Why it’s important to fill out the FAFSA

There’s a very good – and amusing – book out called “Crazy U” by Andrew Ferguson that chronicles his family’s journey “through the surreal rituals of college admission.” I recommend it, even if you do nothing more than read the first chapter.
Chapter 1 introduces the reader to a famous (or perhaps I should say infamous) [...]

Why the SAT test is no longer the be all and end all it once was

This is the time of year when high school juniors are prepping to take the SAT test for the first time. Kids tremble at the mere mention of the SAT. Parents are just as timorous – concerned that if Suzie doesn’t get a good SAT score she’s going to be relegated to a factory line [...]

Why some parents pay more for college than they need to

It always surprises me how many accountants and financial planners come to us for college funding advice. You think they would know how to plan for and pay for college. But the truth is, they don’t get any training in this highly specialized area.
Most financial planners are trained that stocks and mutual funds are the [...]

Parents in Basking Ridge High School

Over 135 parents came to Basking Ridge High School to hear Ian Welham of Complete College Planning Solutions.

College Planning Workshop Draws Big Crowd in Bridgewater, NJ

I had been looking forward to our Bridgewater workshop for a couple of reasons:

We always get a good turnout in Bridgewater, and our hints and tips on college planning and college aid are well received (it’s always a polite, attentive and appreciative crowd).
We had a new testimonial video we were going to show for the [...]

FREE College Workshop in Bridgewater, NJ

A free community workshop for parents of college-bound high school students will be held at the Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center in Bridgewater, on Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 pm. The focus of the workshop is “7 Ways to Get Into College and Never Worry About the Costs,” and reveals what all parents [...]

Trend: College Students Turn to Social Media to Find Jobs

I supposed this should come as no surprise considering we live in the age of Facebook and Twitter.
In the olden days (2009), companies would send recruiters to college campuses, and students would sign up for interviews. The system worked great for both sides. Companies had a chance to interview hundreds of potential employees at one [...]

FREE College Workshop in Clark, NJ

A free community workshop for parents of college-bound high school students will be held at the Clark Public Library in Clark, on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 pm. The focus of the workshop is “7 Ways to Get Into College and Never Worry About the Costs,” and reveals what all parents of juniors, sophomores and [...]

Beware Potential New College Financial Aid Scam

Here’s a heads up for you…
It has come to my attention that a growing number of high school seniors and college students have been receiving a letter, via postal mail, from a group calling themselves the College Financial Advisory. They are requesting $59.00 to process an application for additional financial aid.
Unsuspecting parents may be duped [...]

College Workshop at Chatham, NJ Library a Success

Despite the fact that the seats were a little far away and the infrared projector pointer was on the fritz, the workshop at the Chatham, NJ public library was a success.
Around 40 parents — I also spotted at least one student — attended, to learn about college planning, college financial aid, and smart ways to [...]