College Financial Aid and Career Navigation

Tom Sforza

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 030 Tom Sforza

Tom Sforza, along with his wife Lisa, opened Best Auto Service and Tire Center, located in Tannersville, Pennsylvania, in 2007. Best Auto Service is a BBB accredited business & certified with AAA. BEST AUTO also joined partners and became an A/C DEL CO PREFERRED SERVICE CENTER, and a MyTireShop Certified Shop.

Tom’s work history is quite extensive working for General Motors Cadillac division for 18 years. He attained a MASTER TECHNICIAN status with Cadillac and also held an ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN status as well.

Working for SUBARU in 1997 he added SENIOR MASTER TECHNICIAN to his resume.Top of FormBottom of FormTop of FormBottom of Form

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Tom Sforza where we talk about how mechanics deal with changing technology.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

Starting your own business to control your own destiny

Setting goal that are attainable and adjustable to create success

The requirements and certifications needed to become a mechanic

The importance of strong communication skills in any business

All the metrics a car’s computer monitors and how a mechanic reads them

Technical schools as a great option to embark on a career in mechanics

The opportunities for women in the automotive industry

The high demand for automotive repair technicians

Having to spend money to make money

What a beginner’s set of tools costs to get into automotive repair

The ever-changing landscape of automotive technology and how to keep up with it

Connect with Tom Sforza:

Website:

www.bestautoservicecenter.com

www.bestautousedcars.com

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Jim Mathis

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 029 Jim Mathis

Wheatland, Wyoming Rancher and Businessman Jim Mathis purchased WyoTech in 2018, a top-notch training school that generates career ready mechanic graduates for the growing demand in the automotive and diesel industry. Since its purchase, the school has grown exponentially.

As a former student, second-time President, and now owner, Jim Mathis knows firsthand the value technical training has on the ranching industry, and industries across America. Technical hands-on training brings students to the frontlines of American industries.

Jim has spent his career supporting technical training schools across the nation thrive.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Jim Mathis where we talk about the option of technical training schools.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

 A brand as a personal identification and not just a corporate identifier

Instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in students to equip them with the ability to investigate all of life’s possibilities

Training students to meet the work world by grading their professionalism

The financial aid available for technical schools

The wide demographic of the students that attend technical schools

An employer’s willingness to wine and dine technical school graduates to enticed them to consider jobs with them

By comparison to traditional educational models, the short amount of time it takes to find yourself in a career with a technical school

The unique entrance requirements at technical schools

The high demand for blue collar work today

Connect with Jim Mathis:

Guest Contact Info:

Website:

www.wyotech.edu

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Dana Roth

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 028 Dana Roth

Dana Roth is an independent college counselor and executive function coach who lives with her family in MetroWest Boston. Dana worked in colleges and universities for 13 years prior to launching her practice, and has extensive experience working with students with and without disabilities in college admissions, academic support, and disability services. Dana earned her Bachelor of Arts from Lafayette College, her M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Management and Reading, Writing, and Literacy from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Certificate in Postsecondary Disability Services from the University of Connecticut. She is currently working on her Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity, with a specialization in Executive Function through Landmark College. Dana loves connecting with students to help them identify and succeed at best-fit schools and teaching strategies and skills to empower students to do their best work.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Dana Roth where we talk about how students with disabilities can succeed in college.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

Helping students become more self-empowered learners

Understanding the more discreet components of the college search and application process to be more in control

The colleges that specialize in working with students with learning disabilities

The seven executive function skills that are important for students

The academic accommodations typically afforded students with disabilities at colleges

The Americans with Disabilities Act that effects students and how that may differ for students in K-12 and for students in college

How anxiety is contagious and how not to have it affect your child in the college admissions process

Understanding what created success for a student in high school and applying that to college

Connect with Dana Roth:

Email:

danaroseroth@gmail.com

Website:

www.danarotheducationalconsulting.com

Instagram:

@danarothconsulting

Facebook:

@danarotheducationalconsulting

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Gary Heldt

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 027 Gary Heldt

Gary D. Heldt, Jr., CPA is the owner of Small Business Advisors in Gambrills, Maryland, serving clients in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. He has more than 30 years of experience providing business owners and individual clients with a wide range of accounting and consulting services. Prior to opening his own firm, Gary worked in accounting at several companies and non-profit organizations. 

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Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Gary Heldt where we talk about taxes and financial aid.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

How much money is out there for financial aid that people don’t take advantage of

The similarities between financial aid and the tax code in how it works and its rules

The mistake of waiting too long before applying for financial aid

The ability to negotiate your financial aid package

Working the tax code to increase your financial aid

Connect with Gary Heldt:

Guest Contact Info:

Website:

www.sbadvisors.com

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Lisa Chastain

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 026 Lisa Chastain

Lisa Chastain is the #1 Best Selling Author of, Girl, Get Your $hit Together, and for over 20 years, has been coaching, mentoring and advising millennials. From an advisor in higher education, to Financial Advisor, and as a seasoned life coach, she has learned what it takes to make dreams become reality. Today, as a money coach, she works with women to take control of their finances so that they can be their best in every aspect of their lives.

Throughout her 30’s, Lisa struggled with money, her marriage and across the board in life. From being at the top of her game in 2011 to blowing through her life savings, to starting her own business (and failing!), Lisa knows firsthand what financial struggle feels like. After losing everything and going through a divorce in 2017, Lisa has rebuilt her life and business to mentor women to make money simple so that they can stop stressing, and get to living joyful, heart centered, and worthy lives. 

Lisa has been featured on CNBC, in Fortune, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg Business, Cosmopolitan, and O-The Oprah Magazine, and is on a mission to help women everywhere raise their collective worth so that the world can be a healthier, safer and more loving place to be.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Lisa Chastain where we talk about predicting your financial future.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

The problems people find themselves in as a result of not having a dialogue about money while navigating life’s steps

Inspiring others to level-up their financial lives

Aligning your life choices with your financial decisions to live your best life

A story of starting at the bottom and reaching the top

The importance of not limiting yourself and dreaming big

The positive life changes that come along with raising your financial IQ

Connect with Lisa Chastain:

Guest Contact Info:

Email:

lisa@lisachastain.com

Website:

www.lisachastain.com

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Dr. Pamela Ellis

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 025 Dr. Pamela Ellis

Author Pamela Ellis, MBA, PhD—also known as The Education Doctor®—has helped hundreds of young people successfully navigate the college-admissions process.

Dr. Pamela graduated from Stanford University and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and she earned a doctorate from the Stanford University School of Education. As CEO of Compass Education Strategies and a leader of operations at Compass College Advisory, her experience with the education system includes advising school districts, community organizations, and institutes of higher education.

As a result of her research into student transitions from high school to college—and evaluating the ways colleges successfully retain their student populations once admitted—she produced The Education Doctor® curriculum. She has visited more than four hundred colleges and universities internationally to gain insight into their varying cultures and to explore the range of academic and social opportunities available to students on campus. Her research areas include high school to college transition, parent engagement, African American males in education, and college completion. She lives in Dayton, Ohio.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Dr. Pamela Ellis where we talk about what your child needs to know before they go to university.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

-The important role of mindset in any successful journey one takes

-Pacing yourself and setting realistic goals in high school so as not to become overwhelmed

-The benefits of a summer program to help a student vet their future career possibilities and to experience a college atmosphere

-The ACT, the LSAT, and whether a student should take and submit one, both, or neither

-The gains made by making high school and the college application experience an enjoyable one

-Why the student and not the parent should own their college application process

-The progress made and the progress yet to made in graduating African American Males from college

Connect with Dr. Pamela Ellis:

Guest Contact Info:

Email:

drpamela@compasscollegeadvisory.com

Website:

www.compasscollegeadvisory.com

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/theeducationdoctor/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TheEducationDoctor

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/theeducationdoctor/

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Kate Sonnenberg

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 024 Kate Sonnenberg

Kate Sonnenberg is the founder of KS College Success and a college admissions expert who has seen the application process from numerous vantage points. She is a former application reader in the Princeton University Admissions Office, where she read thousands of applications each year. 

Kate is a graduate of Princeton University and the Columbia University School of Law. In addition to practicing law and teaching English composition and legal writing, Kate has been an active volunteer for years. Prior to launching KS College Success, she provided essay coaching for students who could not afford private counseling, tutored students in Newark, NJ, and, as chair of the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee in Essex (NJ) and Hudson (NJ) counties, Kate coordinated the alumni interviewing program in northern New Jersey for over a decade. Her commitment to volunteer work continues today. Kate devotes 30% of her time to pro bono work, either directly advising students or supporting guidance counselors at high schools where they can have as many as 400 students in their caseload.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Kate Sonnenberg about the most important question on your college application.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

-Thinking of the college application process as an experience worth having

-The right number of colleges to apply to

-The anxiety and stress that a test-optional college application can reduce

-The elevated importance of essays on a test-optional application

-The difference that strong teacher recommendations can make

-How getting to know your high school guidance counselor early can help you

-How a sloppy application can hurt your chances of acceptance

-How the only thing predictable about the college admissions process is that it’s unpredictable

Connect with Kate Sonnenberg:

Guest Contact Info:

Email:

kate@kscollegesuccess.com

Website:

www.kscollegesuccess.com

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Casey McVay

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 023 Casey McVay

Casey is the assistant director of admissions at Clarion University. She, herself, graduated from Clarion University in 2009 with a degree in Mass Media Arts and Journalism. After a career as an advertising executive, Casey made the leap to college admissions at her Alma Matter. She is a person with integrity, high expectations of herself and others, and a team player. She has a passion for being involved and contributing positively to the greater community. In 2017 she won the Future Leaders’ and Entrepreneurs’ Exchange Young Professional of the Year Award.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Casey McVay where we the unique needs of rural students.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

– The importance of workforce development in rural communities

-How to get rural students the access to information required to achieve whatever goals they are pursuing

– The beneficial collaboration between colleges and professionals in the industries found in rural areas

-Working with students to find what fits their academic, professional and, lifestyle goals

– The unique needs of working adult students and how they can continue to pursue higher education later in life

-Working with students that have an entrepreneur mindset

-The changing landscape of smaller colleges and universities as they restructure to focus on their strengths

Connect with Casey McVay:

Guest Contact Info:

Email:

mcvay@clarion.edu

Website:

www.clarion.edu

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Michael Chen

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 022 Josh Michael Chen

Michael Chen serves as the assistant dean of admissions at Western State College of Law. In this role he develops and implements initiatives necessary to achieve institutional recruitment and enrollment goals. He also represents the law school by traveling nationwide to offcampus recruiting programs, events and conferences. After receiving applications, he is responsible for reviewing the credentials of applicants to make admissions and scholarship decisions.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Michael Chen where we discuss what you should know before pursuing a law degree.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

-The many different career opportunities a law degree presents you with

-The ability to major in any subject you want before attending law school

-Part-time law school and the flexibility it provides

-The different types of financial aid available for law school

-The difference between unaccredited and accredited law schools

-Trial law and paper law as the two different types of law

-The ability to switch your focus late in your career with a law degree

-What JD advantaged careers are

Connect with Michael Chen:

Guest Contact Info:

Website:

www.wsulaw.edu

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Mark Salisbury

– College Financial Aid and Career Navigation with Tom & Maria Geffers and Seth Greene Episode 021 Mark Salisbury

Mark Salisbury spent 25 years in higher education as a soccer coach, admissions counselor, data analyst, and academic administrator. He has a PhD in higher education and studies how colleges and universities succeed (or fail) in helping students learn and grow. His research has been featured by NPR, WNYC, The Mark Salisbury Chronicle of Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed. Two years ago, Mark started TuitionFit to solve the lack of college price transparency by crowdsourcing information.

Listen to this informational College Financial Aid and Career Navigation episode with Mark Salisbury where we discuss why you need to know about price transparency.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

-The difference between a college’s sticker price and what a student actually pays

-How shopping for college is like shopping for a used car

-The confidence and leverage that comes with knowing the data regarding what a college charges a student

-Financial stability after graduating college as the goal to strive for, not just getting accepted to the college of your choice

-How not showing too much interest in attending a particular school can get you a better price

-Price being one of the first things to consider when deciding what schools to apply to

Connect with Mark Salisbury:

Guest Contact Info:

Website:

tuitionfit.org

Email:

mark@tuitionfit.org

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