"If we apply for financial aid, will it hurt my kid's chances of getting in?"

This fear costs families $30K-$100K in lost aid. In this episode, I'm separating fact from fiction.

You'll learn:

✅ Need-blind vs. need-aware admissions—what they really mean
✅ Which schools consider financial need (and which don't)
✅ Whether checking "yes" on the Common App matters
✅ The 6 myths costing families thousands
✅ Your action plan based on YOUR student's profile
✅ Scholarship Spotlight: University of Richmond (full-ride opportunities!)

Real stories from this episode:

→ The mom who almost lost $40K by checking "no"
→ The borderline student who got a $48K grant anyway
→ The family earning $185K who received $32K/year in aid

Bottom line: For 95% of families, applying for aid is the right move.

📥 FULL SHOW NOTES + FREE FINANCIAL AID GUIDE: GetCollegeFunded.com/003

🎤 Got a question? Email getcollegefunded@gmail.com — I'm answering listener questions on upcoming episodes!

Big futures, small bills. Let's make it happen.

Understanding the financial aid system is one thing, but actually filing correctly is another. That's where families either save tens of thousands of dollars or end up accidentally leaving money on the table.

In this episode, you'll get the complete roadmap for filing financial aid forms for the 2025-26 school year. We cover:

✔️ FAFSA vs CSS Profile—which forms you need (and how to know)
✔️ What changed with the new FAFSA (and what it means for middle-class families)
✔️ Critical deadlines that can cost you thousands if you miss them
✔️ Every document you'll need—so you can start gathering them now
✔️ The 4 biggest mistakes families make (including the $60,000 529 error that increased one family's aid index by $7,200)
✔️ What happens after you submit—and how to respond to verification requests

PLUS: This week's Scholarship School Spotlight features the University of South Carolina, where strong stats can earn your student over $100,000 in automatic merit scholarships.

Whether your student is a high school senior filing this year or a freshman/sophomore planning ahead, this episode gives you everything you need to file correctly—and avoid expensive mistakes.

Download the free Financial Aid Checklist: https://getcollegefunded.com/finaidchecklist

Big futures, small bills. Let's make it happen.

Why do middle-class families get stuck paying full price for college? If you've ever felt like you make too much money to qualify for financial aid but not nearly enough to afford a $70,000-$90,000 college bill, you're caught in the middle-class trap. And you're not alone—millions of American families are stuck in this exact situation.

In this premiere episode, I break down exactly why this trap exists, how the financial aid system is broken, and, most importantly, what successful families are actually doing in 2025 to escape it.

You'll learn:

• What the "middle-class trap" is and why the financial aid system penalizes families like yours
• How the Student Aid Index (SAI) works and why it has nothing to do with what you can actually afford
• Why college costs have spiraled to $60K-$90K+ per year (and why complaining won't help)
• The critical difference between need-based aid and merit-based aid (and which one you should focus on)
• 6 proven strategies successful families use to make college affordable without destroying retirement
• The 3 biggest mistakes middle-class families make (and how to avoid them)

Plus: In our Scholarship School Spotlight, I feature the University of Alabama—a school where a 3.5 GPA and a 1420 SAT score get you automatic FULL TUITION (worth $120,000 over four years).

Your income doesn't matter.

This episode is the foundation for everything we'll cover in this podcast. Whether your student is in 9th grade or applying to colleges right now, you'll walk away with a clear understanding of the system you're dealing with and a roadmap for beating it.

Resources mentioned:

• Free Financial Aid Quick-Start Guide: https://getcollegefunded.com

Have a college funding question? Email getcollegefunded@gmail.com

Subscribe now so you don't miss Episode 2, where I'll walk you through the FAFSA and CSS Profile step-by-step—including the costly mistakes that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.

Big futures, small bills. Let's make it happen.