The Scholarship GPS Podcast: Your Directions to a Debt-Free College Degree

I had the opportunity to talk with Peyton Rudolph, Vice President of Marketing for GradGuard. In our conversation, Peyton explained how GradGuard helps students and parents protect one of the largest investments of their lives. Plus, she shared the details of their news scholarship with us, in which five students will each earn $3000! Learn more about GradGuard here: https://gradguard.sjv.io/c/4021661/2331223/29624?trafsrc=affiliat...

I recently spoke with Suzanne Scullion. Suzanne is the Head Coach of G.R.A.C.E. Financial Coaching. Over the past ten years, she has helped hundreds of clients reprioritize their spending, pay down debt, and master their income without dismantling their lifestyle. Suzanne also hosts a podcast and YouTube show called, “Lessons Learned: The Dumbest Thing I’ve Ever Done with Money.”

In our conversation, Suzanne and I discussed:

• ...

I recently spoke with Luanne Lee, Owner of Your College Planning Coach.

Luanne wanted to do something where she could make an impact to help families and feel good about what she did every day, so she began her career in Financial Services in 1996.

Luanne decided to focus on the specialty of College Planning and Funding when she saw how student loan debt was hampering so many parents and students from reaching their retirement goal...

I recently spoke with Reid Meyer of A2A Academy and the Student-Athlete Advisors.

Reid always knew that sports would be a significant part of his life. Growing up, he dreamed of playing college sports, and he vividly recalls feeling anxious about second-guessing every decision he made in high school regarding his college opportunities.

After attending four schools in four years and ultimately giving up the sport he loved after just...

I recently spoke with Jackie Pollina of J&J Test Prep and No B.S. SAT® Prep. In our conversation, Jackie and I discussed:

• The structural changes that come with the SAT moving to a digital format
• The adaptive nature of the new digital SAT and how that can impact your student’s SAT score
• The importance of your student becoming familiar with ‘Desmos’ (and what this is)
• When students should start SAT prep
• Her opinion on how ma...

I recently spoke with Michelle McAnaney, Founder and CEO of The College Spy.

Michelle founded The College Spy® with this mission: Help students identify colleges that are a good fit for them and get accepted.

Michelle is an expert in college admissions and a leader in her field. She has over 20 years of experience as an educator, counselor and consultant, assisting students in making smart choices to reach their full potential. She...

Beth Walker is the Founder and CEO of Center for College Solutions.

Choosing a college and paying for it is one of the biggest investments families face, often with very little guidance. You don’t have to do this alone. Beth Walker and Center for College Solutions help your student get what they need academically, socially, and emotionally, without burying your family in debt.

Beth is also the author of Never Pay Retail for College...

Andy Lockwood is a college admissions and funding advisor in Long Island, New York. Andy personally coaches a select group of college-bound teens through the process of choosing majors and careers, then backward planning, strategically, into a college list, THEN strategizing how to maximize chances of admission. He also helps families improve their eligibility for financial and and scholarships, and negotiate with colleges for more...

Alison Slater attended Bucknell University and worked in selective college admissions for fifteen years. Interviews are her favorite part of the college application, but they can be such a missed opportunity when students arrive nervous or unprepared. Alison helps students make a strong impression in their interviews by preparing thoughtfully and approaching each interview with a plan.

In our conversation, Alison and I discussed:

For over a decade, Lisa Marker-Robbins has helped roughly 4000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to embark on their post-high school path.

Along the way, however, she noticed an alarming trend: Teens struggled to find their true purpose–and the fallout wasn’t pretty. There was a lot of uncertainty around college majors and future careers. As a result, students weren’t grad...

Dominique Padurano, or Dr. P. as she is known, founded Crimson Coaching to help all students fulfill their potential. A Harvard grad, Dr. P. has experience as a high school teacher and tutor. In 2014, she opened Crimson Coaching, where she helps students in several ways, including as a college counselor and essay coach.

In our conversation, Dr. P and I discussed:

• Why a family would want to work with a college essay coach

• Th...

For over a decade, Lisa Marker-Robbins has helped nearly 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to embark on their post-high school path.

Along the way, however, she noticed an alarming trend: Teens struggled to find their true purpose - devastatingly impacting the student’s college admissions and scholarship success.

In our conversation, Lisa shared:

• Why strong GPAs...

Dr. Sapna Sehgal is a PhD holder, a university professor, an Oxford graduate, and College Admissions Consultant.

When you work with Sapna, you’re working with an English professor and tutor with 20+ years teaching experience, 7+ years university lecturing experience, and 7+ years of college consulting experience, working for top companies and individual families.

In our conversation, Sapna and I discussed:

• When students should...

The Bryan Cameron Foundation Scholarship is just the first of the many HUGE scholarship opportunities your Class of 2026 student will have over the next 17 months. Starting your scholarship journey now provides your student with many advantages, including:

• Getting a head start with scholarships compared to their peers

• More opportunities to earn scholarships

• Resu...

Cirkled In is a free online student portfolio platform, much like a ‘LinkedIn’ for students. As a mom helping her children in the college admissions process, Reetu Gupta saw the critical need for a platform like this. So, she helped found Cirkled In, and today serves as the company’s CEO. In our conversation, Reetu and I discussed:

• The importance of a student portfolio, especially in an age of ‘test-optional’ college admission...

Dr. John Durante has dedicated over 30 years to education as a teacher and administrator. Since 2010, he has served as the principal of Syosset High School, playing a key role in its recognition as one of the top high schools in the country. Under his leadership, the school has earned numerous accolades for its academic achievements, and its alumni continue to reflect its commitment to excellence.

His passion for guiding students t...

Has your family had some friction over what the right colleges are?

⏰ For 11th and 10th-grade families, the pressure is mounting, and the countdown has begun—bringing stress to your teen and you! But take a deep breath because help is on the way.

With 26 years of experience guiding families like yours, Lisa Marker-Robbins created a College L...

Jackie Pollina founded J&J Test Prep with the intention of making test prep fun and manageable for students.

Throughout her years managing J&J Test Prep, Jackie has amassed a following of nearly 300,000 on @testpreptips, her TikTok account focused on test prep.

Jackie co-developed No B.S. SAT® Prep, an online digital SAT® prep program that is used by tutors, programs, and schools nationwide.

In our conversation, Jackie and ...

Jen Henson ( a.k.a “The GOAL DIGGER”) is a nationally sought after test prep expert specializing in the ACT test. Jen, who was an Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2014, holds a Master of Education degree with a Bachelor’s in English from Xavier University where she competed as a division 1 varsity tennis player.  For more than 2 decades, she has been a decorated teacher and ACT prep coach. Today, she speaks to educators, parents, and st...