How We Work At GetCollegeFunding Click here for Live Session
What’s It Like When A Family Works
With GetCollegeFunding?
On this page we’ll tell you what you can expect from GetCollegeFunding. We’ll also share with you our guiding beliefs and the approach we take when helping families. And finally, what is it that makes us different than other College Funding companies out there? We'll tell you.
In order for us to be most effective in helping you we invite you to take the first step - meet with us so that we can personally evaluate your family's unique profile - biographical, academic, and financial. If you are not local to our office in southern California, we still have you covered! We'll set up a Tele-Consultation with you. We will then guide you to your next step in the College Funding process.
Here's what we have waiting for you on this page:
- When you work with us you can expect to understand the College Funding process. There is so much misinformation out there, it’s difficult to know what’s true. With our help you will learn the facts. Did you know that everyone should fill out the financial aid forms, regardless of income or assets? Most parents have no idea that it’s often to their financial advantage when they have more than one child in college at the same time – or that 90% of the colleges don’t assess their home equity against them when determining financial aid eligibility. Knowing truths like these – and many more – can eliminate unfounded fears many families may presently have.
- Families don’t need to risk their retirement in order to help provide a college education for their children. We will show you the numerous resources for College Funding, including grants (federal, state and institutional), a variety of loans, work study programs and financial strategies unknown to many families.
- Some families can spend less money out-of-pocket for a private university than a state school. This applies to most low to middle-income families. It also applies to many families that will have more than one child in college at the same time and to most families that have high achievers. We will assess if this situation applies to you.
- Even if you’ve waited too long to plan for college, we will guide you through the College Funding process to assure you are doing everything you can do right now to maximize your results. Don’t assume that junior college is the only solution. By the way, MOST parents wait too long to begin; they assume they need to do nothing regarding College Funding until well into the senior year. Many families think they can’t apply for financial aid until their student has been accepted into college!
- UGMA accounts and 529 Plans might be wonderful investment and tax strategy tools for some families - but for others they can decrease financial aid eligibility, sometimes significantly. If you have funds in your childrens' names, we will evaluate your financial profile. You can expect a clear explanation of which of these situations applies to you and why.
- Many students have average (or below average) grades and/or test results. There’s still a perfect school for every child – and many schools offer financial aid based entirely on need. Need is determined by a family’s level of income and assets, not scholastic achievement. We have financial aid statistics for just about every college in the U.S. that we will give to you as we help you find the schools that will offer you aid based on need only.
- Single parents have unique challenges. Don’t make the common mistake of including too much information on the financial aid forms. If your child lives with you most of the time, most colleges don’t even ask about your ex-spouse’s income or assets. Avoid the costly mistakes that may result in reduced financial aid by turning to us for help.
- There’s a perfect college for everyone. We believe that God has a plan – a perfect plan – for all of us, every family and every child. We just need to do our parts and be good stewards of what He has already given us – from our financial resources to our wisdom, knowledge and choices we make.
- We believe in education. By this we mean higher education for your children and education for you as parents to understand the process of funding a college education. With education comes understanding and knowledge – and from this, you as parents become equipped to make the important financial decisions necessary as your family prepares for college.
- Honesty and integrity are imperative throughout the college funding process. From disclosure of your family’s income and assets on the financial aid forms all the way through the appeals process with college Financial Aid Officers, we emphasize the need for honesty to our clients throughout the process. At GetCollegeFunding we understand the rules and regulations and are able to help you optimize your financial aid eligibility without compromising your integrity or ours.
- We want to “make a difference”. One of our biggest blessings at GetCollegeFunding is the satisfaction that we are making a significant difference in the lives of people. Whether this is through educating moms and dads with the facts about funding their children’s college or helping a single mom make the best choices for college affordability or creating a financial plan for an affluent family to best utilize their God-given resources – it is a privilege to guide families through the College Funding process.
- We want to reach out to our community. Being a non-profit corporation we are able to offer many services to the public at no charge including our seminars and our personal evaluations. We want to be viewed as a valued partner within the community, to the schools districts and to you and your family personally.
- We are committed to provide to you a “pressure-free zone”. From the time we first meet you at one of our College Funding Seminars to the 1-on-1 Private Consultation where we evaluate your personal situation, we don’t ever want you to feel uncomfortable or pressured in any way. Rather we want you to view us as an invaluable partner to you and your family. For some families this means simply having us to call upon throughout the year to answer questions. Other families choose to engage with our professional services. Either way we want to be a resource that you can count on. We want to be here for you and provide whatever help you need from us.
- We value and honor your time. We have all experienced horrible customer service. It creates a perception within us that we aren’t valued. At GetCollegeFunding we are committed to provide a quick response time for you. We promise to respond to you within one business day – whether this involves a phone call, an email or forms review. You'll never have to "chase us down". And when you attend one of our seminars - you can count on us to begin promptly on time.
- We are friendly – and fun! We are blessed to have our office in one of the most beautiful parts of the country – southern coastal Orange County, California. Who doesn’t like going to the beach! We are right across the street from Dana Point Harbor – and our office reflects the fun, casual nature of this setting. From water fountains to paintings of local beaches to our “Cape Cod” look to our golden retriever pup Sammy who will greet you (IF you're a dog-lover) – we think you’ll enjoy visiting us and coming to depend upon us as your College Funding advocate.
Our Unique Process
So What Is It That Makes GetCollegeFunding DIFFERENT?
We’re the only College Funding company in the country organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public benefit company AND dedicated to helping families 1-on-1 with their College Funding needs. Our mission is to educate parents with the facts regarding the College Funding element and to counsel them and their families throughout the entire process.
We partner with schools, both public and private, churches, and organizations - and we’re here to help families every step of the way. We want to get every family to 'first base' and make sure they understand how important the planning stage for College Funding truly is.
GetCollegeFunding's unique process largely involves providing a team of experts to families. We've chosen to focus on the single element of College Funding. This has allowed us to achieve and maintain the highest level of expertise in our field. And we have established our GetCollegeFunding Advisory Team consisting of 'best in class' individuals and firms across the country whose experience and knowledge base is unparalleled. This network has become an extension of our firm and shares our core value of providing excellence to families who turn to us for assistance. Be sure to read the bios of our Network team.
We equip you with resources that you won't find anywhere else for free. We have revolutionized the industry by providing foundational elements - such as EFC calculations, Pell Grant/Cal Grant eligibility, and Financial Aid Statistics - to everyone at no cost.
It’s our desire to serve your family. We hope this is evident by the abundance of free services, tools and resources we offer. We recognize and embrace the uniqueness of each and every family situation – from the financial profile of the parents to the talents, skills and abilities of the children.
We respect the challenges facing many families when they realize the complex matrix of today’s college preparation: Admissions, Standardized Test Prep (SAT/ACT), and College Funding. It can indeed be overwhelming! We’re here for you to offload the pressures of the College Funding element onto us as you are then freed up to focus on admissions and test preparation – where your children really need your involvement and help.
| Don't just HOPE for a good College Funding package PLAN for it GetCollegeFunding Is Here To Help YOU |
Now that you have a better idea about the results you can expect by working with us and you understand our guiding values, our approach to working with families and the uniqueness of GetCollegeFunding, check out what we do to learn about what we have to offer you
