The Scholarship GPS Podcast: Your Directions to a Debt-Free College Degree

Click here to learn more about the ACE (Access to College Experts) Network, where you will get expert guidance for college admissions, essays, test-prep, scholarships, and even dorm planning, for less than the price of a tank of gas!

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Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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Brianna Angelucci has worked in education for over 20 years, serving as a high school teacher, college professor, college advisor, and school district administrator. A dedicated lifelong learner, she holds a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and is currently completing her doctorate.

Brianna is passionate about helping students recognize and develop their strengths as they navigate the path to college and beyond. Her coaching is rooted in a growth mindset, offering firm yet supportive guidance throughout the college admissions process. Known for her keen attention to detail and ability to prioritize effectively, she provides in-depth essay support and personalized college application advising.

To stay informed on admissions trends, Brianna regularly visits college campuses and connects with admissions professionals. Beyond K–12 education, she has also worked extensively in higher education as an adjunct professor.

In our conversation, Brianna and I discussed:

How early students should students begin preparing for college admissions, and what should they be doing at each grade level.

The biggest mistakes students make with their college applications, especially the essay component.

What makes a college essay stand out today, especially with more test-optional schools and higher competition.

If a student feels ‘average’ or unsure what to write about, how to find a compelling story.

How college admissions is changing right now, and what should families be aware of going into the next cycle.

And much more…

To connect with Brianna, visit the Level Up Admissions Advising website or connect on Facebook.

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Lisa Marker-Robbins has a quick quiz that will help you understand where your 15–25-year-old stands in discovering their direction — and what simple next step can help them move forward with clarity and confidence.

This quick quiz will show you exactly what stage they’re in and what to do next to ensure they are on track to launch with confidence.

Click here to take the quiz.

Today, we are celebrating the 900th episode of the Scholarship GPS Podcast! Over the years, we’ve featured many insightful experts from the world of college and post-college planning. We’ve compiled a selection of some of the best advice from past episodes guests. 

Here is what you’ll learn in this special episode:

Reetu Gupta, Founder and CEO of CirkledIn, tells us about this exciting online student portfolio platform. Scholarship GPS has partnered with CirkledIn, and all NEW subscribers to one of the Scholarship Navigator programs will get a PREMIUM membership on CirckledIn included with their Scholarship Navigator membership. This added bonus gives students premium placement in college searches, enhanced visibility to college recruiters, notifications when colleges show interest, and the ability to create multiple custom profiles for different opportunities. Plus, my favorite, students get access to CirkledIn’s database of over 6000 vetted scholarships, which is updated DAILY. Again, NEW subscribers to any of Scholarship GPS’s Scholarship Navigator programs get the CirkledIn premium membership included. This is on top of the custom list of scholarships that we build for your student based on their profile, personalized help with scholarship applications and essays, access to the scholarship GPS video-based course, and much more. To learn more and to find the Scholarship Navigator program for your student, click the link for the Scholarship Navigator Program for your student:

Scholarship Navigator for Current College Students

Scholarship Navigator for the Class of 2026

Scholarship Navigator for the Class of 2027

Scholarship Navigator for High School Freshmen & Sophomores

Lisa Marker-Robbins shares her findings from a study of the 50 state flagship colleges about college major-specific admissions. With this free resource, you will be able to dive deeper into the college admissions process with a curated blueprint, designed to demystify how your teen’s choice of college major influences admission decisions and future options. Click here to get this incredibly valuable free resource! https://courses.flourishcoachingco.com/a/2147831697/PLHdxFCx 

Jackie Pollina of J&J Test Prep. Jackie shares her tips for how students can balance SAT & Act test prep with their other responsibilities, like school and extracurriculars, while still having a life. J&J Test Prep is one of the most respected test prep organizations in the country. If your student has completed the first semester of Alegbra 2, they are ready to prep for the SAT. To learn more about J&J Test Prep, click here. https://www.jjtestprep.com/satintensive-scholarshipgps 

Dr. Kellie Coppi of Say Yes to the Essay shares some advice around your student’s college admissions essays. Kellie is going to tell us why a student’s essay is critical for college admissions success. To connect with Kellie, visit her website. Or, to learn more about the ACE Networks (Access to College Experts), click here. https://sayyestotheessaywithdrcoppi.com/ https://sites.google.com/view/ace-network/faqs?authuser=0 

College financial planning expert, Luanne Lee, explains how changes to the student loan world could leave students without a way to pay for college beyond the second or third year. If you would like to connect with Luanne to learn more about planning to pay for college, visit her website. https://www.ycpcoach.com/ 

Class of 2025 grad, and winner of nearly $200,000 in scholarships, Victoria, and her mom, Nicole, explain the role of the Personal Narrative for earning scholarships.

Subscribe to our free newsletter, Your Daily Scholarship - now featuring a scholarship tip of the week! https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/ 

Click here to learn more about the ACE (Access to College Experts) Network, where you will get expert guidance for college admissions, essays, test-prep, scholarships, and even dorm planning, for less than the price of a tank of gas!

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Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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In this episode, I speak with Rob Schimenz of Stossel in the Classroom. Rob and I talk about their essay and video contests which are open to students in middle school, high school, and college, and have a prize pool of $28,000! 

This week's featured scholarships:

To get the free list of our recommended scholarship websites, go to https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-websites

To have all of our easy Winter Break Scholarships, along with the amazing 24-hour flash sale deals delivered to your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter, "Your Daily Scholarship" at https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

In today's episode, I interview Jennifer Fenitti from ScholarshipOwl to learn more about their scholarship, as well as:

The importance of forging an affordable path to college

Prioritizing applying for scholarships and jobs, not loans

Why ScholarshipOwl is such a powerful resource for students seeking scholarships

Why students should avoid taking out student loans, and the devastating impact student loans can have on borrowers long after they have completed their education

The impact of the “Big Beautiful Bill Act” on college students

Is college still worthwhile?

And more…

This week's featured scholarships:

To get the free list of our recommended scholarship websites, go to https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-websites

To have all of our easy Winter Break Scholarships, along with the amazing 24-hour flash sale deals delivered to your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter, "Your Daily Scholarship" at https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

Click here to learn more about the ACE (Access to College Experts) Network, where you will get expert guidance for college admissions, essays, test-prep, scholarships, and even dorm planning, for less than the price of a tank of gas!

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Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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Will Hoffman is a Financial Advisor with almost 23 years of experience,  and the founder and president of Hoffman Wealth Management, a firm working with busy families and active retirees, helping them navigate the complicated scenarios of their wealth while creating the life that they desire. He’s the host of the Wealth on the Move the podcast.  He is the Father of Liam, Miles and Nolan, and when he is not coaching their youth sports teams, he is an active marathon runner, completing 7 marathons all fundraising for either the Children’s Tumber foundation or NFCA of Pittsburgh. Two organizations that are dedicated to curing and helping people live with neurofibromatosis ,a birth affect that his oldest son Liam lives with.

In our conversation, Will and I discussed:

The incredibly short time horizon that parents have to save for their kids’ college, and how that compares to saving for retirement

529 Plans, Coverdale Education Accounts, and other college savings plans, including recent changes that parents need to be aware of

The potential half-million dollar implication of earning just $35,000 in scholarships

College savings options for parents of teens

The implications of borrowing from a parent’s retirement account to pay for their kids’ college

The implications of borrowing against your home to pay for college

How to think about student loans

And much more…

To connect with Will, go to HoffmanWealth.com.

And check out Will’s podcast, Wealth on the Move.

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Get our FREE Scholarship Guide for Current College Students here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/collegescholarships

Click here for Flourish Coaching's Free 2-Minute College Major & Career Readiness Quiz

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Click here to learn more about the ACE (Access to College Experts) Network, where you will get expert guidance for college admissions, essays, test-prep, scholarships, and even dorm planning, for less than the price of a tank of gas!

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Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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Dave Walker has helped hundreds of students achieve exceptional score gains, with the majority reaching the 90th to 99th percentile range. His approach combines expert feedback, targeted study, and deliberate practice—a methodology refined through years of working with ambitious, high-achieving students. This systematic approach has helped his students gain admission to highly selective universities, including Harvard, Stanford, University of St. Andrews, UPenn, Cornell, Georgetown, West Point, Purdue, and many other outstanding universities.

In our conversation, Dave and I discussed:

Is it really possible to meaningfully/significantly increase your score in under two weeks?

What would be the general game plan?

Is there a priority list of question types that can be mastered more quickly?

Is there a score range that’s more amenable to the type of quick improvement you’re discussing?

And much more…

Go to walkertestprep.com/scholarshipgps to get 10% off Dave’s SAT® Crash Course.

You can pre-order Dave’s new book, “SAT® Reading & Writing Mastery: Proven Strategies for Achieving 750+” here.

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Get our FREE list of recommended Scholarship websites here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/scholarship-websites

Click here for Flourish Coaching's Free 2-Minute College Major & Career Readiness Quiz

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Click here to learn more about the ACE (Access to College Experts) Network, where you will get expert guidance for college admissions, essays, test-prep, scholarships, and even dorm planning, for less than the price of a tank of gas!

----------

Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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Whitney Crowell of Launchpad Consulting. As a mom, Whitney was chief cook and bottle-washer, which was hard. But as a homeschooling mom, she was also a guidance counselor, which was a million times harder. During the 10

And somewhere along the line, people started to ask Whitney for advice. It seemed that in her quest to give her kids my best, she’d unwittingly gained a reputation as something of an expert on how to launch your teen.

In our conversation, Whitney and I discussed:

College admissions for “average families with average teens.”

The college admissions misconceptions that families in the middle need to let go of.

Some lesser-known strategies families can use to cut the time and cost of college without sacrificing quality.

The challenges that homeschool families face in the college application process.

And much more…

To connect with Whitney and learn more about how he works with students and families, go to yourguidancecounselor.com.

You can also follow Whitney on Substack at YourGuidanceCounselor.Substack.com.

Whitney recommends Corsava as a way to get the ball rolling for college conversations with your teen.

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If you would like the same kind of support that I gave to those past winners of the Burger King Scholarship, check out the Scholarship Navigator Programs. There are programs for students in high school and college. To learn more, go to www.ScholarshipGPS.com/services, and then click on the Scholarship Navigator Program for your student’s grade level.

If your child is turning 18, whether they are going away to college or remaining at home, please consider getting a Power of Attorney in place. You can use my discount code, ScholarshipCoach20, to take 20% off the total price at Mama Bear Legal Forms when you use this link: https://www.mamabearlegalforms.com/youngadult?oid=1&affid=44

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Featured Scholarships:

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/

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Luanne Lee is the Owner of Your College Planning Coach.

Luanne has undergone extensive licensing and training as a College Financial Planning Specialist and for the past 15+ years has devoted her practice to providing financial education and efficient solutions to families maneuvering through the complex process of planning and funding for college without jeopardizing their retirement goals.

In our conversation, Luanne and I discuss:

The maximum amount of money a student can borrow without their parents (or another cosigner)

Whether the recent changes to student loans will make it easier or harder to get loans

Whether the changes to student loans will lower the cost of college

The importance of applying for outside scholarships early and often

The impact of changes on families with students currently in college

The impact of changes on families with college-bound high school students

How the changes to student loans can leave students without a source to pay for college years 3 and 4

Changes to the repayment structure of student loans (for both existing and new student loans)

And much more…

To connect with Luanne and learn more about how she works with students and families, go to ycpcoach.com.

Find the answers your family needs to get the most free money for college.

In under 5 minutes

Get a fully customized report that demystifies your student's college financial aid outlook.

Your College Money Report™ gives you answers to 3 critical things every family needs to know before entering the college funding maze.

How much colleges think you can afford.

If you will qualify for grants and/or scholarships.

How much you will be expected to pay out of pocket.

Click here to get the College Money Report: https://planning.college/luanne-lee/cmr

Would you like to learn more about earning scholarships as a college student? Then download our free guide, Scholarships for College Students. This free guide shares the five steps for earning scholarships as a college student. Links to more free scholarship resources are also included. Go to https://www.scholarshipgps.com/collegescholarships

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If your child is turning 18, whether they are going away to college or remaining at home, please consider getting a Power of Attorney in place. You can use my discount code, ScholarshipCoach20, to take 20% off the total price at Mama Bear Legal Forms when you use this link: https://www.mamabearlegalforms.com/youngadult?oid=1&affid=44

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Today, we are joined by Kolby Goodman, a career strategist and job search expert dedicated to helping students and emerging professionals successfully navigate today’s competitive job market.

Kolby is also the author of “Start Now: And 49 Other Things You Can Do To Be Employed By Graduation.”

In our conversation, Kolby and I discussed:

What students (and their parents) get wrong about finding a job after graduation

Skills students need to gain employment after graduation

Why students shouldn’t think of themselves as ‘just a job seeker’

What it looks like when a student is career-ready before they graduate

What a student should start doing in their freshman or sophomore year to land a great job after graduation

Advice for students who don’t know what they want to do yet

Advice for parents who want to help their student prepare for life after college

And much more…

To connect with Kolby and learn more about how he works with students and families, go to employedbygraduation.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn.

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Featured Scholarships:

Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin $2000 FSTN Veteran Scholarship

Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law $1000 Path to Success Scholarship

Kaire & Heffernan $1000 I Am A Fighter Scholarship

Subscribe to the free "Your Daily Scholarship" Newsletter here: https://nodebtcollege.substack.com/