How to Pay for College Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Money)
About this episode
Valerie Alston and Shelly Howard discuss strategies for sports families to fund college through scholarships and financial planning.
How to Pay for College: Scholarships, FAFSA Timing, and Family Money Talks Valerie Alston and guest Shelly Howard discuss how sports families can fund college through early, honest conversations about what parents can contribute, whether loans are on the table, and the student’s role in earning merit scholarships. Howard explains four “buckets” of money, notes scholarships can be pursued as early as fourth grade, and emphasizes getting a clear estimate of what colleges expect you to pay using a Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator. She highlights that FAFSA considers not only income but where assets are held, and warns planning should start well before late junior year. The episode stresses that the biggest money can come from choosing the right, more generous college and from students building a strong “resume” of authentic leadership and activities. They offer conversation starters like the “millionaire” game to gauge values and financial literacy, and share resources including books and a 30-minute discovery call at collegereadyplan.info. 00:00 College Cost Wakeup 02:16 Funding Starts With Talk 04:46 Scholarship Buckets And FAFSA 08:07 Student Merit Mindset 13:19 Where To Find…
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