Module 1 of College Affordability Project: Welcome and Introduction-Advisor Roadmap

Advisor Roadmap

Pdf Summary

The College Affordability Project is a program offered by the NAPFA Foundation in collaboration with College Aid Pro. Its aim is to provide guidance to families on how to save money on college costs and avoid excessive student loan debt. The program offers access to a College Money Report (CMR), which helps clients understand college admissions terminology, estimate financial aid, and determine the net cost of their preferred schools. Additionally, families with a Student Aid Index of under $12,000 qualify for a one-time pro bono session with an advisor. <br /><br />To engage with the program, clients enter their information on the landing page to generate a free CMR. They can then request a pro bono session from within the CMR or from the landing page. The Foundation reviews their data and informs them if they qualify for a free session or not. If they qualify, they are assigned an advisor who contacts them to schedule a virtual meeting. After the meeting, the advisor sends the client a follow-up email with session output, copying the Foundation. The Foundation then sends the client a follow-up survey and provides additional resources such as continued access to the software, videos on responding to college award letters, and invitations to office hours for further information. The advisor also completes a survey on their experience. <br /><br />Before being assigned a client, advisors must complete training courses, including videos on college and financial aid information and how to use the College Aid Pro software. Advisors then inform the Foundation of their readiness to accept pro bono clients. Once assigned a client, advisors request a meeting via email, prepare for the meeting by reviewing the client's CMR and any uploaded documents, and use a presentation slide deck for guidance. During the meeting, advisors can seek help from the Community and Academy tabs in College Aid Pro if needed. After the meeting, advisors email the client their report from College Aid Pro, reminding them of any planning opportunities identified. Advisors also complete a survey and report NAPFA CE for their pro bono work.

Keywords

College Affordability Project

NAPFA Foundation

College Aid Pro

financial aid

pro bono session

landing page

advisor

virtual meeting

training courses

planning opportunities