The Facts About College Financial Aid

Most American families are offsetting the high costincorrectly. Clearly, parents are not getting enough
of college by applying for some degree of financialguidance on the college funding process.Well-meaning
aid by submitting their FAFSA (Free Application Forguidance counselors invite FAO's to speak at their
Federal Student Aid) on or after January 2nd.high schools, trusting them to put the best interests
Unfortunately, this is not a simple process as theof the students above the financial interests of their
college financial aid system is anything butcollege. By evening's end, parents are often left with
user-friendly. There are an endless number of pitfallsa false sense of security that the college of their
in the application process, and it is far too easy forchoice will award their student its best possible
families to lose some or all of the aid they are eligiblefinancial aid package. This is hardly ever the
for.Many families fail to even attempt applicationcase!Much like frugal employers whose goal is to hire
because they don't know how to, or they incorrectlythe most talented applicants for the least amount of
assume they are not qualified, or simply becausepay, FAO's seek the most promising students for the
they are intimidated by the complicated andleast amount of financial aid. Relying on an FAO to
confusing process and all its paperwork. With farcut your college costs is like expecting an IRS agent
more qualified applicants than desks in all of America'sto help reduce income taxes! FAO's can be helpful,
colleges and universities, it is reasonable to expect abut their loyalties are with their schools - not their
system intentionally designed to eliminate all but theapplicants!Accountants may offer some assistance,
most knowledgeable and persistentbut far too few have experience with college funding.
applicants.According to a disturbing statistic from theAlthough they are experts with income tax forms
US Dept. of Education, over 90% of all financial aidand tax strategies, college financial aid forms and
applications are rejected for errors andcollege funding strategies are a horse of a different
inconsistencies! As financial aid is awarded on acolor. The good-intentioned application of accounting
first-come, first-served basis, the loss of time in theprinciples to college funding can actually hinder a
resubmission process results in thousands of dollarsfamily's chances of getting all the financial aid they
of lost financial aid to eligible families who braved theare entitled to!There is an endless amount of
college funding process blindly and alone.This beingmisinformation on the subject of college funding, and
the case, what's a family to do with one or morea good deal of it is from so-called reliable sources. In
college-bound students facing as much as $160 tofact, one instruction on the current FAFSA, if
$300 thousand dollars to send their kids to a 4-yearfollowed, will cost families thousands of the financial
college? Many make the mistake of relying solely onaid dollars they are eligible for! (See our website for
the advice of guidance counselors, college financial aidFAFSA ALERT!) So, "who you gonna call?"One of
officers (FAO's), and even their accountants. Sadly,America's best kept college secrets is the existence
these families are not getting all of the financialof the college funding professional! This small group
information they need and are in for a rudeof admissions and financial aid experts assist parents
awakening!Nationally, guidance departments are facingthrough the college funding process and help families
their worst crunch ever, and are overloaded with asprovide their students with the best possible college
many as 800 or more students for each counselor!education for the least possible cost. One would
Budget cuts have added to the problem causingnaturally assume they are in great demand and buried
schools to increase the responsibilities of guidancewith invitations to lecture at America's high schools.
counselors in areas other than guidance, leaving themSadly, this is not the case!It would surprise and
with even less time for their students - and there isoutrage parents to learn that, on a national scale,
no relief in sight!Despite these obstacles and to theirmost guidance departments refuse the services
credit, guidance counselors still manage to effectivelyoffered by college funding professionals, often
advise students in career planning and collegestating that bringing in "outsiders" is against school
selection. However, when it comes to college funding,policy, even when such services are offered
they come up short in providing the necessaryabsolutely free! The distressing result is, every year,
financial information that could save familiesparents enter the college funding arena without the
thousands of dollars!Counselors have little time andnecessary ammunition to do battle with the system -
lack the expertise to show parents how to reduceand severely overpay for college!For further
their Expected Family Contribution (EFC), theinformation and guaranteed solutions to America's
minimum the federal government determines thathigher education crisis, please visit: financial advisor &
each family will pay for any college, based on thelecturer for almost 3 decades, Reecy Aresty has
information submitted on the FAFSA. Additionally,helped thousands of families to protect their assets,
knowledge of specific legal financial aid strategies andincrease their wealth and reduce their taxes. In the
their correct application would help families avoid or1980's, he mastered the complex world of college
reduce an array of assessments that could costadmissions and financial aid. In 1986, a generous gift
them thousands of dollars for each year theirfrom the Aresty family to the Wharton School at
students are in college!For example, parents and mostthe University of Pennsylvania established the Aresty
guidance counselors are unaware that students haveInstitute of Executive Education. So began the
no asset protection allowance. Consequently,Aresty family legacy; a dedication to the pursuit of
students with assets in their own name are assessedknowledge through higher education for all. In 1993,
by the federal government at 35% for each yearReecy founded College Assistance, Inc. Continuing
they are in college! Thus, a student with $1,000 willthe family tradition, he helps parents send their kids
be assessed $350 for each year the $1,000 remainsto the best schools for less than they ever dreamed
in their name. After 4 years, they will have lostpossible! He has recently authored the groundbreaking
$1,400 in financial aid for having only $1,000 worth ofnew book, "Getting Into College And Paying For It."
assets! This is tragic as it can be legally avoided - ifThe first book of its kind also available in Spanish, it is
you know how.Periodically, guidance departmentsfilled with trade secrets, insider information and legal
present "in-house" Financial Aid Nights which focus onmoney saving strategies guaranteed to cut the rising
filling out financial aid forms and understanding thecosts of college! Reecy has become a major factor
basics of the process. Nevertheless, year after year,in obtaining affordable, quality educations for
9 out of every 10 families applying for financial aidAmerica's students.
continue to be rejected for filling out their forms