How to Pay for College: Scholarships, FAFSA Timing, and Family Money Talks

Valerie Alston and guest Shelly Howard discuss how sports families can fund college through early, honest conversations about what parents can contribute, whether loans are on the table, and the student’s role in earning merit scholarships. Howard explains four “buckets” of money, notes scholarships can be pursued as early as fourth grade, and emphasizes getting a clear estimate of what colleges expect you to pay using a Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator. She highlights that FAFSA considers not only income but where assets are held, and warns planning should start well before late junior year. The episode stresses that the biggest money can come from choosing the right, more generous college and from students building a strong “resume” of authentic leadership and activities. They offer conversation starters like the “millionaire” game to gauge values and financial literacy, and share resources including books and a 30-minute discovery call at collegereadyplan.info.

00:00 College Cost Wakeup

02:16 Funding Starts With Talk

04:46 Scholarship Buckets And FAFSA

08:07 Student Merit Mindset

13:19 Where To Find Scholarships

17:24 Family Money Talk Starters

18:20 Millionaire Game And Debt

23:03 Resources And Wrap Up

www.collegereadyplan.info

www.collegereadyplan.com

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