So your kid’s already in college—or maybe just starting—and you’re thinking, “Well, it’s too late to change anything now.” I hear that all the time.
But guess what? It’s not too late. Not even close.
Most people don’t realize this, but FAFSA gets filed every year. That means your financial situation today can affect your aid next year—and the year after that, and the year after that.
So if you had a high income the year before your kid applied, and the aid offer was garbage, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it forever. There are still ways to shift the picture. Retirement contributions, AGI planning, even how you report assets—those things can still move the needle. And in some cases, they can move it a lot.
I’ve seen families get zero aid freshman year and then, with some strategy and a little life reality (a job change, increased retirement savings, even another kid going to college), suddenly become eligible for real help.
And that brings me to another thing nobody talks about enough: the power of the junior college year.
Look, I’m not saying everyone has to start at community college. But if your kid has their heart set on a school like Duke or NYU or some other eye-watering tuition dream… but the numbers just aren’t working out right now? There’s a way to play it smarter.
You do two years at a community or state college, keep grades strong, and then transfer. Not only does this open the door to schools that may have been out of reach the first time around—admissions-wise and financially—but you could save six figures in the process. I’m not exaggerating.
If the dream is a $75,000/year private school, and you can knock out half of that at $6,000/year? That’s not saving thousands. That’s saving hundreds of thousands—plus interest, plus stress, plus debt.
And if you’re worried that transferring into a big-name school won’t be the “real” experience, ask yourself: when your kid graduates, do employers care where they started, or where they finished?
Let me tell you what else changes in those two years: your FAFSA. Maybe you start putting more into retirement. Maybe your AGI drops. Maybe a sibling starts college. All of that can improve the aid picture for years 3 and 4.
You haven’t missed the boat. The boat is still at the dock. You just need someone to help steer it a little better.
So if college already started and you’re looking at the bills wondering how the hell you’re going to get through the next few years—reach out. Whether we look at financial planning, aid strategies, or transfer pathways, there are still plenty of smart moves left on the table.
Don’t count yourself out just because freshman year came fast.
– James