Making College Affordable Podcast

Saving money can be challenging, especially when you have kids, but knowing what kind of saver you are can help you improve your ability to save for all of life's financial milestones, including college. In this episode, Jason shares some insights from his Financial Planning Blueprint podcast on how to become a more successful saver. See which category of saver you are and how having that mindset can make or break your ability to pay for college in a comfortable manner.

Why is it that people think you can't negotiate the price of college? What places a university above all other businesses and financial transactions and makes negotiations off-limits with them? The answer is – nothing. College prices are negotiable just like anything else, but if you don't know that, you'll likely take whatever they offer and potentially leave a lot of money on the table because you didn't know any better. Listen in as Jason shares his proven strategies for increasing financial aid awards and for knowing how to lower your college bill simply by asking the colleges for more money.

Have you ever wondered which route was better, AP classes or dual enrollment? The answer may surprise you. Join Jason as he uncovers the differences between each option and shares the real reasons why one is more popular than another. If you're weighing the benefits and burdens of adding more rigor to your student's work load, this episode will give you exactly the insights you need to make a wise decision.

Just like with many other aspects of the college planning process, the whole SAT and ACT test requirement is a bit of a game. You have to understand the rules to the game in order to play well, and knowing which scores to report and whether to report any scores at all could make all the difference in getting accepted or winning a big scholarship. In this episode, Jason shares his insights on how to beat the colleges at their own game and get the best results possible with your SAT and ACT scores.

Jason has been getting a lot of questions lately about the SAT and ACT. Most of them have been related to, "When should I take it?", "How often should I take it?", and "Are my current scores good enough so that I don't have to take it again?" Jason addresses each of these areas in detail here. So, if you have any of these same questions, this episode is for you.

No matter how accomplished your student is or how many colleges are on his or her list, they're still likely to get accepted at some, rejected from others, and deferred by a few more along the way. In this episode Jason shares insights into why and how these decisions are made. If you've been deferred, this podcast will give you a huge advantage in knowing what to do in the months ahead and why it matters so much to your ultimate success.

Getting accepted to college and winning scholarships can be very exciting. Colleges know that, which is why they encourage you to sign up with them immediately after they've made their decision on you. What they don't tell you, however, is that there could be much more waiting for you if you simply take your time and stay cool. Jason shows you in this episode how the college acceptance and scholarship game is played so you can use these insights to your advantage and WIN!

Everybody tells you to save for college and retirement, but for a lot of people that's like telling someone how to ride a bike. What you really need is someone to show you how to do it safely and correctly so you can benefit from the leverage that new knowledge and skill provides.

In this episode, Jason shares the first episode of his new Financial Planning Blueprint podcast to help you do that with your savings. Between what he's showing you here about how to get the price of college down as low as possible and what he'll show you in the Financial Planning Blueprint Podcast about how to make your money grow, you'll be in the best shape possible to handle college, retirement, weddings, dream vacations, and anything else you desire throughout your life's journey.

Everybody likes an upgrade, right? Okay, so how do you get upgraded for college? It's through an often overlooked community known as the Honors College. In this episode, Jason shows you everything you need to know about Honors Colleges, including what they look for in potential students, what benefits they offer, and what students can expect as a member of a university's Honors College. If you've been looking for a way to get your kids a great college experience you can pay for without going broke, this episode could be just what you need to hear.