The Big Leagues

Howard Freedman

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Howard can be reached at finaidguy@gmail.com

by Howard Freedman

Financial Aid is a big-league game. Batters (the students) win if they step up to the plate and give it their best effort to get their forms completed. If they don't, or at least try, they can strike out and are on their own when it comes to paying for college.

Those that require help for submitting the needed financial aid forms can be better positioned to hit that home run by effectively planning and utilizing the support of a professional financial aid firm like Financial Aid Consulting. You will understand this much better after realizing that paying for college takes much more than the completion of one form!!

I was fortunate to be a college grad earning bachelors and master’s degrees. When I was a student, I earned an undergraduate college degree from Northeastern University in Boston graduating without debt. To make things even better, I lived at home, had a co-op job to earn extra money and immersed myself into the real business world. I was fortunate by gaining business experience graduating with money in the bank,  having the financial resources to put a hefty down payment on a first home and a financial cushion when saving for that rainy day.

I later went on to graduate school at Suffolk University's Executive MBA program subsidized mostly by my employer as long as I got A’s and B’s and provided them with value-added services that were expected. The MBA program also taught me about teamwork, problem-solving and taking my business knowledge to the next level. Yes, the good old days are over and today very few students graduate without debt or paying so little for a great education. That is why there is a greater need to help students beyond just completing forms.

Today and into the near future, there will be more career choices and higher paying jobs, yet a college education will be more-costly while debt rises to scary proportions. In turn, that new home, car and other material things will have to wait as college loans are repaid. The perplexing part is that is that colleges continue to operate, raise their prices and attract new students even if students and their families are willing yet sometimes unable to pay for them. Although many colleges recognize this problem and are trying more innovative solutions, this will not happen overnight.

After college, I was blessed to have great careers at fortune 500 and smaller private and public companies. I managed and directed financial departments, consulted for a software company and on my own, managed the ACCESS program in the Boston Public school system, developed customer service functions for many employers and clients, and instituted cost-effective process innovations. These were then applied to providing consulting services to clients that needed more objective support and resolutions to their problems. During that time, I also discovered my skills as a writer and public speaker to make my readers and clients learn and think about topics that would open new doors.

I worked hard and adorned my walls with citations and awards for professional services, public speaking and professional contributions. Beyond that, I received citations from the state legislature and a beautiful gold clock from Tiffany's coupled with so many letters of appreciation from satisfied clients. Despite the glory and personal recognition, I realized that I wanted to move on by helping families and their students succeed.

There are only a few pictures that remain on my office walls, yet they serve as motivators and reminders that you can succeed at anything as long as you put your mind to it.

My mission today has never been to make the salaries that I previously received, but to deliver the best advice to make college more affordable at a fair price. That is what I have been doing for so many years and very proud of it.

Some describe me as a kind, thoughtful, compassionate, knowledgeable and a fair person. Others refer me to friends and relatives to provide more challenges and opportunities that are the most satisfying. In any event, I have never taken any client for granted and have strived to provide outstanding services regardless of their financial situation.

Another goal is to share this website to better understand my background, value to the next generation of students and their families. They are likely to be saddled with debt and incur greater financial challenges than ever before. Yet, with the right services like Financial Aid Consulting, they can learn how to cope with and satisfy their debt.

My pleasure will be the opportunity of showing you how to play the game and winning when it really counts.

Sincerely,

Howard Freedman

Howard received his BS Degree in Business Management from Northeastern University and an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston. He graduated from the College Board’s Financial Aid Institute and completes ongoing financial aid training. He is a member of MASCA, Massachusetts School Counselors Association and MASFAA, Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.