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A Guide To Professional Designations in the College Planning Industry

By Ken Clark, About.com

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Scholarship or Financial Aid Expert

Again, this is one of the areas where no designation is required to call yourself an expert. Naturally, there are a lot of scams built on promises of huge scholarships and juicy financial aid packages.

You don’t need a paid professional to help you participate in Federal and state aid programs. In fact, the financial aid office at your college of choice is there to help you accomplish those exact tasks.

This isn’t to say there aren’t professionals out there who know the scholarship world like the back of their hand. If you can truly find one of these professionals, and you have a student that may qualify for more obscure scholarships, this may be a great person to have in your corner.

When it comes to choosing one of these professionals, the best method is going to be a solid referral from someone who has already used them. Ask other parents and financial professionals if they’ve worked with anyone worthy of your trust.

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