The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Local business helps college students
Seminars will teach families to understand financial aid packages
By Krystle Dunham, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: February 21, 2008
Choosing a college with the right academic and financial fit for any student can be stressful. But, with some guidance from Barbara Rosenberger, that stress could be eliminated.
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Rosenberger, of College Assistance Plus, has recently started putting on seminars for students and families who are considering college.
The seminars are for future and current clients to teach them how to understand financial packages that colleges send to students. She also gives strategies to reduce college debt.
"He who knows the most gets the best deal," Rosenberger said.
College Assistance Plus came to Michigan this past fall and is located in Saline at 7813 Remington Court.
The franchise helps students and their families navigate the college process, from admissions to financial aid and everything in between. The main strategy is to pinpoint schools of similar size or academic stature, or those that are in the same region or athletic conference and create a bidding war.
The company's hope is to help clients save money.
With more than 20 years of experience in both marketing and education, Rosenberger became the owner of the southeast Michigan branch of College Assistance Plus in August.
One of the biggest concerns Rosenberger has heard from her clients since she started her job is whether enough money has been saved up for a family's child to go to college.
Rosenberger said she wants to help these students and their families make the right choices when it comes to choosing the right college.
By joining College Assistance Plus, Rosenberger said she feels very fortunate to be able to gain information on college expenses for her 15-year-old son's future.
"We offer a really great service for families," she said. "I'm so happy to be a part of College Assistance Plus."
Dave O'Vell, a youth pastor at Keystone Community Church, attended one of Rosenberger's seminars last month at the church and found it informative and helpful.
"The seminar was really useful for those students looking forward to going to college," O'Vell said.
Keystone Community Church plans on bringing Rosenberger back for another seminar this fall, for those who didn't get the chance to attend the church's previous seminar.
Paul Celuch, one of the founders of College Assistance Plus, said the franchise was first established in May 2004 in Honeoye Falls, N.Y. Since then, the franchise currently has 21 franchises in 17 states across the country.
Celuch came up with the idea to start the company several years ago while teaching a money management class at Lima Baptist Church in Lima, N.Y., where he is a deacon. Celuch became very aware of the impact college debt was having on his church members
Celuch, a former corporate executive who is now an educational consultant, has had two sons graduate from college. During the time his sons were in college, Celuch spent $170,000. After three years of being a part of College Assistance Plus, Celuch said he could have saved $50,000 after knowing what he knows now.
Celuch estimates the average person who graduates from college will have $20,000 in loans after graduation.
One common financial problem that Celuch said students face is if students decide to transfer or change majors. Celuch said an average college graduate has spent 5.2 years in college. A pamphlet from the franchise showed changing majors and transferring colleges can cost an estimated $8,000 each time.
"College debt is an overwhelming problem with people today," he said. "If you have college debt, it muddies your future."
Celuch said his franchise works to prevent clients from having financial debt and negotiates with colleges for a better price.
"Most people do not know about this, because colleges don't tell anybody," Celuch said.
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