Today I'm giving you 5 jaw-dropping debt-free college ideas in just 32 minutes. You'll learn these ideas by listening to me being interviewed on attorney Steve Richardson's Financial Freedom podcast. (Listen while you're getting ready in the morning or emptying the...
Choosing Colleges Articles
Huge Earning Potential for Young People Skilled in a Trade
You've assumed for years that your kid would probably go to 4-year college. But what if your kid could make more money, have less debt, spend fewer years in school, and enjoy greater career joy by becoming skilled in a trade? Huge career potential for kids skilled in...
What’s the #1 Best-Selling College Financial Aid Book?
In 2021, my book LAUNCH hit #8 on Book Authority's list of 51 Best-Selling College Financial Aid Books of All Time. I was excited! But then I thought: "OK—which book is the #1 best-selling college financial aid book of all time?" I was overjoyed to see that the #1...
Tech School and College? Both—? Wow!
You've heard that two years of tech school education could get your kid straight into a well-paying career as early as age 20. Still, you hesitate to even suggest it. Mostly because you've always thought of your child as college material. How about this radical...
What Nobody’s Saying About the College Scandal
By now you've heard about the college admissions scandal that has television celebrities such as Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin (and 48 other parents and college staff) facing prison time for falsifying college application information and paying bribes as high as...
Could Graduating High School With an AA Degree Hurt a Kid?
Today I'm writing on topic I never, ever thought I would. Could graduating high school with an AA degree in any way do a student more harm than good? My eyes are bugging out just writing that. Could graduating high school with an AA degree HURT your kid? For many moms...
The Sweaty Truth About Sports Scholarships
Parents of athletes fork out thousands to cover sports expenses over the years. Many wonder, "Is all this time, effort, and money going to pay off big when this kid gets to college?" Here, the sweaty truth about sports scholarships. 1. The truth about sports...
Do Families Need to Hire College Consultants? Really?
The dad sitting by you in the soccer bleachers tells you that he's not worried about his kids' college planning—because he's hired a $5,000 college consultant to engineer the whole thing for him. You wonder, "Is this what parents have to do nowadays? Hire college...
Manage All Your Kids’ College Planning—Mostly By Yourself
If you're concerned that you're currently LATE to college planning, read this article now. College planning can feel like being lost in a jungle. And sadly, your kid's high school guidance counselor (nowadays more properly called a "school counselor,") can't help much...
These Top CEOs Went to College WHERE?
Your child feels a lot of pressure to "get into a good college." Starting in 8th grade—or even earlier, he's had the lie pounded into his head: "If you don't get into a good college, you won't be able to get a good job when you graduate." This lie can cause...
Can Community College Lead to a Master’s Degree?
You've heard that your local community college can save you thousands on college bills due to lower tuition costs. But could community college hurt your kid's future career prospects? What if your daughter wants to get a master's degree some day? Or a Ph.D.? Will...
My Best Debt-Free College Interview Yet
To listen to my best debt-free college interview yet, click here. Listen while you're driving or getting ready in the morning, and you just might change the life of a student you love. In March of 2018 I was interviewed by Andy Earle, a Loyola Marymount University...
That Local State University May NOT Be Your Bargain Option
Many parents have only one strategy for lowering college costs. Send the kid to the local state university. But is your local state university actually your bargain option—considering all the factors involved? The hidden costs of state university nobody talks about At...
Can Parents Call the College Financial Aid Office?
If you're parenting a teen, there's a good chance that sometime during the winter of your child's senior year of high school, you're going to be flipping through documents called "financial aid award letters." You'll have a "financial aid award letter" from every...
5 Good Reasons to Take a Gap Year (And 2 Bad Ones)
Your child doesn't seem quite ready for college yet. Would it be a good idea for him or her to take a gap year? Malia Obama did it, after all. Here are 5 good and 2 bad reasons students take a gap year between high school and college. 5 Good Reasons to Take a Gap Year...
One Call Can Increase Admissions Chances by 40%
Weeks or months after your daughter has finished up all her college applications, you may find yourself wondering, "Is there anything else she can do to increase admissions chances—well after her applications have been submitted?" Yes, there is. Research shows that...
Half of Americans Regret Their Higher Ed Decisions?! Why?
The last thing you want is for your child to make a series of expensive higher ed decisions, and then regret them later. How can you help your kids to avoid making regrettable higher ed decisions? An epidemic of regret Regret over higher ed decisions has reached...
Your Job Change COULD Save Your Kid $40,000 on College Costs
Parent, might you be ready for a job change by the end of this summer? If you make this job change decision strategically, you could save your kid $40,000 on college costs. "Really? How could my job change save my kids money on college costs?" Many colleges and...
9 Reasons to Talk your Kid OUT of Applying to the Ivy League
Parents, you feel a lot of pressure to get your kids into a "good" college after high school. An "Ivy League" university would be ideal! But is all the work and stress really worth it? Probably not, honestly. William Deresiewicz, former Yale professor and author of...
Which Colleges Are Still Taking Applications?
Ben and his parents sat up late at their dining room table, combing through all of Ben's college financial aid numbers one more time. Ben's dad ran his fingers nervously through his hair. The problem? It was already summer, and every college that had accepted Ben for...
What to Do and What to ASK On a College Visit
Read on, and you'll get instant access to my free, printable list of all the best questions to ask on a college visit. A college visit can occur at any time during middle school or high school. The most common time for students and parents to do a college visit,...
17 College Majors That Put Kids On the Path to Underemployment
Forbes has published a list of 17 college majors that carry high underemployment rates. Grads in these degree fields find it hard to get the jobs they went to school for. They tend to make less money than they should be making, and a lot of them live with this...
Must-Listen 9-Minute Dave Ramsey Rant Against Student Loan Debt
I love Dave Ramsey's video rant about student loan debt, which you can watch at the link I've provided below. (Listen for my favorite Dave line in this rant: "I missed where the lady got helped.") If you've got 9 minutes to listen to this while getting ready for work...
TONIGHT! This Free Event Could Save You TONS on College Costs
Your kid's in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade? It's time to set him or her free to feel jazzed and excited about college. Plus -- as a parent-- learn 8 things you can do right now to keep that kid's future college costs low. I'll be covering all this in this free live...
Buy LAUNCH Before 1/11/17 — Get Bonuses Worth $248
Today I'm announcing the extra bonuses your family will receive if you purchase LAUNCH by January 11, 2017. Bonus #1 You and your immediate family will be invited to attend an online MasterClass with live Q&A with me, the author -- at no charge to you. This online...
Hear Jeannie Burlowski Interviewed on the “Hey, Sister!” Podcast
I was recently interviewed by Krista Gilbert on her "Hey Sister!" podcast. It was a great conversation, almost an hour, full of practical tips for anyone who loves a kid age 12 - 22. To listen to the podcast, click on Episode 19 here. Some of the topics we covered...
What’s College Life Like on an Army ROTC Scholarship?
Military service isn't for everyone. But before you disregard the help that the U.S. military provides to college students, let's look at a few details about it. The U.S. military awards generous four-year college scholarships to students who: Are U.S. citizens...
#1 Thing Employers ACTUALLY Want In a “Just Out of College” New Hire
Does your child believe that myth, "If I don't attend a top school, I won't get a good job when I graduate"? (You can see the article I wrote debunking this myth here.) The graph at the bottom of today's post is going to make you both you and your child feel instantly...
Top 5 Lies We Tell Kids About College
This post is a scary one. But read all the way down to the red print at the bottom and I'll give you a boatload of hope about college. 1. "If you don't get into a good college, you won't be able to get a good job when you graduate." This statement is completely and...
Could Your Kid Get a Tech School Degree, and THEN a Bachelor’s Degree!?
In 2015 I wrote about how some students could end up wealthier and happier by not going to four-year college after high school. It was a life-changing post for many. If you missed it, be sure to read it here. But what about this great idea? Your kid could go to...
Expensive Education Leads to a Happier Life. True or False? (The Answer Might Surprise You.)
Your 12th grader is in tears, desperate for you to give him the go-ahead to attend an elite university that’ll cost him $950 per month for 10 years after college. You want him to be happy. Do you say yes? Before you respond, you’ll need to be clear on the answer to...
“If I Go to School There, Will I Be Able to Get an Off-Campus TUITION REIMBURSEMENT Job?”
Your son or daughter has started looking at colleges, and at this point the discussion is pretty much centered around how pretty the buildings are, what kind of sports they have, and "the quality of the business program." But are there even more important questions...
Could Your Kid End Up Wealthier by NOT Going To College?
There are many students who should not be attending four-year colleges and universities. Why? Because these students are desperately needed in well-paying jobs that require more specialized kinds of training than four-year colleges can provide. Read on, and I'll help...
12th Grader’s Got No Career Direction? Do This—Right Now.
Your 12th grader hasn't yet figured out "what he wants to do with his life," and it's making you nervous. You absolutely don't want him living in your basement next year—partially for fear he'll turn into one of those 20-something kids floundering through their 20s...