Making the overwhelming easier!

College Financial Planning

College Planning 101 helps parents and students understand how much they can afford, and how to make college affordable, by positioning students to receive merit-based scholarships and, if applicable, the family for need-based money.

When it comes to paying for college parents and students are faced with making some hard financial decisions. With the one-year cost of college being anywhere from $22,000 to $70,000+, it’s nearly impossible for some families to afford college. Students have a hard time understanding affordability and parents feel guilty that they can’t pay for their student’s college.

What makes the affordability question even harder to answer for a family is not knowing what their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is. The EFC is the minimum the government and colleges can expect a family to pay per year. It is calculated based on the family’s income and assets. Once a family knows what their EFC is, it becomes easier to understand how much they can afford.

When a client works with College Planning 101 they have a clear understanding of what their EFC is and the role it plays in calculating the cost of each college a student considers.
Find out how much you can afford before applying to colleges.

The Importance of Knowing Your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)

We have seen families with low, six-figure incomes receive need-based aid while also witnessing low-income families receive nothing in need-based aid. Why? Because the low-income family did not file the paperwork correctly and the low, six-figure income family worked with College Planning 101.

We take care of the financial aid forms for our families so they can be assured that these financial forms are done correctly.

Knowing your EFC before picking colleges is like getting pre-approved for a mortgage to buy a home. When you understand what you can afford, there is less frustration, disappointment and more savings in the future.

Thank you so much for your help so far - your help has been incredibly, so fantastically valuable and we couldn't have done it without you!! You have made this essay writing/editing process soooo much easier!! We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in this college application process!!

Tricia Y.

Having College Planning 101 as an asset through our school search has been nothing but amazing. Thanks to Stephanie and her coworkers, what should've been the most stressful and nerve racking part of growing up became a walk in the park. Sure, we had to play our part, but every step of the way and every question, no matter how simple, she was there. From the bottom of our hearts we really cannot thank them enough, and without a doubt recommend their services.

Karen Salvatore

We started with the College Planning 101 staff in 2014 with my daughter being a Junior in High School. In every aspect that she needed guidance and help each one of them was there for her. It made things less stressful for us. As my daughter had questions throughout college and literally after getting her masters degree the team has still been there for her! Thank you College Planning 101 for being so professional, patient, courteous and also still there for her!!!

Paula Ciccone

Stephanie has taken so much of the stress out of the process of not only finding and applying to colleges, but also figuring out payment and scholarship options. Without her help my dad and I would've been completely lost. Not only did she provide guidance before I even began applying to colleges, she also continues to be of aid every year when it came time to fill out the FAFSA and apply for financial aid. She quite literally has helped my dad and I save thousands of dollars throughout the entire process in realistic and doable ways. Paying for college can be extremely stressful, Stephanie has absolutely helped in making it less so.

Molly Litton

    Disclaimer: Given the nature of the admissions process and the selectivity of many educational institutions, we cannot guarantee admission to any institution nor the amount of financial or merit aid a student will receive.