Parents are desperate to lower tuition costs and are willing to pay for help

  • Parents are willing to spend any amount to save money on college tuition
  • Financial-aid consultants offer various options, from concierge-like packages to web courses
  • Certified financial planners and other financial consultants also offer college help
  • Some parents are willing to pay personalized levels of service, even up to 1,000 times the cost of a book
  • Consultants can help families be realistic about college costs and steer them towards less expensive schools
  • Consultants can no longer fill out the FAFSA form for parents

Parents are increasingly desperate to find ways to lower the skyrocketing costs of college tuition. Financial-aid consultants have capitalized on this demand, offering a range of services to help parents navigate the complex financial-aid process. These services include concierge-like packages, web courses, and access to software. Some consultants have experience as financial-aid counselors at universities, while others have developed data-crunching software. Certified financial planners and other financial consultants also offer college help. While there is free help available, many parents are willing to pay for personalized levels of service. Consultants can charge hundreds of dollars for consultations or hourly rates, and some even offer multiyear engagements that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The value of these services lies in helping families be realistic about college costs and steering them towards less expensive schools. However, consultants can no longer fill out the FAFSA form for parents, as the government now requires parents to fill it out themselves.

Public Companies:
Private Companies: undefined, undefined
Key People: Jeff Levy (co-founder of Big J Education Consulting), Mark Kantrowitz (financial-aid expert), Ron Lieber (author), Jodi Okun (financial-aid expert)

Factuality Level: 7
Justification: The article provides information about the rising costs of college tuition and the various options available to parents for financial aid consulting. The information presented is based on known facts about the financial-aid process, but there is also some opinion and personal perspective presented by the consultants interviewed. Overall, the article provides accurate information but also includes some bias and personal perspective.

Noise Level: 3
Justification: The article provides information on the rising cost of college tuition and the options available for financial aid consulting. However, it lacks depth and analysis, and there is a lack of evidence or data to support the claims made in the article. The article also does not provide any actionable insights or solutions for readers.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article discusses the rising costs of college tuition and the financial-aid process, which can have an impact on families’ financial planning and decisions.

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article primarily focuses on the financial aspects of college tuition and the services offered by financial-aid consultants. There is no mention of any extreme events or their impact.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com