Some rumors about the costs of college are true. For example, some colleges this year will establish record highs in tuition and fees. But does that mean you can trust everything you’ve heard? Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Ann Garcia to bust some pervasive myths about how to pay for college.

What are five myths that are busted in this episode?

Myth #1: We're not poor and our student isn't an athlete, so we're stuck paying full price for college.

Myth #2: I have a 4.6 GPA so I will get merit scholarships wherever I apply. 

Myth #3: My Student Aid Index/EFC is what it will cost me to go to college. 

Myth #4: Full pay students shouldn’t bother filing the FAFSA.

Myth #5: We shouldn't save for college because we will get more financial aid if we don't.

MEET OUR GUEST

Ann Garcia has helped thousands of families save millions of dollars on college. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed "How to Pay for College" and a sought-after media guest who's been quoted in the New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and Money magazine, to name a few. Ann recently launched an interactive online course to help parents (and their advisors) affordably build savings for college and apply for aid into their broader financial plan. As a parent whose twins just graduated debt-free from college, Ann's expertise expands beyond FAFSAs and 529s — she understands the emotional components of helping your child set and achieve goals for their future. Outside of financial planning, Ann is an avid runner, skier, and fan of middle school rock concerts.

Ann can be reached at howtopayforcollege.com.

LINKS

How to Pay for College: A complete financial plan for funding your child's education

RELATED EPISODES

HOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE

FOUR SCHOLARSHIP MYTHS

WHAT IS A NET PRICE CALCULATOR?

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.