Financial Aid Workshop | SAT / ACT Prep

I'm back at it again, re-running the financial aid strategies webinar, How to Slash College Costs by 56.1%...even if you think you can't possibly qualify for anything. 

It happens tomorrow night, 9/25/24.

If you're interested in learning how to qualify for scholarships and financial aid, even if other people think you don't deserve it, I recommend that you attend this free workshop.  I'm running it again because a bunch of the 339 folks who originally signed up couldn't make it and requested a replay.  

Topics include:

*How to "hide" your money from the financial aid office, legally and ethically

*How to negotiate a scholarship or financial aid award

*How high income and ultra affluent families can qualify for tuition discounts of 25%, 33% or even 56.1%, guilt-free

*10 deadly, self-inflicted financial aid mistakes overwhelmed families make before they apply to college (and how to avoid them)

*The disappointing state of last year's "Simpl...

Financial Aid Workshop | SAT / ACT Prep

I've gotten a lot of flack online about a free report I wrote called How to Hide Your Money from the Financial Aid Office, Legally and Ethically.

The criticism falls into two categories, broadly speaking.  Either 1. "This guy's a scam artist, or 2. It's not fair to help families who don't deserve it.

I don't know how to respond to the first argument, except to point out that I've been calling myself Long Island's Greatest Unindicted College Advisor since the "Varsity Blues" scandal of 2019.

Re:  helping the "wrong" families, that's a different kettle of fish.  My responses:

*I honestly don't see what's wrong with helping families who lived under their means and acted responsibly to save for college, who wake up at the 11th hour and realize that they've been punished by the financial aid formulas for this otherwise admirable behavior

*Helping these families get more financial aid and scholarships doesn't take anything away from less-advantag...

The Wall Street Journal said it best:

In financial aid, it's not how much you've saved, but where (paraphrasing).

The rules that dictate how much -- or how little -- you'll receive in college financial assistance are complicated and unfair to many who lived below their means and learn, too late, that they'll be penalized for their responsible behavior.

If that sounds like you, I recommend that you turn into our newest online class this coming Wednesday, September 18, called How to Slash College Costs by 56.1%...even if you think "No way!  Families like us NEVER qualify for any financial assistance."

One of the key topics I'll cover is that WSJ notion of "where," not "how much."  

Specifically, which types of savings accounts penalize you (reduce your eligibility) more than other types...

...and which are completely penalty-free.

In addition to strategies to get more cash for college, I'll go over at least 10 mistakes families make in the financial aid process. 

Mistakes you'll ...

With annual college costs in excess of $90,000 and 50% of student loans in default, there's a big, big sleeping elephant in the room.

If you're the parent of a teen headed to college in 2025 or beyond, the more you learn about how to win scholarships and financial aid, the better...

...so that you can comfortably afford tuition for all of your children without scrimping your lifestyle, plundering your retirement savings or selling a vital organ. :)

Next Wednesday, September 18, we're running a brand new financial aid and scholarships "secrets" workshop, called How to Slash College Costs by 56.1%...even if you think "No way!  Families like us NEVER qualify for any financial assistance."

There's no charge to attend and nothing to purchase.

And you will DEFINITELY not hear these strategies at your high school's BS "college night" or the next college fair you attend, where the speaker is probably employed by a local college. 

Yeah, HE will tell you how to get more money from his coll...

Free SAT or ACT Class Promo 

Good morning - two quickie announcements.

1. A Few Financial Aid and Essay Faux Pas - Live at 10 AM

Join me and Pearl for our weekly program, College Coffee Talk, live on our Facebook page.

Today's topic:  

A Few Financial Aid and Essay Faux Pas

2. FREE SAT or ACT Class Promo Expires Today

Announcing:  a free, no-obligation "test drive" of ANY of our upcoming SAT or ACT prep classes, either in-person or online.  Here's how it works:

1. Check out our schedule in July and August.

2. Pick the class you want to sample, for free.

3. After the class, our head tutor, Marissa will offer our absolute best deal we can give and still keep the lights on and landlord happy.  This is a one-time, "exploding" offer that expires 24 hours after class.

4. There is no obligation or pressure to buy anything, just the forthcoming incentive to enroll with us.

Enrollment expires at 5pm today.  I'm not sure we'll try this again.

Why are we doing this?

We just moved in...

Tutoring | Workshop

We're having a problem with tomorrow's in-office workshop:  out of the 25 people registered, we've gotten confirms for only eight.   So I have no idea who's coming to our office (not a webinar) tomorrow night.

If you're the parent of a 9th, 10th or 11th grader, I'd like to invite you to come to our brand spanking new office.  I'll do whatever it takes to make room for you.  

I'll even give you a gift for coming, a copy of one of my latest books.    Maybe I'll even sign It for you!   Ooooo!

 Here's the syllabus for tomorrow's class (in office, not a webinar):

*The inconvenient truth about what it takes -- beyond solid grades and near-perfect SATs, "passion projects" and other nonsense -- to get accepted to a top college today (WARNING:  Not "Politically Correct")

*Financial Aid "Loopholes" - how to legally "hide" your money from the financial aid office

*How to avoid Admissions Armageddon and build a balanced, strategic college list

*Are there any Safety S...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

*How to Ruin a Financial Aid Appeal

*The "Secret" Skills College Kids Need (but don't get)

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

Top of the morning!  

I'll be quicker than a Maryland felony gun charge jury today, because I know you're busy.

I just talked the lovely Pearl Lockwood into offering a Fast  -- Early -- Action bonus for anyone enrolled in our Get College Ready Bootcamp that runs all summer:

FREE preparation of your FAFSA!

(That's the financial aid application required by all colleges.)

This past year's "simplified" FAFSA overhaul and rollout was anything but simplified...

It was one giant pile of horse poop.  So much so that the bureaucrat in charge, Richard Cordray, lost his job over it.

I hope and pray that next year's FAFSA isn't beset by the same or new problems, or "glitches" as the Department of Education called them.  But I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

That's why this Early Action bonus is so valuable - you'll avoid costly mistakes, and save time and stress by having the Financial Aid Warrior herself, Pearl Lockwood, in your corner, walking you through all the ins and outs, glitches, str...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Pearl is away on special assignment, so I will do my best to pick up the slack. Today's show topics:

Oddball FAFSA fails and a new grounds for appealing your award. Plus, what's the deal with the parent "Brag Sheet?"

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and I'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

I'm going negative with this email.  Apologies in advance.

I just tweaked my presentation for tonight's live, local (not live streamed) presentation I'm running at the Bryant Library in Roslyn NY.  Most of the material, as it turns out, is about mistakes.  Easily avoidable, self-sabotaging mistakes. 

Some mistakes are of the commission variety -- things you affirmatively do -- that hurt odds of college acceptance or merit scholarships. 

Some are mistakes of OMISSION, meaning things you do NOT do, but should.

If you're local to the Long Island area, and you want to avoid costly errors that can severely impact your/your children's chances of getting into competitive colleges...

...as well as gaffes that could hurt or eliminate your ability to get merit aid or financial aid, then tonight is a terrific, unprecedented opportunity to learn up on all this stuff -- for free --- for reelz...

...that you definitely will NOT ever, never ever hear a hint of a scintilla of a whisper from your...