ABOUT THE BOOK The most important thing to remember about my College Crossroads blog at Forbes.com is that my posts are different than what is typically written elsewhere on college planning, and that is because I bring a rather unique perspective to this specialized area. For almost twenty years I have specialized in helping families determine their best strategy to pay for college, and doing so requires a rare knowledge of how four key areas must come together to form a family's best strategy: College selection, financial aid, tax aid, and personal resources. College admissions and financial aid professionals know their respective areas well, as do tax and financial advisors, but virtually none have a solid grasp of the areas outside their own, let alone how each area impacts the others for college planning purposes. That's where I come in. I have spent twenty years working with families and collaborating with these other professionals, making it my business to make the connections, gain the insights, and innovate ways to help families determine their best strategy to pay for college and enjoy a Real Life Retirement. My blog posts are less about what the latest studies or headlines say, and more about what you really need to know. I am about answers, not more and more information. If I think you need to know about a single topic in more detail, I go to the experts on those topics and interview them in the context of the four key areas: College selection, financial aid, tax aid, and the use of your personal resources to pay your share of the cost, with or without financial aid. It keeps the focus on strategy and simplicity; the best strategy to pay for the colleges that are the best fit. Finally, unless a student is independently wealthy, getting a college degree is ultimately about getting a job. The blog and this book cover that too. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Troy Onink is a nationally-known authority on college planning. Troy has specialized in college planning for twenty years, during which he pioneered this specialized field by integrating the areas of financial planning, investing, college admissions, financial aid, tax strategies, and wealth management, for the purpose of determining each family's best strategy to pay for college. Troy views college as a tollbooth on the road to retirement, and by having a strategy families choose the right exits, pay the toll as wisely as possible, and stay up to speed for retirement. Troy is CEO of Stratagee.com, the firm he co-founded to create innovative college planning software to help families identify where their children may be able to get in to college and get aid, and determine the family's best strategy to pay for the colleges that are the best fit for their children. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Why College Co-Op Programs Totally Rock "I made $46,000 working as a Co-Op student for a great company while I was getting my college degree from a well-known university, and now the company that I did my Co-Op with wants to hire me." This isn't too good to be true. The truth is that College Co-Op programs totally rock, and I could have gotten that quote from thousands of Co-Op students nationwide. There are several reasons why college Co-Op programs rock. Added Work Experience and Job Offers Think about this: One student goes to college, tries to find a job in the summer just to help with expenses, and then graduates on time with good grades but no work experience, and a boat load of student loans. Another student goes to college for the first half of the year, then goes to work at a company that is part of her university's Co-Op program, gains six months of work experience for which she is paid $11,000 - $18,000, then goes back to campus to learn in the classroom, repeating this cycle until she graduates with both a degree and meaningful work experience. Buy the book to read more!

Presents a guide to controlling college costs that furnishes helpful tips on the financial aid packages available, filling out application forms, educational loans, updated tax regulations, and additional sources of revenue.

“The College Solution helps readers look beyond over-hyped admission rankings to discover schools that offer a quality education at affordable prices. Taking the guesswork out of saving and finding money for college, this is a practical and insightful must-have guide for every parent!” —Jaye J. Fenderson, Seventeen’s College Columnist and Author, Seventeen’s Guide to Getting into College “This book is a must read in an era of rising tuition and falling admission rates. O’Shaughnessy offers good advice with blessed clarity and brevity.” —Jay Mathews, Washington Post Education Writer and Columnist “I would recommend any parent of a college-bound student read The College Solution.” —Kal Chany, Author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College Without Going Broke “The College Solution goes beyond other guidebooks in providing an abundance of information about how to afford college, in addition to how to approach the selection process by putting the student first.” —Martha “Marty” O’Connell, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives “Lynn O’Shaughnessy always focuses on what’s in the consumer’s best interest, telling families how to save money and avoid making costly mistakes.” —Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher, FinAid.org and Author, FastWeb College Gold “An antidote to the hype and hysteria about getting in and paying for college! O’Shaughnessy has produced an excellent overview that demystifies the college planning process for students and families.” —Barmak Nassirian, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers For millions of families, the college planning experience has become extremely stressful. And, unless your child is an elite student in the academic top 1%, most books on the subject won’t help you. Now, however, there’s a college guide for everyone. In The College Solution, top personal finance journalist Lynn O’Shaughnessy presents an easy-to-use roadmap to finding the right college program (not just the most hyped) and dramatically reducing the cost of college, too. Forget the rankings! Discover what really matters: the quality and value of the programs your child wants and deserves. O’Shaughnessy uncovers “industry secrets” on how colleges actually parcel out financial aid—and how even “average” students can maximize their share. Learn how to send your kids to expensive private schools for virtually the cost of an in-state public college...and how promising students can pay significantly less than the “sticker price” even at the best state universities. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing a college...and no other book will save you as much money! • Secrets your school’s guidance counselor doesn’t know yet The surprising ways colleges have changed how they do business • Get every dime of financial aid that’s out there for you Be a “fly on the wall” inside the college financial aid office • U.S. News & World Report: clueless about your child Beyond one-size-fits-all rankings: finding the right program for your teenager • The best bargains in higher education Overlooked academic choices that just might be perfect for you

Planning and paying for a college education is a daunting task for most parents. It is a stressful and costly process that needs a well-thought-out academic and financial strategy. This guide offers just that! Two of the nation's leading college planning and financing experts provide clear step-by-step guidance on how to successfully save, plan for, apply to, and finance a college education. Age- and grade-appropriate guidance empowers families with children of all ages, with detailed information on preparing, financing, and successfully applying to college. Financing a college education requires a good look at all available options: savings, free money, financial aid, and loans. Finding the right savings vehicle and investments is important. Learn the pros and cons of various savings and investment options, including Bank accounts, 529 Plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, and more-so you can begin to develop your plan. Easy-to-understand explanations help parents better understand college loans, including details about federal and private loans, consolidation and refinancing of loans, as well as a discussion on what it means to co-sign a loan. Based on the expert advice presented in this book, parents will be able to create a personalized college admission and financing plan that is unique to their family.

The cost of college has skyrocketed in recent years. Even state schools are increasing tuition at rates that rapidly outpace inflation. Drawing on insider advice from college administrators and financial planners, Cut College Costs NOW! shows readers the best ways to manage spending, apply for financial aid, and increase their eligibility for federal, state, and private funding. This comprehensive guide gives advanced planning strategies for structuring finances before college application—as well as tips on how to restructure investments once the college bills start to arrive. Cut College Costs NOW! gives readers the real deal on how to be a savvy college consumer.

A higher education without falling deep in debt. With the lack of financial aid, grants, and scholarships available today due to the economic climate, parents and students need serious help in finding ways to pay for college. Savings plans and resources have disappeared. Loans seem impossible to pay off. That's where The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Paying for College steps in. It helps develop an action plan for people to budget and pay for college right now, and if necessary, strategize repayment after graduation. It also explains how to: • Find ways to lower the cost of tuition and room and board • Find honest–to–goodness free money • Discover more affordable options like college credit for military service, peer–to–peer lending, or attending nontraditional colleges and universities

A financial planning expert demystifies the tax law changes that help make college more affordable and offers both immediate and long-term planning strategies.