Are private College Consultants worth using?

happymomof1
Mon, 09 Nov 2020 16:15:01 +0000

@tiptoetulips

“We are trying to decide whether to just hire them for the financial part…”

Without digging too far into your financials, what help do you think you need or want with that? Every college and university in the country has a Net Price Calculator right on its website. Yes, those often don’t work well if you have a business or own property other than your home or have divorce/remarriage situations. But they will give you a notion of what you are likely to be expected to pay.

Ultimately, paying for college will come down to some combination of savings, current income, and loans. Do you have college savings already? Do you have income sufficient to cover $XX each year? Are you willing to take on debt other than the standard federal student loans that your children are eligible for?

There are rare cases in which restructuring a family’s financials can result in increased financial aid, but most of what is possible has already been seen by the folks in the Financial Aid Forum. Pop over there, and ask your questions.

Wishing you all the best!