Oh, wow—there were lots of problems with the FAFSA financial aid form in 2023 and in the first half of 2024. We're hoping most of that is behind us now! Here's the question uppermost in your mind today: "There have been so many changes to the FAFSA application...
The Princeton Review has come out with a list of 10 colleges that offer students especially generous financial aid packages. As you look at the list below, remember—generous financial aid packages go to families who apply for them. Parents, please—always fill out the...
If your child has even a relatively minor medical problem, he or she may qualify for medical-based financial aid to help pay for college. The key thing to know is—medical-based financial aid isn't applied for the regular way (through the FAFSA form). Families apply...
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...
Watch just one of the short, succinct video trainings below, and you'll be on the fast track to getting the kids you love through college debt-free. If you've got a bright, capable middle schooler or high schooler headed for college—you're probably wondering, "How...
Some parents try to save a little time, energy, and money by putting their kids in charge of planning their own college financing. “She's nearly an adult—let her figure it out herself and live with the consequences,” some parents think. But—is it actually a good idea...
Filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) sounds like the best deal in the world. Honestly. You as a parent spend just a little bit of time entering information into a clear, safe online form, and a kid you love magically gets put in line for...
Your daughter's 15 or older, and she's earning and saving her own money. Whooo hoo! But wait—just a minute. Could the money she's saving in her own name end up sabotaging future college financial aid awards? Learn the sobering answer here—along with 5 safe, legal ways...
This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...
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...
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...
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...
I post this important article every December. This year, it contains a brand new resource! A free downloadable bonus article with super helpful information for grandparents. To get straight to the free downloadable article, click here: [et_bloom_inline...
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...
You’d love for your son to get loads of free money financial aid to help him pay for college, but you’re pretty sure he won’t qualify for much. Your family lives comfortably, after all. You aren’t poor. You wonder if filling out financial aid forms is even worth your...
This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...
Parent, I urge you: DO NOT cosign a student loan for your child. Today I'm featuring information from an article by nationally syndicated radio host and author Clark Howard. I consider this to be must-read info for every parent. After you read below, you can find...
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...
A 10th grader writes to tell me that his parents are worried that if he takes dual enrollment college classes in high school, he might be prevented from having "the full high school experience." Here's his email to me: "Jeannie, I know you strongly recommend dual...
You'd love for your son to get loads of free money financial aid to help him pay for college, but you're pretty sure he won't qualify for much. Your family lives comfortably, after all. You aren't poor. You wonder if filling out financial aid forms is even worth your...
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...
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...
Today I'm helping financial professionals across the nation to spread the word. There's urgent financial aid info for parents of 9th graders. Yes I'm serious—9th graders. Parents, there are some things you need to know right now—so you can carefully protect your...
Lately I've been talking a lot about parents filling out the FAFSA financial aid form even if they're rich. (If you've got a kid who'll be in college next year, you need to do this.) But what's the next step after that? About 2–3 weeks after you fill out the FAFSA...
Are you filling out financial aid forms for a kid who'll be in college next fall? Great. The fall before he or she enters college is the perfect time to do that. But what do you do if you get stuck? Where do you go to get help with college financial aid forms? Here...
You'd love for your college-bound teen to get more scholarships, but you worry that his GPA just isn't high enough. Am I right? Well, worry no more. Good news. There are thousands of college scholarships available to students with GPAs as low as 2.50. I'll give you...
Is your child a senior in high school, or older? This post is part 2 of a 2-part series on what to do each September to make sure the FAFSA form you fill out in early October will get your child maximum financial aid for college. To read part 1 of this very important...
This post is part 1 of a 2-part series. To read part 2, which talks about what to do about the money your child has sitting around in his or her name before you fill out the FAFSA, click here. If you're parenting a 12th grader or a current college student, one of the...
In June of 2016 I received this email from a mom: "Jeannie, I've been to 3 of your classes and love hearing you as well as reading your information. I value your opinion. We have recently met with a person who we could pay to help our daughter navigate sophomore...
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...
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...
Note: If you are currently trapped in a physically, mentally, emotionally, or sexually abusive domestic situation, there's specific help for you in this article. In just a matter of days, Valentine's Day will be over for another year. Tissue paper from wrapped gifts...
I'm always most able to inspire people when I talk to them face-to-face. The video above gives me the chance to do that, for you, right now. Click the play button above now; watch for just two minutes. And let this excited, hopeful feeling wash over you: Kids at all...
On January 4th, 2016 I announced exciting news about my upcoming book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward. If you missed that exciting post, you can read it here. In that post I asked my readers to complete a short...
Today I have a big announcement to make! And a quick favor to ask. First, an exciting update For the last year, I've been on a beeline to having my book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward out in December of...
Parents, if your child is in 10th grade right now, you have just a matter of days or hours left to do this very important thing. Note to my email newsletter subscribers: Did you not receive an email newsletter from me on Monday, December 28? On that date gmail...
This article on how grandparents can give college savings as holiday gifts was updated on November 10th, 2023. Most grandparents love to dote on their beloved grandchildren, but let's face it. Older kids and teens are notoriously hard to shop for. How can...
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post for parents who erroneously believe that if they'll just refuse to put their financial info on their child's FAFSA form, their child will get additional financial aid for college. Student, if your parents are refusing to help...
Want a shortcut to getting your kid through college debt-free? If one of these colleges is a good fit for your son or daughter, you may have just struck gold. The 11 colleges and universities below are known for lavishing astounding amounts of financial aid and...
The dad was smiling at me, like he had a special secret that no one else knew. He folded his arms, rocked back on his heels, and got ready to tell me just why he was never going to need my help getting his kids' college paid for. “I don’t have to worry about that,” he...
I know that your child has barely started high school, and I know that his dorm move-in day is three whole years away. I know it might seem like the last thing you need to be thinking about right now is college, but this is not true. Because of changes to the college...
You may want to start reducing your family income right away. Now. Today. Read on and I'll explain why. On January 1, 2016, a photographer is going to show up at your house. Not an actual photographer, but that's a good way to think of it. On January 1, 2016, the...
As a parent, you're hoping that your kid gets maximum financial aid to help pay for college. Well . . . the timing on how parents apply for financial aid changed radically with an announcement by President Obama on September 13th, 2015. The date to submit the FAFSA...
Note to parents: The September 13th, 2015 announcement by President Obama which I blogged about here has made this post obsolete. Parents of students who are in 11th grade during the 2015-2016 school year are no longer able to take advantage of the strategies...
I know, I know. You have a lot of people telling you that the local state university is your kid's bargain basement choice. Well... Unless your child is able to become a part of the honors program at that state university, this is not likely to be true. For the...
13-year-old Chicago resident Michael wanted to become a millionaire, but he didn't want to work 86 years at the Illinois minimum wage in order to get there. How could this middle schooler accomplish his goal without turning to crime or workaholism? This inspiring...
Hillary Clinton caused an unexpected dustup recently when she tweeted on August 12th: "How does your student loan debt make you feel? Tell us in 3 emojis or less." The angry responses from students and others were blistering. My personal favorite response to this...
About a month ago 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. Today's huge news is that starting next year,...
Today I'm featuring a 16 minute TEDx talk on student loan debt by Adam Carroll. This is a must-listen for every parent. Listen while you're getting ready for work in the morning, commuting, or cooking dinner. It'll change everything you've ever believed about...
Hi, I’m Jeannie Burlowski.
I am a full-time academic strategist, conference speaker, and author of the book “LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward.”
My writing and speaking provide parents a clear, step-by-step checklist so they can set their kids up to succeed brilliantly in college, graduate debt-free, and move directly into careers they excel at and love.
For more than 20 years, I’ve helped students apply to highly competitive law, medical, business, and grad schools. I still do that from my website GetIntoMedSchool.com.
I am married, and my husband and I have a son and a daughter. We live in Minneapolis.