4 College Money Talks

Talk #1: Let’s Get on the Same Page About Our College Game Plan (It’s Good News, Promise!)

🎯 Goal

Challenge the belief that prestige = better outcomes. Open the door to a better way that leads to happiness and success, not pressure or debt.

Part 1:
Start Here

Hey! We came across some really exciting research about college that we want to share with you. It gave us a ton of clarity on how we can approach your college search together, in a smarter way. It’s just a 3-minute read.

Take a look now, and once you’ve read it, we can talk through it together.

👉 Hand them the No-Regrets Guide and give them a few quiet minutes to read before moving on to Part 2.

Part 2:
Immediately After Your Kid Has Read the No-Regrets Guide

Don’t forget to sit side by side — not across from each other!

Thanks for reading that No-Regrets Guide. Pretty eye-opening, right?

We know it’s a lot to take in — and it’s probably different from what you’ve been hearing from school, friends, or TikTok.

We used to believe those things too. We thought the top-ranked schools guaranteed better opportunities, better jobs, and a better life.

That’s not true!

Turns out, prestige doesn’t predict success. The name on your diploma matters way less than most people think.

Do you remember The 4 Fit Factors from the study that predicted success?

  • A professor who cares about you personally

  • Real-world learning (like internships, research, long-term projects)

  • Feeling supported and encouraged to pursue your goals

  • And the biggie — graduating with little or no debt

There are hundreds of schools out there that can give you all that — even if they’re not the same top 20 everyone else is chasing.

And that’s really good news for you.

It means you have more options, less pressure, and way more freedom to choose the right fit for YOU.

Discussion Questions:

  • What surprised you most from the No-Regrets Guide?

  • Are there any “truths” about college that you’ve heard in the past that you’re starting to question now?

  • Do you feel like rankings or prestige have been shaping your ideas about where you should go?

  • What do you think would make a college feel like the right fit for you?

Next Step

Pick a time for us to talk again in the next week. Then, we’ll look at what college really costs — beyond just the sticker price. This is the first major financial decision you’re making and we’re going to do it together, with all the facts.

Don’t worry, there’s good news there too! We’re a team and we’ll walk through it together.