You’d never hand over six figures on an investment without doing your homework, right? That’s exactly what most families do with college.

Hans Hanson is a national college advisor who’s worked with 1,000 families, and almost none of them were asking the right questions before they started. In this episode, you’ll learn what most families don’t understand about the business of college, how to give your child the best chance for acceptance and scholarships, and the question that will help them find the right college fit.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

How he went from CPA to college advisor (01:52)

CollegeLogic’s process to empower students and support families (06:17)

What college “fit” actually means and why it matters more than rankings (09:18)

The ROI of college: where families go wrong (11:35)

The college lie about job placement (14:51)

The policies designed to keep students enrolled longer (17:43)

Tips for writing a great college essay (23:23)

Why everyone should submit the FAFSA and apply early (27:55)

Why “test optional” isn’t really optional (30:51)

What brought you JOY today? (32:46)

If you’re a writer who wants to take control of your finances, read Mitlin Financial’s Write Your Financial Future: A Financial Guide for Authors: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/insights/blog/write-your-financial-future-a-financial-guide-for-authors/

Resources:

• Sending your child to college will always be emotional but are you financially ready? Take the College Readiness Quiz for Parents: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/college-readiness-quiz/
• Doing your taxes might not be enJOYable but being more organized can make the process less painful. Get Your Gathering Your Tax Documents Checklist: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mitlin_ChecklistForGatheringYourTaxDocuments_Form_062424_v2.pdf
• Will you be able to enJOY the Retirement you envision? Take the Retirement Ready Quiz: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/retirement-planning-quiz/

Connect with Larry Sprung:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencesprung/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larry_sprung/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceDSprung/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/Lawrence_Sprung

About Our Guest:

I am a national college advisor helping families from around the country and the world navigate the complicated college process. From identifying an initial list of colleges to planning college visits, writing essays, submitting applications, and deciding on the right major, at the right college, and at the right price, I help student-families get college right.

My daily motivation is to help students live the life they want for themselves, which may differ from the life their parents want for them. To achieve it all, I help students own their outcomes and their expectations. Their job is to make college worth it for themselves and their parents. I raise their awareness of this. A favorite client-father once said to me,”I expect to see a return on my investment.” I help parents to know better what they are about to buy — College.

Connect with Hans Hanson:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanshanson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1017071385112403
• YouTube: [email protected]
• Website: https://mycollegelogic.com/

Disclosure:

Guests on the Mitlin Money Mindset are not affiliated with CWM, LLC, and opinions expressed herein may not be representative of CWM, LLC. CWM, LLC is not responsible for the guest’s content linked on this site.

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

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Larry Sprung Host Mitlin

Lawrence “Larry” Sprung, CFP® is a husband, father, entrepreneur and mental health advocate.

Larry is the author of the Amazon Bestselling book “Financial Planning Made Personal” and the also host of the Mitlin Money Mindset™ a podcast that reminds you to ask yourself “What did you do today that brought you joy?®”

In 2004 he founded Mitlin Financial, Inc. naming the firm memory of Larry’s wife’s grandfather, Mitchell, and his mother, Linda. During his career, Larry has found that a lot of industry terms and concepts can seem confusing to outsiders. That’s why he works with the families he serves to break down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand concepts.

In recognition of Larry’s significant contributions to his profession, he has received quite a few awards. In 2021, Larry was named to the Investopedia 100 Top Advisors in 2021 and was even more humbled to make their Top Ten list for 2022.

Outside the office, one of Larry’s greatest passions is raising awareness for mental health. He spent over 12 years serving on the National Board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and sits on its financial and investment committees. With his wife, Denise, he has raised more than $1.7 million for the organization through the Keith Milano Memorial Fund. The fund was created in memory of his brother-in-law.

Larry values his family tremendously and his desire to do right by his wife and two sons drives who he is in and out of the office.