If you’ve got a high schooler, you already know that college planning is basically a part-time (or even a full-time 🫠) job you didn’t apply for, don’t fully understand, and can’t quit.
I’ve got two teens: one’s a freshman (still blissfully living in a world without SAT stress) and one’s a senior (living in the land of application deadlines, essay drafts, and me asking, “Did you actually submit that?” at least once a day).
We’ve talked about majors, campus life, and whether she’ll survive without my spaghetti sauce for four years. But the part that keeps me up at night? The money.
How much will these schools actually cost us? Is “financial aid” just a polite way of saying “loans you’ll regret in ten years”? Are scholarships only for kids who cured cancer in their spare time? And how do we make sure she ends up somewhere she loves and we can afford?
A few years ago, when my oldest was looking at colleges, I hit the same wall of questions, and that’s how I first found College Aid Pro. Back then, I was a mom just trying to make sense of all the moving parts. Now I work here, but I’ll tell you this: I’m still learning new things all the time. Because every kid is different, every college does things their own way, and something about the process changes every single year.
That’s why I’m excited for our FREE College Planning Bootcamp on August 20 & 21 is — two days, one hour each, packed with the stuff parents actually need to know right now. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or even if you’ve done this before and think you’ve got it down, these sessions will help you see the process more clearly (and hopefully with a little less stress).
Here are 5 things we’ll be sharing and explaining more at Bootcamp:
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You actually can figure out what a college will likely cost your family before your kid even applies, and spoiler, it’s usually not the “sticker price” they put on the website.
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“Financial aid” isn’t just for a certain type of family. There are ways to get schools to offer more help, and you don’t have to cross your fingers and hope.
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Scholarships aren’t only for the straight-A, save-the-world kids! The biggest awards often come directly from the colleges themselves.
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Your kid’s college list needs to fit both their wishlist and your budget. Otherwise you’re just setting everyone up for disappointment (and possibly a payment plan that feels like a second mortgage).
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Even if you’ve done this before, you haven’t done this year before, and the rules have already changed. Ask me how I know.
And here’s how we’ll dive deeper into these during Bootcamp:
Day 1 – Paying for College Without Losing Your Mind
We’ll cover which colleges are the most generous with scholarships and financial aid, how to get schools to offer you more (even if you think you won’t qualify), and some of the lesser-known ways families can save big on tuition.
Day 2 – Finding the Right Schools & Applying Without Panic
We’ll talk about what your student should be doing right now to stay on track, how to create a college list that balances dreams with dollars, and how to get ahead on the Common App and essay before you’re both crying into the laptop in October.
And because senior year isn’t just expensive for students, we’re adding a little bonus. We’ll be announcing the winner of our $1,000 MyCAP 2.0 Parent Scholarship at the end of Bootcamp. It’s our way of saying, “Hey parents, you’re doing great, here’s a little extra to help out however you need it.”
If you’ve ever looked at this process and thought, Surely there’s a manual somewhere?, this is basically it, minus the boring parts. I’ll be tuning in right alongside you — coffee in hand — and I’d love for you to join me. Coffee optional, progress guaranteed.
