If you’re worried that you’re late to college planning, here’s immediate help. Watch just one free, fast-paced 10-minute training video here.
Whether your child’s currently in middle school or in high school, you’ve probably had it happen to you: the sudden jolt of electric fear that you might be late to college planning.
Today, I’m going to rush in with the cavalry and completely rescue you from that.
What can you do right now, if you feel like you’re late to college planning?
1. Don’t worry right now that you haven’t saved enough money to pay for college.
Fear and worry can be paralyzing. Some parents feel so fearful about not having planned earlier that they repeatedly put college planning on the back burner.
Don’t be that parent.
Let go of fear and worry over what you haven’t done, and look closely at which clever, creative, easy-to-use strategies you can use right now.
Even if your kids never get a single scholarship.
Today, I’m going to give you highly effective debt-free college planning help that will save you both time and money.
2. Don’t jump to the conclusion that a state university will be the bargain answer to all your problems.
Sure, the sticker price looks low at first. There are multiple reasons, though, that the state university is likely not your bargain option. Certain private colleges may actually end up costing your family far less out of pocket. You can read the emphatic article I’ve written on this subject here.
3. Even if you feel you’re very late to college planning, just start where you are right now, and do what you can.
This free, fast-paced, 10-minute video training will give you an immediate jump-start.
4. Don’t rely on the internet for college planning advice.
It’ll take you years to sift through everything the internet has to say about college planning. The bits and pieces of info and conflicting messages you hear from online resources will drive you insane.
Plus, a huge percentage of what’s currently on the internet regarding college planning is sorely out of date.
You need a resource that will give you fast, accurate, clear, specific instruction that the internet can’t provide.
Learn about this help now in this free, fast-paced 10-minute video training.
5. Don’t fret or worry that your child isn’t applying for college scholarships.
Getting private scholarships is only a tiny part of the process of getting kids through college or job training debt-free and into jobs they love afterward.
There are many other, easier strategies for getting college or job training paid for—and getting your kid to a happy, fulfilled career life.
6. Plan to fill out the FAFSA form on time, every year, even if you’re rich.
Filling out the FAFSA form puts your child in line for nine separate federal student aid programs, over 600 state aid programs, and most of the college-based (institutional) aid available in the United States. Don’t jump to the conclusion that you “probably make too much to qualify for any help.” You don’t know that.
Read my entire article on why you should fill out the FAFSA even if you’re rich, and then plan to submit a FAFSA form every October 1st that there’s even a chance you’ll have a child in college the following fall.
7. To get the best, fastest help, grab onto this resource and use it for all your college planning—starting right now.
If you can’t afford it, ask for it at your local library.
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.
You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCH, here.
You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH, here.
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
Take a step on this right now. Get regular, inspiring help from me—every Monday morning.
Subscribe to my free weekly email newsletter here.
Do you have very specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?
My TRIBE Members get the most direct access to me—while feeling good that the pennies per day they spend on the TRIBE help me bring debt-free college strategy to families who could never afford to pay for it. Join my TRIBE Membership waiting list here.
Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News and World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com.
This article was updated on August 19th, 2024. No part of this article was written using AI.