Breaking Down The Stress Of Choosing A College
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About 4 million new students start college in the United States every year.
And for most, the process of applying for the right college can often be quite stressful.
It is a daunting task…
And usually involves a decision to take out a large loan… just to get in the door.
As parents, you want to make sure your child goes the the best college for them…
AND
You want to make sure this can happen affordably and in a way that reduces the stress levels.
But for most… This is just not the case.
For most… The college application process can be one of the most stressful events there is…
And the ripple effects of this stress can be huge.
But the thing is:
This doesn’t have to be the case.
It doesn’t have to be like this…
And I think there’s just a serious lack of information around what’s actually possible!
See, the real problem is this:
There’s been no reliable process for working out how you can get your child into the right college for them…
Without breaking the bank, AND
Without bringing in unnecessary stress.
And this is what I want to talk to you about right now.
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Hi, I’m Ashly Jordan…
And for the last 2 years, I’ve worked closely with high school students and their parents…
To make this whole “getting into college” thing achievable.
I wanted to be a teacher from the time I was twelve years old.
It was my passion from the days I was a child playing school with the whiteboard I got for my birthday.
My friends would tire of the math problems I was always encouraging them to solve.
As I decided teaching would be my path in college, I realized I was not going to make a great deal of money teaching, but it was not about that for me.
I knew teaching was my passion.
However it informed my decision on where to attend.
No where on any description for an educator position does it mention a higher salary for attending "X" college.
They simply state a four year degree from an accredited college or university.
I realized that I would never be able to pay back the type of loans I would incur, if I attended a more expensive university, on a teacher's salary.
It was simply not a sound investment in my future.
I decided that because where I earned my degree was not pivotal in landing a job upon graduation, I would attend a public university, live at home, and work part-time.
I finished college early, was able to secure a job, and buy a home only a few years later because I was not saddled with massive debt and outrageous monthly payments.
I was able to save, start and truly live my life.
And I am passionate about helping students achieve the same.
So... in this blog, to share with you some of the HOW behind what I do…
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When it comes to applying for college, there are three BIG areas of explore:
TIME, COST and RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
We want to make sure you have a plan, before your child starts college, so they can graduate on time…
And do so affordably with a measurable return on investment.
In other words… We have created a process that ensures you are getting the BEST VALUE for your money… But also making sure you can get your child into the best college for them.
So typically… when I sit down with parents (and sometimes, their children)... I will ask the following questions:
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What will they major in and does this choice offer that major? What is the total cost of attendance?
This is a really important question…
We first have to know that the college they are looking for is:
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The right one; and
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Within budget.
So much of the time people get carried away with going to this or that college…
The reality is: It’s way better to find the college that actually provides the SPECIFIC major your child wants to do…
Not just find a college that looks good.
2. Will their chosen career afford them the ability to pay off any debt they incur while in attendance? If not, are there other more cost effective alternatives? Will they benefit from attending this university in terms of job opportunities after graduation?
It is important to consider the type of career your child is choosing before making a decision around taking on a loan.
This is because some career salaries simply will not cover the costs of paying off the debt…
And this will leave your child in a hamster wheel from the very beginning, which we don’t want.
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3. Do the benefits outweigh the costs or is it the other way around?
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This question really speaks for itself.
Typically I will explore this question with my clients as a way of making sure they are certain about their choice of college.
It’s essentially a cost benefit analysis…
And it allows us to just look at the situation very rationally and work out if the college choice is a good fit.
So, at this point… You’re probably wondering:
How can I go about creating a plan for my child… to make sure they can find the right college, and do so very affordably and without unnecessary stress?
There are a number of ways I help…
But typically the first step I take is to have a phone conversation with you…
Just to see where you’re at…
And so we can start to make a plan together around your child’s future…
If you’re interested, just click the button below and let’s book in a time to chat.
I look forward to hearing from you.
~Ashly