Posted on

STARTING POINT: All the Basics You Need to Know Right Now (AUDIO)

For Parents of Kids Ages 12–26

by

If you’re a parent and you’ve just found this, you’re probably thinking:

“Oh, wow—seriously? There’s help for getting my kids through college debt-free, and into great jobs after college? I had no idea this kind of help was available! Am I late starting this? Yikes, I don’t have any spare time! If I work on this, how much time is it going to take me?”

Rest easy, Mom and Dad. You’re not late.

And getting your kids through college debt-free takes only minutes per week.

Right now, at this moment, you’re standing at the perfect starting point.

Listen to episode 1 of my podcast, below. It takes only 23 minutes. (Listen while you’re commuting, loading the dishwasher, or getting ready in the morning.) When you finish listening, you’ll feel hope and confidence, and you’ll know exactly what you need to do next to get your kids to the most exciting academic and career destinations—even if they don’t get a single scholarship.

If you’re parenting kids ages 12–26, listen to just the first 8 minutes below, and you’ll be hooked.

debt-free college podcast

Continue Reading »

Posted on

Morgan Stanley’s Alix Magner Buys 30 Copies of LAUNCH For Her Clients

Below, the Top 9 Questions Parents Are Asking Me About This Book

by

LAUNCH

To see a list of the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH—along with detailed answers—scroll to the red print below. 

When Morgan Stanley’s Alix Magner calls you, you sit up a little straighter in your chair.

Alix is a high-powered, Stanford educated wealth management advisor who works with Minneapolis area families who have millions in assets—and families who are strategizing to get to that point.

When Alix told me that she’d read my book cover to cover and wanted to buy 30 copies for her clients, I jumped out of my chair.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

Martin Luther King Jr. Inspires Us to Be TRUE LEADERS

by

The life and faith and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires me.

His words ring in my head: “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

Martin Luther King

I am fighting every day for justice when it comes to college education.

We want debt-free college education to be available to every student.

Ask me to speak at your Title 1 or other type of school by going to JeannieBurlowski.com/SPEAKING.

I’m the author of this book, which seeks to bring about economic justice for every student:

LAUNCH is a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.

Can’t afford to buy this book? Get it for free at your local library.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

It’s January! Let’s Sign Up to Take Real College Classes In High School!

by

Before we dive into this article on taking real college classes in high school, let me remind you that January 15th, 2022 is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in the United States. It’s not a day off—it’s a day on—to volunteer and give back to our communities. You’ll find ideas on how your family, school or organization can volunteer here. (Remember, you can also use this day to gather together to plan the volunteering you’re going to do later!)

Now on to today’s topic!

It’s January! Let’s Sign Up to Take Real College Classes In High School!

college classes in high school

“Tell me more about students taking real college classes in high school.”

In the majority of states nationwide, 11th and 12th graders can take real college classes in high school in place of ordinary high school classes, and earn college credit and high school credit at the same time—often at their state’s expense.

The key is—parents need to start looking into this and signing up for it now—in January, about 8 months before these classes begin.

Parents of current 10th and 11th graders, this article is a great place for you to learn more.

Is it a good idea for teens to take real college classes in high school? 

Increasingly, school staff at both public and private high schools are saying yes, and are working to create new and better ways for students to do so—saving parents thousands in unnecessary college costs.

Private education, especially, is benefitting.

Private high schools have the flexibility to create innovative in-school programs where students as young as 11th grade are able to take real college classes for real college credit during the school day, while still having a full, enriching private high school experience.

Innovation like this works out well for parents, schools, and students. Parents find it easier to pay private school tuition when they know their future college costs are going to be lower, schools are able to brag that many of their students are graduating high school with as much as two years of college credit already completed, and students who are ready to achieve can dive into real college work as soon as they’re ready for it, efficiently earning college credit and high school credit at the same time.

This is leading both private and public schools to say, “Let’s do all we can to help students take real college classes in high school!”

AP classes declining in popularity 

For years, high schools offered Advanced Placement (AP) classes in an effort to help high-achieving students earn some college credit before age 18, but in recent years, concern about the AP program has caused its popularity to plummet. Fewer than 50% of students who take AP courses actually receive the promised college credit, and that makes AP the least dependable way to earn college credit in high school.

Students who take real college classes in high school enjoy 7 significant advantages:

Continue Reading »

Posted on

4 Easy Steps to Get Out of Debt

by

If you as a parent can get out of debt by the day your kid starts college, you’ll have more cash on hand to help pay college bills. Boom. Less debt for your kid at college graduation!

If you can get out of debt years before your kid starts college, the process will be easier on you—plus you’ll have more cash on hand during those pre-college years to build up your kids’ college savings. (Every penny you save in advance helps.)

Either way—you’ll dramatically increase the chances that your child will eventually graduate from college and begin adult life debt-free.

(This is an astounding, generous, momentous gift to give to the kids you love!)

Today I’m featuring 4 amazingly easy steps to get out of debt.

I hope you’ll schedule a family meeting this week where you’ll introduce the idea that your family could take small, manageable baby steps to get out of debt.

Then next week, take just one more small baby step on that journey.

Then keep going, week by week.

These steps come to us from best-selling author Dave Ramsey.

These steps to get out of debt are so easy, you can fit them on a post-it note.

get out of debt

Continue Reading »

Posted on

It’s Catch-Up Week! Which of These Haven’t You Seen?

by

I’m spending holiday time with my family this week—and I hope you are too.

Whenever I take time off like this, I like to point you to some of my most helpful past articles that you may have missed. This gives you a chance to catch up—right on a week when you may have a little extra time yourself.

Tech School and College? Both—? Wow!

If you’ve got a teen who might do or has done dual enrollment coursework in 11th and 12th grades, you’ll want to read and share this particular article.

As you do, just imagine your son or daughter completing 4-year college and tech school both—debt-free—by age 22. Resulting in some phenomenal, highly employable, supercharged job skills.

Reduce Study Time By Putting Your Laptop Away

Ask any student, “Would you like to get higher grades while studying LESS?” They’ll respond, “Yes!” Learn here why the first step to studying less is leaving the laptop put away in the backpack during class.

What to Do and What to ASK On a College Visit

Are you currently parenting a 10th or 11th grader? Or are you a professional who serves high school families? Learn how to put together effective, stress-free college visits that can help the kids you care about land more merit aid money for college. (My free downloadable list of questions to be sure to ask on college visits is included in this article.)

Medical-Based Financial Aid For Even Very Minor Medical Conditions

Learn how to apply for this specific kind of financial aid here. (You’ll need more than just the FAFSA form for this.)

For clear, step-by-step help getting your kids through college debt-free and into jobs they love afterward, get your copy of my book:

It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

BEST Holiday Idea for Teens Heading to College Soon

by

Want to know the best holiday idea for teens heading to college soon?

holiday

Surprise—this isn’t about getting your teen a physical holiday gift.

It’s about something far more important.

Read the short article I’ve written about what’s going to feel most important for your teens this holiday season. (It won’t require any extra work from you.)

That article is here.

For clear, step-by-step help getting those kids you love through college debt-free and into jobs they love afterward, get your copy of my book:

It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

If You Ever Feel Like a Failure—Remember Star Trek!

by

I love this tweet I saw recently:

And to think it all started with depictions of planets looking like boxes covered by blankets in a parent’s basement!

Who you are today is not necessarily who you’ll be in the future.

Keep making good decisions—keep moving forward.

Who knows what you might become!

Parents, here’s how to help your teens as they reach for the stars:

It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

Teens—Don’t Burn Your Opportunities for Temporary Comfort

by

Tell your teens, “Don’t burn your opportunities for temporary comfort.”

This image will help you get your point across:

temporary comfort

You might want to take a photo of this image and text it to a teen with these words: “I’m so glad you’re climbing ladders instead of using them for firewood!”

Continue Reading »

Posted on

It’s Catch Up Week! Which of These Articles Did You Miss?

by

I’m taking some extra time off this Thanksgiving—and I hope you are too.

Whenever I take time off like this, I like to point you to some of my most helpful recent articles that you may have missed. This gives you a chance to catch up—right on a week when you may have a little extra time yourself.

What to Do and What to ASK On a College Visit

Are you parenting a kid currently in 10th or 11th grade? Learn how to put together effective, stress-free college visits that can help your kid land more merit aid money for college. (My downloadable list of questions to ask on college visits is included in this article.)

Simple Check-In Rule Helps Teens Avoid Risk

Your teen comes home late, after you’re already in bed. What do you ask him or her to do right at that point? What’s the rule? Learn a simple strategy that can ensure teen safety and help the kids you love to avoid risk.

How to Feel ECSTATIC When Your Kid’s in 12th Grade

You’ll feel ecstatic when your kid reaches 12th grade—if you’ve taken just a few debt-free college steps before that point. But what if it’s too late for that? What if your kid’s already in 12th grade and you’ve not taken any preparatory debt-free college steps so far? No worries. I can still help you feel really good as you move through November–June of the senior year of high school.

Specific help for parents of high school seniors here.

Greek University Jump-Starts Lives of Current College Students

I was recently interviewed on the Greek University podcast—and parts of it were hilarious. Listen to this interview for just 9 minutes, and you’ll get fresh inspiration on how to help your son or daughter rocket straight into law, medical, business, or grad school if that ever becomes a goal. You’ll learn why attending a fancy brand-name college isn’t required to have extraordinary life success, and you’ll find out multiple ways to get future and current college students through college debt-free—WITHOUT SCHOLARSHIPS.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

Grandparents: “So—What Do the Kids Want For Presents?”

Read this when your kids are birth to age 26

by

It usually happens sometime around Thanksgiving. Grandparents ask, “What are the kids going to want for presents next month?”

Answering this question can be difficult—unless you have this great idea handy:

Have the grandparents read this inspiring article on how to give small bits of college savings as holiday gifts.

This article gives grandparents an inexpensive way to be remembered with love for decades—and it’ll work no matter the age of the kid. (Birth to age 26.)

See this inspiring article here, and then share it with the grandparents who love your kids.

It’s not just about a transfer of money, it’s about a transfer of legacy. And the grandparents are going to love that.

Continue Reading »

Posted on

Student Loan Debt Will Affect Kids In Ways They Can’t Even Imagine

by

Start as early as you can using clever strategy that helps your kids graduate with zero student loan debt.

(Even if they don’t get a single scholarship, even if you don’t qualify for any financial aid—or you think you don’t—even if you can’t save up one penny to help pay for college.)

Here’s how you do that:

Continue Reading »