Created by a College Funding Strategist with 13+ years of experience helping hundreds of families reduce the cost of college through smarter planning.
Choose the Right
College Planning Resource
for Your Family
Whether you're just beginning your college planning or preparing to file financial aid forms, you'll find practical tools, expert guidance, and proven strategies to help your family lower college costs, maximize financial aid opportunities, and make confident college decisions.
⭐ Signature Course
Learn How to Save Thousands on College
Maximize Aid, Minimize Cost: The Parent Playbook
How Families Can Save $20,000-$100,000+ on College Through Early Planning, Smart Financial Positioning, and Strategic College Selection
🔒 Access through your student's college enrollment
Learn the same step-by-step college funding framework I've used to help hundreds of families reduce college costs by thousands of dollars—while avoiding costly financial aid mistakes.
Who Is This Course Designed For?
✅ Parents of 9th–11th graders who want to get ahead before it's too late.
✅ Families who think they earn too much for financial aid.
✅ Parents who feel overwhelmed by FAFSA and CSS Profile.
✅ Families who want a strategic, financially smart college list — not just a list of dream schools.
✅ Parents who want expert college funding guidance without spending thousands on private consulting.
✅ Grandparents who want to help plan strategically for a grandchild's college education.
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"Lea's seminar opened my eyes to all the resources available. My daughter ended up attending a prestigious private university for less than a public school."
— Valerie M.
📘 The Perfect Companion to the Parent Playbook
📍Student Success Planner
Know Exactly What Your Student Should Be Doing Each Year
Your Student's Year-by-Year Success Plan
The 9th–12th Grade College Planning Roadmap
A year-by-year checklist that keeps your student on track from freshman year through college applications.
✔ Editable Checklists
✔ Progress Tracker
✔ Year-by-Year Action Plan
✔ College Planning Resources
Wondering what your student should be doing each year of high school to stay on track for college admissions?
This roadmap gives you a clear year-by-year plan—so nothing important gets missed.
The 9th–12th Grade College Planning Roadmap takes the guesswork out of preparing for college. Instead of wondering what your student should be doing each year, you'll have a clear, step-by-step guide from freshman through senior year.
With editable checklists, progress tracking, helpful links, and planning tips, you'll stay organized, avoid missed deadlines, and help your student build a stronger college application.
Perfect For Parents Who...
✔ Have a student entering 9th grade
✔ Want a year-by-year planning guide
✔ Don't want to miss important deadlines
✔ Prefer an organized checklist instead of guessing what comes next
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"I like that it's simple, easy to follow, yet direct and not overwhelming for my freshman. We're both excited to finally have the guidance to start our planning process."
— Annie C.
Is One-on-One College Planning Right For Your Family?
Schedule a 30-minute Discovery Call
While our Parent Playbook course provides comprehensive guidance for many families—and even includes a complimentary 1-hour implementation consultation—some families have more complex financial or admissions situations that may benefit from personalized planning.
If you're unsure whether your family would benefit from our one-on-one services through Excel College Planning, request a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Call. We'll discuss your family's goals, evaluate your situation, and determine whether our personalized planning services are the right fit.
The Discovery Call is Ideal for Families Who...
✔ Own a business
✔ Have higher household income
✔ Are divorced or separated
✔ Have multiple children in college
✔ Have complex financial circumstances
✔ Want personalized admissions and funding strategies
✔ Prefer expert guidance throughout the entire process
During the Discovery Call We'll:
*Learn about your family's goals.
*Discuss your current situation.
*Identify whether additional planning opportunities may exist.
*Answer questions about our personalized planning process.
*Recommend the next best steps for your family.
If we're not the right fit, we'll point you toward the resources we believe will best help your family.
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“My family has worked with Ms. Cruz since 2014 when our twins were still in high school, and we were trying to navigate the whole college application and financial planning process. Ms. Cruz helped every step of the way, and four years later, we also used her services for our youngest son. Ms. Cruz is very knowledgeable and caring. She listened to our needs and really personalized her services to meet our family's needs.”
~ Rosie G.
My Personal Digital College Planner
The 9th-12th Grade College Planning Roadmap
Recommended for freshmen and sophomores for early college planning for better admissions chances!
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