Financial Aid Consultants Add Value

Since founding Financial Aid Consulting in 2001 Howard Freedman has met and exceeded the expectations of thousands of students by making a college education more affordable.

Role of a Financial Aid Consultant              

“Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.” ― William Shakespeare
Overview

Financial aid consultants help students and parents through the financial aid process by providing advice and assistance that supplements the services offered by the schools. Just as some people seek services of a tax professional for their income tax returns, a competent financial aid consultant can help a family navigate through the sometimes-confusing financial aid application process.

Here is What I do

ABC Model

My business model is simple. It starts with the ABC.  

A is for Acknowledging why the perspective client is calling. I the explain how my Advice can help them. 

B is for Believing how you can help them.

C is for Completing the deliverables and maintain an ongoing line of communication.

ons can be interesting, factual but scary to the unprepared.

Credibility

A colleague with a strong sales background was conscientious yet inexperienced in the financial aid consulting field. He represented a company that provided software and marketing support for a registration fee and cut of the profits. They were a for profit business that provided training, course material and reams of paper rather than being more succinct. Because of my expertise he asked me to sit in on a session and provide feedback. 

I noticed that he asked the parents many scripted questions from his computer template. The voluminous output seemed impressive but was easily available online. The program suggested that a home equity loan was the best way to finance college before handing them a lengthy report and a book with is name that he did not author. His services may have seemed informative but provided no real value. As a postscript, he finally quit this business less than a year after he started. It just didn’t work out!

What I Do

When I began Financial Aid Consulting, I realized that there was more to do than to complete financial aid forms. So, I decided to do more.

Here are some of the services that I provide:

Reducing Anxiety

·       Overcoming the fear of the unknown

·       Improving family communications

·       Clarifying financial responsibilities

·       Exploring alternatives

Staying Organized and In Control

·       Timetables

·       Spreadsheet analysis

·       Progressive review and follow up.   

Scholarship Searches

·       Exploring Scholarship opportunities

·       Brainstorming qualifications and skills

·       Identifying the best scholarship choices

College Planning

·       Helping students establish criteria for researching colleges.

·       Preparing for campus visits

·       Spreadsheet analytics

·       Scholarship searching

·       Exploring 4-year college alternatives

Financial Aid Forms

·       Preparation

·       Review forms already completed.

·       Analysis

·       Tax analysis

·       Review output reports 

·       Strategies for maximizing financial aid.

·       Student Aid Index review  

·       “What If” Scenarios

·       Scheduling and follow-up

Financial Aid Award Analysis

·       Understanding what it means

·       Crunching the numbers

·       Evaluating the available options

·       Strategizing how to get more.

Writing  Powerful Appeal Letters

·       Defining what is needed.

·       Effectively presenting your case.