An "AMAZING" Educational Consultant

As my seniors are gearing up for their freshman year, I sometimes get letters from parents thanking me for helping their kids through the college admissions maze.  I received this note the other day.  Sure is nice to hear that I made a difference.

I made the very wise decision to hire Mark Montgomery to assist my son, Alex, in his college search.  We did not start the college search until the fall of Alex’s senior year. The whole college search and application process was overwhelming.  I felt like helping Alex choose a college could become a full time job and I already had one of those.  Alex new he wanted to attend a college out of state, preferably on the East Coast.  Stymied by all the choices, I hired Mark to help Alex narrow the options and choose schools that fit his goals and abilities.

Our experience with Mark was AMAZING!  He is very professional, and he listened and analyzed Alex’s desires in developing a list of prospective schools.  He kept Alex on track and I did not have to be the one holding Alex to the admission deadlines.  I simply got to enjoy the process and help Alex make his final decision.

As a wrestler, Mark encouraged Alex to use his sport as a back door to some of his “stretch” schools.  Mark helped Alex develop letters to the coaches and pushed him to get them out in a timely manner.  Alex needed to raise his ACT scores and Mark lead us to a tutor that helped Alex raise his score 4 points!  Mark truly mentored Alex through the college maze and I think they will have a friendship for years to come.  I could write a lot more, however, in summary Mark’s services are worth every penny!  Alex has been accepted to Lehigh University with the bonus of a Dean’s Scholarship, and can hardly wait to start the next chapter of his life.


Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant


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Taking Out a Student Loan? Listen To This First!

OnPoint, a radio production of WBUR and NPR, ran a story this past week  called The Dark Side of Student Loans. The featured guest is Alan Michael Collinge, founder of StudentLoanJustice.org and author of the new book “The Student Loan Scam: The Most Oppressive Debt in U.S. History – and How We Can Fight Back.” Publisher’s Weekly apparently calls it “whistle-blowing at its finest.”

This story should be required listening for any student or parent considering taking out a student loan to pay for college tuition and expenses.

Parents and students should, indeed, consider “return on investment” before enrolling in an expensive degree program.

But more than that, parents and students should develop a decent strategy of selecting the right college BEFORE they get admitted and are faced with a lousy financial aid package.  Do the research!  Don’t just sign the loan papers and then plead, “gosh, I had no idea!”

As I have written many times, colleges and universities are businesses.  They act like businesses.  They talk about “filling beds” and “sales leads.”  And yes, they use financial aid programs to their advantage…not to the advantage of the student.  This is not really surprising, is it?

What is surprising is that too few families have blinkers on when it comes to financing a college education.  Doing some solid research well before the applications are submitted will help mitigate the anger and hurt (and debt) that can come after the diploma is framed.

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Choose the Right College Before Tackling the Financial Aid Form

An article the other day in the New York Times highlights the pain of applying for financial aid.  Entitled “The Big Test Before College,” the article raises the issue of whether the intimidating form actually does what it is supposed to do:  measure a family’s financial need.
While we all love to hate these “means tests,” it’s hard to conceive of a way to simplify this process too much.  Furthermore, one must remember that the FAFSA is later interpreted by individual colleges as they decide how much aid to give to families.
The FAFSA (or its eventual replacement) will churn out the “Estimated Family Contribution” (EFC).  But colleges–especially private ones–will always have the power to decide whether to meet full financial need, and with what financial instruments (grants, loans, work study, arm, leg, promise of first born, etc.).
Thus choosing a college carefully before applying is essential.  Too many families encourage their children to apply to whatever college they like, with the promise, “don’t worry, honey, we’ll figure out how to pay for it somehow.” The result is anxiety, disappointment, and a complete surrender of control to the college admissions and financial aid offices.
It doesn’t have to be this way.  With some careful planning, honest appraisal of financial priorities, and open communication within a family, students and parents can find the colleges that will be more likely to meet their financial need, and ensure that the student receives an excellent undergraduate education.