Posted on Monday, November 14, 2016

Service: It’s How We Fill the World With Good

by Jeannie Burlowski

Students are telling me they’re scared.

They hear their parents’ tense, late night discussions downstairs in front of the TV, and they see the angry vitriol that’s been roiling in their Facebook newsfeeds.

They’re worried about the world they’re inheriting.

When they tell me this in person, I hug them and tell them that they have more power to change the world than they ever think. “Start right where you are,” I tell them.

“Do what you can to fill the world with so much good that bad goes out of style.”

I tell these students, “It begins with speaking with kindness in your own home, online, and in your own school. It builds into empathy and caring for those who are different from you. And it bears fruit and multiplies when you find a cause you care about, and work consistently in service to that cause to make the world a better place.”

To see how thousands of students in the U.S. are doing exactly this, view the exciting, inspiring 2-minute video about WE DAY here.

Whether you’re a student or a parent, this video is guaranteed to make you feel hope.

(To learn more about WE programs for schools, click here.)

Posted on Monday, February 15, 2016

What Does ROMANCE Have To Do With Financial Aid?

It Turns Out, a LOT.

by Jeannie Burlowski

Well, Valentine’s Day is over for another year. Tissue paper from wrapped gifts litters the bedroom floor, chocolates have been devoured, and pink and red greeting cards have been set up in display mode on the kitchen counter.

It’s now the day and the week after Valentine’s Day – time for romance to pull on work boots and get back into the trenches.

If you’re married, you probably understand well that though Valentine’s Day is nice, real romance is actually lived out every day, 365 days a year, in the normal course of every day, up-and-down, regular life.

Today, moms and dads, I’m going to talk about that regular old “365-day-a-year-romance” you have with your spouse, and what that has to do with your kid getting financial aid for college.

Here’s the special message I have for you for today, parents: Your marriage matters when it comes to your kid eventually getting financial aid for college.

“Seriously? How does my marriage affect how much money my kid gets in financial aid for college?”

Because of idiosyncrasies with the CSS/Profile financial aid form, if you at some point decide to divorce your child’s other parent and marry someone else, your child will be disadvantaged in the financial aid process at the most competitive colleges in the country.

“Disadvantaged! How so?”

Posted on Monday, January 25, 2016

5 Surprising Tips For Anyone Wondering about Commercial SAT/ACT Coaching

by Jeannie Burlowski

Recently I got such a great question from a mom. I’m hoping many parents will benefit from hearing why I told her: “No, I don’t.”

Jeannie, I was wondering if you do coaching for students looking to study for the ACT/SAT tests? I have a daughter who is wanting to take the PSAT and the ACT this year and her high school counselor told us to invest in a good testing coach. I honestly have no idea where to find one, but thought of you because of the work you have already been doing in this area. Do you provide tutoring services to students who want to do well on standardized tests?

My answer to her is below.

Posted on Thursday, November 19, 2015

“HELP! My Parents Are Refusing to Let Me Put Their Financial Info on My FAFSA Form.” Part 2 of 2

by Jeannie Burlowski

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 you — here’s what you can do to help yourself.

Posted on Monday, November 9, 2015

Can a 20something Pay Off Debt By Living on 51% of Her Income?

by Jeannie Burlowski

Is it possible for a struggling 20-something to get completely out of debt (including student loan debt) using a one-year shopping ban and living on 51% of her income?

Today I’m featuring an outstanding article written by Laura Shin for Forbes. As you read it, give special attention to the great quote below from Mr. Money Mustache, a blogger who retired at age 30.

Posted on Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Rare, Once-A-Year Opportunity to Hear Me Speak FOR FREE October 8th!

Great Opportunity to Invite Friends.

by Jeannie Burlowski

Do you have friends who think that “financial aid, scholarships, and saved cash are the only ways to pay for college?” It’s not true!

In this power-packed 50 minute session we’ll cover 9 surprising ways you can save your child over $50,000 in future student loan debt — by making a few smart choices when your child is in middle school and high school. We’ll also cover changes to the financial aid application process announced by President Obama on September 13, 2015.

A question and answer session will follow. Special guest speaker Jeannie Burlowski blogs weekly on getting kids through college debt free at JeannieBurlowski.com, and she’s also the author of the book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward (due out in 2016).

Location: White Bear Lake Area High School South Campus Auditorium, 3551 McKnight Road North, White Bear Lake, MN. Thursday, October 8th 7 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm.) Arrive early to get a seat; the auditorium has only 500 seats and this session frequently packs out by 6:40 pm. Description: Do you think that “financial aid, scholarships, and saved cash are the only ways to pay for college?” Not true! In this power-packed 50 minute session we’ll cover 9 surprising ways you can save your child over $50,000 in future student loan debt — by making a few smart choices when your child is in middle school and high school. A question and answer session will follow. Special guest speaker Jeannie Burlowski blogs weekly on getting kids through college debt free at JeannieBurlowski.com, and she’s also the author of the book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward (due out in 2016). Location: White Bear Lake Area High School South Campus Auditorium, 3551 McKnight Road North, White Bear Lake, MN.

NAME OF BLOG POST: Construction worker shortage!!!!!

There’s a Dire Shortage of Workers In This Growing Industry

BLOG TEMPLATE – SHOOT FOR 500 WORDS

HEADLINE communicates “here’s how this will you’re your life.” It’s got an odd number of numbered steps. It’s got something counterintuitive that piques. It’s tempting. It’s irresistible.

PHOTO maybe with canva.com text on it.

THREE ENGAGING SENTENCES make the reader want to read further. READ MORE LINE

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It’s True: Even Middle Schoolers Can Earn Real College Credit Through CLEP

High Schoolers and College Students Can Too.

by Jeannie Burlowski

Imagine your 7th grader earning real transferable college credit for the knowledge she just gained in her middle school history class. Are you astounded that this is possible?

Students of all ages can turn their regular school learning into real college credit in 33 different subject areas — thanks to the College Board’s CLEP® program.

CLEP® TESTING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL CAN SAVE YOU THOUSANDS.

CLEP® provides one of the best, fastest, cheapest ways for any student to earn real college credit before they ever set foot on a college campus. And if your middle schooler can do it? Then the high school or college student in your life certainly can.

Your child’s next school break might be an excellent time for him or her to work on earning CLEP® credits. Here are three steps you can take now to make that happen.

Posted on Sunday, May 17, 2015

Must Watch Video for Parents

TEDx Adam Carroll

by Jeannie Burlowski

Are you a parent wondering if student loan debt is really that big a deal? Watch this powerful, entertaining video by Adam Carroll at TEDx UWMilwaukee. It’ll be the best 15 minutes you’ll spend on your kid this year.

Posted on Friday, April 24, 2015

Want Great Material for a Scholarship Application Essay? Host a Japanese Student in Your Home for 3 Weeks!

by Jeannie Burlowski

Imagine your child writing a scholarship application essay where she writes in detail about what it was like to have a Japanese college student living in her home for three weeks.

There are so many interesting ways to go with this kind of material — I can’t even begin to list them all.

If you’d like to host a Japanese college student in your Minneapolis/St. Paul area home for three weeks this August, here’s some information on a great program you can be a part of.

Posted on Monday, March 30, 2015

Think “Community Service” is Just Another Dull Chore? This Inspiring 2 Minute Video About WE ACT Will Change Your Mind Forever

by Jeannie Burlowski

On some middle school and high school campuses, parents form an organization where they meet together monthly to strategize how they can get their kids through college debt free. (The free, step-by-step resources on my website make great discussion material for a group like this.)

Sometimes, this parent group gives birth to a student group that ends up changing the students, the school, the local community, and the world.

(And as a side effect, provides great material to write about in scholarship applications.)

Parents, teachers, and school staff: if you need curriculum for starting up a student club like this, take two minutes and watch this powerful, inspiring video about WE ACT here.

To maximize the probability that your child will get through college debt free and directly into career afterward — be sure to join me for two live classes coming up on April 11th in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. You can get more information here.

Must-watch 2 min video inspires #students to #changetheworld not just #applyforscholarships

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What’s your response to the WE ACT Video? Could you see yourself pulling parents together to get WE ACT started on your local middle school or high school campus?