My Work: CoPlan Ebook Lead Magnet

Are You Dreaming of a Private University Education for Your Son or Daughter?

We Can Help Turn Your Dream into Reality.

By Vasil Svolopoulos, Senior Adviser©2015 CoPlan CFS, LLC

Contact us today for a free consultation at 760.510.5966 or [email protected] | CoPlanCFS.com 2

Introduction

What if I said your child could attend college without draining your savings or retirement, or with-out being burdened by student loans? With CoPlan’s help, that’s exactly what can happen. Amaz-ing, right? Yes. Amazing and wonderful.

Throughout my years as a financial professional, most of my clients came to me for help with strat-egies for retirement savings. But, over and over again, clients worried they wouldn’t be able to afford retirement and help their children afford college. Or they worried their kids would graduate from college with outrageous student loan debt. Because I care about each of my clients, I researched college financial planning so that I could help them with this specific aspect of their needs. Did you know there’s an entire industry dedicated solely to college planning? In 2014, I partnered with the College Planning Network (CPN) and have been blessed with watching small miracles for many families as a result. That partnership resulted in the creation of CoPlan College Funding Service, dedicated solely to helping families whose chil-dren want to attend college, especially for those who don’t think they can afford it.

What if I said your child could attend college without draining your savings or retirement, or without being burdened by student loans?

http://www.coplancfs.com/


What You Need To Know

Here are some terms you’ll need to know, the method, and a few comparison examples to help you understand what I’m saying, assuming the following:

• Single parent household with the parent making $75,600 per year (AGI)• Student making no income• An asset protection allowance of $7,500• A resultant Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of $2,599

(This is simply one example, as every family’s financial situation varies.)

For those of you not familiar with these acronyms, here is a quick breakdown.

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)The final number of your income, minus all deductions and investment losses, from which the government calculates your effective tax level. In the case of college funding, this also affects how financial aid calculates how much you can afford.

Cost of Attendance (COA)The total cost to attend a school including tuition, books, room and board, and other expens-es. As we explained in our e-book Secrets of the College Funding World, consider the total education bill the same way you would the total cost of a hospital bill.

Estimated Financial Contribution (EFC)Continuing with the hospital bill analogy, consider this your deductible before the school “insurance company” will pick up any other part of the bill. Unlike your regular health insur-ance, however, this is calculated based on your AGI rather than some prepaid agreement. Before you get any financial aid (barring extremely low income situations), you must be able to pay this.

Unmet Financial NeedThis is the remainder of the “hospital bill” (remaining COA) that is left over after financial aid and must be paid if your student is going to attend this institution.

Total Out-of-Pocket ExpensesAfter all is said and done, this is the total bill that a family will have to pay in order for the student to attend a university of choice. It consists of the EFC plus any unmet financial need after aid has been issued.



Visual Equation

Essentially, the equation looks like this:

• The greater the family’s AGI, the greater the EFC.

• The lower the family’s AGI, the lower the EFC.

• A combination of good grades, solid placement test scores, and competitive posi-tioning helps here.

• The school you choose, too, affects the aid amount.

Family’s EFC

Out-of-PocketExpenses

FinancialAid

Using this concept, we can move forward with our case studies comparing private universities to state colleges.



Case Studies

Our first example compares two schools in California - The University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), a prestigious public school, and Stanford University, a private institution in the heart of Silicon Valley. Both institutions, while quite well known, immediately differ in a number of ways:

1. The cost of attending UCLA is a modest $33,247, which includes cost of living, tuition, and materials. Stanford’s equivalent is a hefty $64,514 – almost double that of UCLA.

2. However, the next key difference is how much financial aid you can net from these schools: UCLA providing 87% of remaining need after EFC has been paid, and Stanford completely fill-ing in the need with a whopping 100% of financial aid.

Public vs. Private in California

University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Stanford University

Cost of Attendance (2016) $33,247 Cost of Attendance (2016) $64,514

Estimated Family Contribution $5,320 Estimated Family Contribution $2,599

Need $27,927 Outstanding Need $61,915

Estimated Need Met $24,927 Estimated Need Met $61,915

(87%) (100%!)

Remaining Unmet Need $3,631 Remaining Unmet Need $ -

Family Out-of-Pocket Expenses $8,950 Family Out-of-Pocket Expenses $2,599

Comparing these two scenarios, which would you rather pay?

• A final tab of $8,950 at a prestigious public institution, or• A final tab of $2,599 at a top tier private institution



Case Studies - 2

Let’s not rely on a single example. Let’s next look at another state comparison in Illinois. Here we compare the highly sought-after public school of University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (casu-ally known as U of I). A short 150 miles to the north resides the equally prestigious private school of Northwestern University. Again, both high-quality institutions differ in:

1. The cost of attending U of I is a hefty $46,156. Northwestern’s equivalent cost totals a pricier $68,063 – about 50% more than U of I.

2. The difference is financial aid coverage is as follows: U of I covers only 66% of remaining need after EFC has been paid, and Northwestern completely fills in the need at 100% of financial aid.

Public vs. Private in Illinois

University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Northwestern University





(66%) (100%!)



Again, a final comparison of these two schools leaves you with two considerable options:

• A final tab of $19,204 at a prestigious public institution, or• A final tab of (again) $2,599 at a top tier private institution



Case Studies - 3

Finally, let’s look at the state of Massachusetts. Comparing the public University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst and the private Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), let’s see how they differ.

1. UMass Amherst carries a decent price tag of $44,306. MIT, on the other hand, carries a respectable and understandable $63,263 cost of attendance.

2. Again, the difference in available financial aid starts with UMass Amherst meeting 79% of the need, but MIT rounds out all the remaining need with 100%.

Public vs. Private in Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst Massachusetts Institute of Technology





(79%) (100%!)



One last time, a final comparison of these two schools leaves you with two considerable options:

• A final tab of $13,506 at a prestigious public institution, or• A final tab of (yet again) $2,599 at a top tier private institution



The Realization

There’s that strange final out-of-pocket expense again: only $2,599 per year. That’s effectively your entire Estimated Family Contribution – your deductible on the major bill, if that analogy makes sense. And here is where the hidden message sinks in.

Bear in mind this entire paradigm only applies if your student can be accepted to these schools. Academics is the name of the game, and no amount of low income qualifications will matter one bit if your student simply isn’t pulling in the grades and placement test scores. These prestigious institutions indeed have the resources to greatly satisfy the funding needs for students to attend, but they are only willing to offer these funds to students that can meet their high entry standards. This is all built on a self-perpetuating honor system between the schools and the alumni. This odd-ity in the economic world runs on the faith that the successful graduates can help continue the system of cranking out generation after generation of high-quality students. Schools use donated alumni money to attract good candidates (and subsequently graduates), whereas students use grades to get financial aid money.

• For schools, it is about producing successful alumni that will hopefully donate back to the institu-tions, which feeds into this pool of money to offer to the next generation of candidates.

• For students, it is about getting an excellent education that will make them competitive in the workforce, and possibly a career that will provide a financially secure and, possibly, a more-than-comfortable lifestyle.

Private universities, aside from an impressive name on the diploma, also afford students very competitive class environments, dynamic labs and research opportunities, assistant and intern-ship possibilities, and faster career placement after graduation (whether by well-networked career placement programs or simply from the name of the alma mater itself). Even if you are a dropout of a well-known institution you can more than likely land yourself on a solid startup team, secure venture capital funding, leverage fraternity/sorority organization connections, or other perks that come with a brief association with a prominent school identity. Now imagine if your resume read off the name of a prestigious academic institution versus a public school from across town. This is why we not only encourage, but push families to consider private schools. I can show you how to make this hope come to fruition.

“So, wait. I can have my child go to a top tier school for only the price of our EFC? The school will pay the rest of the bill? How is that

possible? Why didn’t we know that? Why didn’t I do that?!”



How Is This Possible?

This is possible because these private schools typically start as endowments from a wealthy indus-try tycoon or wealthy families. They begin as institutions with the intention of providing a focused, productive environment without influence or sway from government to create captains of indus-try… and to provide a lovely tax write-off for the endowment. These are typically protected by charitable trusts meant to continue the founders’ legacies as well as provide tax benefits for the contributors and beneficiaries. What happens next can be described as nothing short of generosity of the human spirit.

These schools foster a strong sense of community and giving back. Specifically, they build strong alumni associations where graduates (alumni) are encouraged and prompted to give something back to the school to help with the next generation of students. If you have graduated from a prestigious institution and command an income far ahead of the rest of national graduates in your age group, giving back to the school that helped create your career is a great way to say thank you. It’s also a tax write-off for donors, so alumni are even more compelled to donate. And this is where that 100% financial aid comes from. Well, that and these trusts are handled by multi-billion dol-lar investment capital firms. It is a self-perpetuating system in which the strong leaders of indus-try give back to the schools that build the next generation of strong industry leaders. And if your student is academically competitive, he or she has a shot at getting into such a system for next to nothing.

But first you have to make it in…



The Catch

It isn’t too good to be true, but there is a catch.

If you recall in the beginning, we mentioned that your student needs the grades to get in. The only role your family’s income situation plays is in the EFC number. After that, you are shooting for a combination of a good education and as much financial aid coverage as possible – both of which can best be provided for through a private university. The point around which your student’s candidacy hinges is grades, placement tests, and application essays. The most powerful academic institutions require the most strenuous requirements to get in. Not just for the sake of maintaining prestige, but also because many of these schools have smaller class sizes.

To secure a position into such programs, your family must develop the following areas as much as possible:

I. Family AGI – You will need to position your family’s adjusted gross income lower with deduc-tions and write-offs in order to achieve a lower EFC. Your tax professional can help you with this. As a subtopic of this, schools will also look at:

a. how much the parents are contributing toward retirement plans,

b. how much liquid money is held in reserve, and

c. how much and what kinds of existing college funds are already set aside

II. Academics – Your student will have to put in the work with grades to maintain a good GPA. This is the most critical aspect considered when it comes to financial aid, especially scholar-ships and grants. If your student needs tutoring, it’s better to start early and often.

III. Placement tests – Another consideration by schools for the simple purpose of acceptance is your student’s placement tests. Many families use test preparation systems, but many are opt-ing for the online, on-demand study systems like the one we provide.

IV. Applications and essays – Yet another consideration for college acceptance is how well put together your student’s application and essay are. This works toward positioning your stu-dent ahead of the other applicants to secure a spot in a school’s limited freshman class. If you have never been through this process before, there are a number of independent college advis-ers that can help with this.



What Is CoPlan?

CoPlan is a group of highly trained advisers and educational specialists, in collaboration with the College Planning Network (CPN), whose purpose is to guide, enlighten, and ultimately to enrich the lives of families nationwide. CoPlan, in partnership with CPN, provides comprehensive career counseling, college selection, admissions assistance, and strategic financial guidance so that stu-dents may achieve their academic and personal goals. CoPlan ensures that parents are educated regarding college’s real cost, financial aid resources available to them, and their options for invest-ment in their student’s education. CoPlan positions students to gain admission to their best-match colleges to help them to achieve a prosperous future, inspiring professional accomplishments and personal success. Our guiding principle is that through our work with CPN, CoPlan’s students will gain the self-confidence and life skills necessary to become exceptionally valuable, happy, produc-tive members of their school and their community while becoming the leaders of tomorrow.

We have successfully fulfilled - and continue to fulfill - this mission with thousands of families across the U.S. by helping them send their children to college, with the primary focus of getting students into their dream school while developing plans to make paying for it more easily afford-able. College Planning Network, LLC is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the National Association of College Funding Advisors (NACFA), the National Association for College Ad-missions Counseling (NACAC), the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), and the National Ethics Bureau.

After successfully amassing a team and building the CoPlan brokerage from the ground up, we have mastered the niche of the college funding advising industry. And every niche has its share of se-crets. This is one of the key reasons I am so passionate about helping families realize their dreams without limitations. One of the most powerful secrets I’ve learned is that private universities can actually cost less than public state schools!

“CoPlan ensures that parents are educated regarding college’s real cost, financial aid resources available to them, and their options for

investment in their student’s education.”



Why You Need CoPlan

Honestly, the college application process and finding financial aid can be overwhelming for parents and students. So if the complexities of applying for college, filing the annual FAFSA, and keeping all the data straight is something you are not prepared to do on your own, or you simply need profes-sional assistance, CoPlan can help you. Our products and services fit every need:

1. Individual Assistance: One-on-one private college financial aid and admissions coaching

2. Membership Programs: Service packages offered by College Planning Network:

a. College Funding Strategiesb. Education Servicesc. Financial Aid Data Gathering & Processingd. Appealse. Value Added Services

3. Do It Yourself Online Tools & Resources

The “Co” in CoPlan is very important. My staff and I are working alongside you and your student. We’re co-planning, co-strategizing, co-working to make your child’s college dreams come true. We’re in it together. We are a trusted, full-service company helping you with everything from college applications to entrance essays, acceptance positioning to financial strategies, and more. We’ll even fill out and send the college applications for you if that’s what you choose.

CoPlan can help you. Our products and services fit every need.



The Value of a College Degree

Let’s just reinforce what everyone already knows: A college degree in today’s workforce is invalu-able.1

• Social benefits: Hanging out with a high school crowd is one thing, but the ability to seek out and make new friends (and network contacts) will become a powerful skill in adult life.

• Higher earning potential: Where the average HS grad earns about $32k per year, simply get-ting an associate’s degree can yield an extra $10k per year. Extended over the years, this 30% greater wage will compound.

• More job opportunities: Many companies offer entry-level positions in their organizations that can pay well enough for someone to become a self-sustaining adult, but a college degree provides greater access to higher positions (with higher salaries).

• Greater benefits: Given the choice between a degreed and non-degreed candidate for an or-ganization, which one do you think will be offered the more generous benefits package to join the company?

• Greater job satisfaction: As if the income and benefits packages weren’t reason enough to give college grads more satisfaction with their careers, they also benefit from companies and industries that are intentionally seeking individuals with quality educations.

• Job stability: During economic slumps, it is common for companies to cut down on headcount (firing people). So who likely gets cut first? Unskilled labor. Why? Because degreed people can likely do their job as well as their existing roles, but not vice versa.

• Benefits to your kids: Families that have parents with college degrees are likely to produce kids who seek college degrees. Rarely do we see non-degreed parents push their kids to college.

• Able to make better choices: Aside from increased critical thinking skills, a degreed individual likely has a network of educated friends and advisers to help navigate difficult decisions in life.

• Better communication: Most schools not only reinforce good reading and writing, but many schools now have public speaking requirements. If there is one skill that will come in handy across all skills and organizations, it’s presenting ideas.

• Stronger family units: Studies have shown positive correlation with college degrees and mar-riage rates, less unfavorable divorce rates, and favorable remarriage rates.

1 “Do the Benefits of College Still Outweigh the Costs?” Federal Reserve Bank of New York study, 2014



Many families have existing professionals that can help in various capacities. Your tax professional can help you save money on taxes and find as many tax deductions as possible to help lower your EFC. Your financial professional can help with your savings, investments, and college funding, but this can also be a double-edged sword (see subnotes a, b, and c on page 10). And your high school counselors can help out a bit, but that is if your student can secure some time with them. You see, the average high school counselor-to-student ratio is about 450-to-1. And the average parent, even if they have done college applications and essays with their children before, is slowly losing free time to be able to do this stuff. It is rather safe to say that many of the resources the average fam-ily used to have – money, time, and expertise – are becoming increasingly scarce every year. This is where CoPlan comes in to save the day.

If you and your family need help making use of this information, or you would like to find out how to better position your student to get into these private universities, contact us. We can invite you to attend one of our free on-demand webinars where we will cover this information as well as many of the common pitfalls that families experience, how to distinguish different kinds of finan-cial aid, and much more. On top of that, we offer a free consultation for families to help calculate their EFCs for them, as well as compare a handful of schools to get a glimpse of how much aid is available. CoPlan can work closely with you and your family to create a personalized plan just for your individual circumstances and needs.

As the founder and owner of CoPlan and as a licensed representative for CPN, I have been part of a team that has helped more than 17,000 students get accepted to the colleges of their choice and afford those educations. Most of these are families whose financial standing put them in the dif-ficult category of not qualifying for grants, but still just scraping by. Those 17,000 families were awarded more than $30 million in aid money. The average aid awarded to families was in excess of $19,000 with an additional $4,800 in appeals.

“We offer a free consultation for families to help calculate their EFCs for them, as well as compare a handful of schools to get a

glimpse of how much aid is available.”



Unlike most college planning companies, CoPlan is eager to work side-by-side with you. I get a per-sonal thrill every time one of my clients is admitted to the college of their choice and can afford to attend. It means they get to achieve their personal and educational goals, their parents get to be proud of them, and I was able to help make it happen. There’s something special about a student who is the first in their entire family to attend college that warms my heart. I find it amazing when a student didn’t he or she they could really dream - until finding CoPlan - realize his or her dream.Some parents are unable to attend a free CoPlan presentation or meet with me or my staff indi-vidually, so we have created alternative tools for the do-it-yourself parent.

Every parent wants the best for their kids. But sometimes just affording what they need is all that is possible. So imagine your hard-working student wants to attend an Ivy League school, but you think only a public college is in your budget. But it IS possible to let your child’s hopes and dreams expand to include a prestigious school with CoPlan helping you find the financial aid needed to fund that aspiration. I’m not talking about student loans, but actual financial aid. I want you to know about the amazing college financing opportunities that are available to your kids. Again, it IS possible!

If you are one of the many families squeezed between the proverbial rock and hard place and financial aid is at the front of your mind, then CoPlan is for you. CoPlan will help you navigate the college financial aid system with practiced insight, proven methods, and years of experience.We want to thank you for your support of our services through our crowdfunding campaign, and we wish you the best of luck in your college endeavors. We appreciate your time and consideration, and we look forward to hearing back from you on your progress!

Sincerely,

Vasil Svolopoulos and the Team at CoPlan College Funding Service

For more information about our programs and which services will fit your needs, please contact us today for a free consultation at 760.510.5966 or [email protected].


My Work: CoPlan Ebook Lead Magnet

Economy & Finance

Transcript of My Work: CoPlan Ebook Lead Magnet