college planning
We help you navigate the complex world of college admissions & financial aid
Your Kids Are Ready for College. Are You?
We believe that every student deserves a chance to attend college and achieve their dreams. We also understand that every family’s financial situation is unique. That’s why we offer a range of college planning services to meet your needs and help you create a plan that works for your family. As a Maryland college planning advisor, we have helped hundreds of family navigate the complex path of finding the right college funding.
Book a meeting with College Craig
About College Craig
Kids going off to college? It might be new to you, but it is not a new thing. Kids have been heading off to college for decades and the way you plan for it can make all the difference in the world!
20-30 years ago the process was fairly simple. You funded college by taking out a few small loans and/or added the tuition bill to your monthly expenses. Today, a college dollar is in constant competition with a retirement dollar and requires a completely different approach. Student loan debt affects 2 out of every 3 college seniors.
Craig believes that the right student, attending the right school, for the right degree program is paramount; however, paying for it can be a huge financial burden. The ever-changing dynamics of the whole process requires it’s own education.
Our goal is to help families reduce the cost of education and taxes, while increasing cash flow and money set aside for retirement. When these areas align themselves, many families enjoy having more money, more time and more fun.
Join Us For a College Planning Workshop
It is no secret that secondary education is expensive. Many parents with juniors and seniors find themselves overwhelmed as they begin to plan for college. Our college planning workshops provide keys to help prepare for the road ahead, debunk myths and address many over-looked areas .
Click below to register for our next college planning workshop
What Does College Cost?
According to the College Board report published in October 2022, here are some average published tuition and fees for full-time students at a four-year school:
Public in-state: $10,950 x 4 years = $43,800
Public out-of-state: $28,240 X 4 = $112,960
Private nonprofit: $39,400 X 4 = $157,600
Then, you have to account for other expenses like housing, food, and books which will more than doubles the costs listed above.
According to a 2014 report by Complete College America, most students do not graduate in four years. Many families are shocked to learn that the average is closer to six!
Remember that these are only averages…
Education Funding
With an importance on higher education in today’s workplace, parents and their college-aged children are facing some tough decisions on how to fund their education. Fortunately, there are a number of resources and planning strategies that can help alleviate the burden. One of the first steps is to determine the possibility of financial aid that comes in the form of grants, loans, and scholarships. This financial aid may derive from federal financial aid programs, state programs, and/or the college itself.
Depending on how far your child is from attending college, there may be other solutions to consider. At College Craig, we understand the magnitude paying for college can have on your family. We design and implement college planning solutions that allow for your child to attend college while minimizing the impact this financial commitment has on your overall family’s financial health.
How to Pay for College
The process of paying for college can feel a lot like the process of getting into your first home. Unless you prepare for this, the debt you see after college will look a lot like a monthly mortgage payment for a home you don’t even get to live inside of.
Given these high costs, it’s no surprise that many families are concerned about how to pay for college. That’s where our college planning services come in. Our team will evaluate your current plan, and the ways that you’re saving for college, to determine if that is the best course. If we find better ways to get college paid for, we will share that with you too. For many families, our designs can integrate with what you have already built.
