support and opportunities to expand on interests and abilities. All is not lost if you happen to start later. The goal is to start planning as soon as possible for the best results.

On the financial side, the earlier you can start your plan, the better. College is expensive, and the cost is steadily increasing every single year. Your strategy is key here, and the only way to help you with affordability.

Most people use a combination of grants, loans, scholarships, work-study, and savings to pay for college. I recommend taking stock of where you are and create a plan to secure whatever funding you may need. The goal is to lean on options that you don’t have to repay and if you must, try to borrow only what you can afford to pay back.

Family Discussion: What is the Future plan?? What is needed to get there? Who can help?  How far is too far? How much is too much? What schools are a good fit? How much money do we have? How much money do we need? What can we really afford? What career options are available to help us get a return on our investment?

Counselors: What kind of support will you provide to my child? What programs and options would you suggest? What events are coming up for families to start learning about the process?

Admissions: How can I learn more about your school? Is your school doing virtual tours and information sessions? How are classes being taught at your school right now? What is your plan for prospective students if COVID-19 is still impacting us next year? What are the requirements to get in? Are the requirements different from last year? What has changed? What do we need to apply?

Option 1: Do It Yourself with my app, workbooks, and worksheets (check my 🔗Stan Store System for all of my products and services). Or Option 2: If you want to create the plan of all plans: sign up for an 🔗 On Track Strategy Session for a personalized assessment and action plan that will help you get started with the planning process. Not sure where to start? Send me a message so we can discuss which option is right for you.