Planning for College: Educational Workshops

By Joe Messinger, CFP®

June 27, 2019

3 min READ

When it comes to planning for college, families need help. Maybe they just need a bit of help or maybe they need some intensive guidance. No matter the level of support needed, a great way to get started is through two educational workshops: Tips for the College-Bound and Smart Money Moves for the College-Bound™. Joe Messinger continues to support and encourage students to look at both Tips for the College-Bound, from At the Core, which focuses on being a success in college, and his own Smart Money Moves for the College-Bound™ which focuses on more of the financial aspects of college planning.

A Little History

Tips for the College-Bound was created by Beth Probst of At The Core in 2014. Beth started her business helping students discover their ideal career and college major through Guided Self Assessment. Along the way, she amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of how students can make smart choices in high school, find and apply to college, and be successful while there. She shared all this info in their upcoming events.

In its earliest version, “Tips” included Joe for a section devoted to the discussion of paying for college. Beth and Joe quickly discovered that a small section about money in “Tips” was not enough. Families had SO many questions so Smart Money Moves for the College-Bound™ was born.

In Smart Money Moves, Joe was able to dig deeper into the financial side of paying for college. His free message about how families can become educated consumers of a college education has been seen by thousands of families.

What does Smart Money Moves for the College-Bound™ look like today?

Today, Joe is pleased to offer this free program online nationwide via webinar. The schedule of events is often the same with two programs in the winter and fall and one program offered in the summer. Click here for the most recent schedule of upcoming events.

Joe’s 90-minute program helps families understand how paying for college works.

• What terms do they need to understand?
• Where can families find financial aid and scholarships?
• What can families do when they earn too much to qualify for aid?
• How can families find a college they can afford?
• What do families need to consider when making a sound plan?
• And more!

This program was not created to sell any financial product. Smart Money Moves is simply good info to help parents and students make smart choices. The pressure-filled approach of other planners is not Joe’s style. His goal is just to give you the knowledge you need.

What does Tips for the College-Bound look like today?

These days, Joe and At The Core give their in-depth webinars and workshops separately. At the Core now does many different college planning events for students and their parents.

Many of their workshops/webinars is devoted to all the nuts and bolts of high school and preparing for college:

• ACT/SAT testing
• High school course options (AP, IB, dual enrollment/College Credit Plus, electives, honors, etc.)
• Graduation requirements
• Finding a college
• Extracurriculars
• What are colleges looking for
• The application process

Planning For College…A Jump Start

With a combination of these types of educational workshops, families can be confident in their next steps. Don’t wait until Junior year for these workshops. Freshman or Sophomore years are ideal. We hope to see you at one soon.

Want To Get Started ASAP?

We recommend kicking off your college planning process prior to our upcoming webinar with our free College Money Report™! This report is fully customizable and answers the following questions:

1. How much colleges think you can afford.
2. If you will qualify for grants and/or scholarships.
3. How much you will be expected to pay out of pocket.

Need additional help? Schedule a meeting with us by clicking here! We’re happy to guide you through the college planning process, or point you to any additional resources that you need.