Financial Planning

Parents and students like to think they are using rational thought to select a college, but often times they do not. Selecting a college is an emotional experience and those emotions can cloud judgment. Paying for college is of comparable weight to purchasing a car or home, yet the final decision of college selection can have a greater consequence.

Next Chapter provides an outside perspective in helping families determine VALUE in the college they select. We continually revisit the student’s needs and goals to ensure that their choice will fulfill these objectives. At the conclusion of the student receiving the acceptance and financial award letters, the consultant will create a spreadsheet of the award letters to enable families to make a fair comparison of the money that is offered and what the out of pocket cost will be to the parent and/or student. Understanding financial aid can be a tedious and intimidating process and we are here to advise you through the system. We provide you with tools and guidance in filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service). Financial forms will require personal financial information; therefore we do not fill it out together. We will:

• Guide you through completing the FAFSA and the CSS Profile (financial aid for most private institutions)
• Help a family determine their EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
• Explain the difference between need-based aid and merit aid
• Define the financial aid terminology
• Identify the net price (as opposed to the “sticker price”)
• Demonstrate the use of key financial aid calculators