Your kid's college aid offer isn't final. In this Coffee Talk, Pearl and Andy walk through the actual negotiation moves that got Class of 2026 families more financial aid money — including a real case study where the first offer was nowhere near the final number.

Inside this episode:
• Why the standard financial aid appeal letter almost always loses
• How to find the right decision-maker at any college (and why it's not always the financial aid office)
• When future income changes count for your aid case — and how to document them so the office actually listens
• How recruited talent (music, athletics, academic) unlocks hidden funding pools most families never tap
• Real Class of 2026 acceptances — Yale, Princeton, Penn, Dartmouth, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Williams, Amherst, UCLA, UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, plus 20+ more
• Why most college rejections aren't about your kid — and what to actually do about it

If you're a parent of a junior or senior trying to decide whether college consulting is worth the money, this episode shows you what the work actually looks like.

For more information visit: LockwoodCollegePrep.com

#CollegeFinancialAid #CollegeAdmissions #ClassOf2026 #MeritAid #CollegePlanning #FAFSA