Our Services

Creating a College Funding Plan

Up until now, students and families have been forced to hope that the financial awards they receive from colleges meet their budget. This module enables families to choose your financial fit, set your college budget, and then identify the colleges and universities where their actual price will fit your price range.

This is a great way to take control of your college search and ensure that the college you ultimately choose fits your family price range.

Navigating the Financial Aid Process

The forms, deadlines, and acronyms can make the financial aid part even more stressful than the the actual college application.  This module supports you through the entire financial aid process - from explaining the "logic" behind the FAFSA and the CSS Profile to completing ALL financial aid forms correctly to negotiating the appeal process with the college your student chooses to attend.

Note: If you just need help with specific questions on the FAFSA, the best place to go is the FAFSA FAQ here.

Appealing a Financial Aid Award Offer

Colleges and universities regularly increase their initial financial aid offer.  But they won’t do that unless a family “appeals” for more aid. This module help students and families clearly interpret their financial aid offers, determine the best approach to appealing for more aid, and supports you throughout the appeal process.

(Pricing for this module starts with a rate of $125/hr and, if an appeal is warranted and successful, can shift to a set cost for services if appropriate.)

Your Roadmap to College

College searches today are pretty complicated, with a lot of moving pieces to keep track of and important questions to be considered.  Thoughtfully plan the components of a successful college application – academics, extracurriculars, testing, financial aid and the college application process itself – so you apply to and attend the right school.  Recommended for students in the first three years of high school.

Building a Balanced College List 

Know all your options.  Get professional assistance to narrow down the list of colleges where you apply.  The final list is collaboratively developed to fit your academic and personal goals and includes a balanced ratio of schools – safety, match and reach – to make sure you have choices as the admissions letters roll in.  One of our most popular modules.

Completing College Applications

The college application process can be complex and overwhelming for high school seniors who are already busy with a wide range of other commitments.  This module helps students make sure that they complete all the parts of the various college applications and meet all the different deadlines while keeping the quality high.  Recommended for seniors and rising seniors.

Writing the College Essay

The more selective colleges require several essays as a key part of their applications.  In addition, sometimes a student's writing - either in their essay or in the longer answers to application questions - can make the difference in admission decision.  This module helps students produce the best possible application essays and writing, for individual colleges and the Common App, and helps them think more carefully about how they express themselves throughout their applications.

Focusing your Future

Many students don’t know what career path to pursue, posing challenges in selecting a college or advanced training program. This module helps them learn about themselves and explore potential careers by better understanding their personality, interests, values, and skills - essentially, “what makes them tick.” With constant change being a permanent feature of today’s workplace, this module provides students with a valuable process to apply throughout life.

Finding and Winning Private Scholarships

Private scholarships are a good way of reducing college costs.  But many scholarships aren’t advertised -- so they can be difficult to find.  This service helps you find, apply to and win scholarships and also provides assistance with avoiding having your college of choice offset the scholarship with reduced financial aid.

SAT/ACT Test Prep

Test prep services typically take months and cost thousands of dollars.  Pathways Planning & Insights has designed this module to provide students with an affordable and focused introduction to testing — everything from whether the SAT or ACT is best for them to testing tips to subject matter review — as a supplement for their own individual study or a foundation for further work with a tutor.