Both parents and student: Please take a few moments read this interview in its entirety BEFORE meeting with me or deciding to hire me to help you. Click here to view printable version.
Since 2003, I’ve worked with hundreds of families solve the problems of finding the right fit for the student and the family -- colleges that fit academically, socially and financially. I have been so fortunate to help so many parents give their children the college educations they need and deserve. The best part is that my parents aren’t wiping out their savings, doing “without” or sacrificing their retirements to pay for their student’s college education. They aren't overpaying for that essential cornerstone of their child's future success -- a college education. Teaching and mentoring young adults so that they can achieve their full potential really is my true calling in life. I'm a former teacher, having taught for over seven years at both the high school and college level. I am repeatedly asked by students and parents alike questions like: As a mother myself, I totally understand how parents feel about all of this and how frustrating it can be... I hear that confusion and frustration from families all the time. I know many of you can relate to that feeling. In addition to having been a teacher, I also spent several years as a former Senior Sales and Marketing manager for a national entertainment company. My background in both the business and education areas put me in a unique position to help families. Working with clients, I realized that when certain steps and strategies were implemented consistently, it produced repeatable and verifiable results –it's all about getting Noticed in the admissions office, getting in at colleges right for them and getting money you need to help pay the bill. You see the education-focused side of me understands the desire to be at a great school and to find the right fit. But the business person in me also realizes that an essential ingredient of that “right fit” has to be about the money. Giving your student a college education is essential to their future opportunities, but you shouldn't overpay for that college education, either. I created my Get Noticed, Get IN, Get Money College System as a direct result of working with my individual coaching clients, and now all of my programs – from my home coaching program, all the way to my top-tier individual coaching programs are based on this system. And the proof it works is in the pudding, so to speak. Following the principles of my system –this past year, to date, my individual coaching clients earned over 8.2 million dollars in scholarship and grant money – that's free money that doesn't have to be paid back – and what's even better is that every single dollar of it came from the schools themselves. Not one dollar of it came from "private scholarships" from a company or community organization. My clients are families who are committed to providing the best foundation for future success possible. They are looking for the best schools and the best programs, at the best prices possible. They understand that there are a lot of decisions that affect everyone involved. They make the commitment of time and resources so that they can get the results they're looking for. This is a defining moment in your child's life, now is not the time to cut corners. The parents I work with are all busy dealing with work and running a family and all the things that come with that. They already have a pretty full plate. They value the time-savings that comes from knowing what to do, when to do it and having someone show them exactly how to do it. The students I work with are good, solid students who come from both public and private schools. They know they want to go to college and they’re doing what they need to do to make it happen. As a result, they, like their parents, are typically pretty busy -- keeping up with their studies, sports, volunteer work, clubs, making time for friends and family. Because they’re so busy, they find the thought of adding such a big, important project -- perhaps THE most important project, the “college thing” -- and still finding time for everything else pretty overwhelming. Because both parents and students are so busy, they value knowing what to do, when to do it, and most importantly the time saved by having someone show them exactly how to do it (or, sometimes actually doing some of the work for them). I help my families get organized and provide them with a detailed, individualized plan so that they make informed decisions about the entire college process and avoid making mistakes that will cost their child opportunities at a particular college or result in college being more expensive than is absolutely necessary. They are more than willing to pay for a college education to ensure their child's future, but they value a good deal, too. They’re looking for the best education at the best value possible. I work best with families who are committed to getting the best education for their students and will do whatever it takes to get the results they are after. They are open to different college possibilities and are fully engaged in the process. I especially enjoy action-oriented, outspoken students who have a sense of humor. Venting is fine, but I don't do well when venting turns to whining. At that point, I turn to action and my ideal clients pick up and move forward. My ideal students and parents take a "no excuses" approach to their success. I expect clients to be fully engaged in the coaching. That means keeping appointments, holding to action plans and moving forward toward the ultimate goals that fit with the family's desires. Now of course, I do understand that things come up and you need time to catch your breath. Ideal clients take full responsibility for the goals they want to achieve – whether they're career, educational, personal or all three. I'm very selective in who I work with and I cherry-pick my clients, choosing to (gently) turn away people who aren't suited to my programs and won't get the results they're seeking. I don't want to take those clients' money or to spend our time without getting meaningful results. B. FOCUS. This is where we make sure that we are focusing time energy and money at the colleges that have what you want and need. Spending time and energy getting to know (and fall in love) with colleges that don't have theprograms you want or the money you need is counter-productive and will cause disappointment all around. We also create a focused message, based on student's work in phase one, to use at every opportunity with the colleges to help your child stand out from the hundreds if not thousands of applications sitting on the college admissions officer's desk. C. ACTION. This is where we implement your college game plan and complete all the necessary steps that get you the results you're looking for.. it's where we "close the deal" with the colleges. When you have a good plan and a focused message, the action phase really is smoother and easier! Now, when you’re looking at the expense of college, I understand that it can be a bit overwhelming to think of spending money up front to save money later. My coaching families typically recoup their investment in my services -- and still have money left over -- with just ONE of the financial aid offers. I protect the privacy of my clients. However, if you check out the "Results" page of the website, you'll see plenty of testimonials from clients who are raving fans and have chosen to tell the world about their results! Please feel free to look through these testimonials and if you still would like to connect with someone, we'll be happy to connect you with one of these clients who have agreed to the sharing of their results. After you sign up, you receive one-on-one attention through scheduled telephone calls for both students and parents, plus "on demand" calls and email. You'll receive resources, to-do lists and assessments, all designed to support you in developing your strategic college plan. I will then assist you in implementing your plan, helping you locate schools, investigate them, communicate with them, etc. We'll create strategies and systems that will keep you moving forward, find the best ways to overcome any obstacles you encounter and keep you on trac toward the goals you identify. It's important that you are comfortable with the coaching investment. For just that reason, I have different options available ranging from "do-it-yourself" to the expertly done for you. I use to offer just individual coaching, and that worked well and my Platinum "Maximum Results" Program is still, by far the best option and my most popular program. It is always, hands down the best if you're serious about giving your child the best chances to win in life. The Platinum "Maximum Results" Coaching Program was created in response to client requests and is my most popular package. It is for those of you who are committed to giving your child the best chances to win at the college game and in the game of life, then this is the program for you. It is exclusively for the motivated student and family who demand from themselves the best results possible, and is, by far, my most popular program. In this program, we are with you all the way through to the day your child enters freshman year, and beyond, if you so choose! We work with the entire family to create and implement a comprehensive admissions and financial aid game plan. On the admissions side, we'll work with you, guiding you on what to do, when to do it and help you step-by-step on how to do it. In this program we help you identify your strengths and abilities and explore different careers and college majors that play to those strengths as part of a concrete plan to get in to colleges that will help you meet your personal, academic and career interests. Through a combination of practical seminars and individual appointments (over 25 hours of mentoring throughout the length of the program), we'll guide you through every aspect of the college selection and admissions process On the financial aid side, we help you develop a comprehensive strategy for financing your student's college education so that you don't pay one dollar more than is absolutely necessary. It all starts with getting a clear snapshot of the family's entire financial picture, including a personalized action plan with strategies to keep what you'll be expected to pay to the colleges as low as possible. We'll also provide you with valuable information about the schools your student is interested in so you can better target colleges that could offer you the best financial aid package. We'll get you organized and keep the financial aid part of the college process from becoming overwhelming. Due to the intensive work we do I can only accept 15 Platinum Package clients per high school graduation year. You'll receive: Together we'll get clear on your goals and what makes you truly unique, including getting crystal clear on what will make colleges want you on campus. I'll help you define your strengths and interests and what kind of colleges are good targets for you academically, socially and financially. We'll make sure you're clear on what requirements will be needed to get into those colleges and design a focused, compelling message to deliver consistently in every interaction you have with the colleges. One of the key differences flows from my 7 step "Get NOTICED, Get IN, Get MONEY College System™." Unlike most college counselors - and even a lot of families who “do it themselves”, I focus on both college admissions AND financial aid as part of an integrated plan. Focusing only on financial aid or only on the college search and application process will have you leaving money on the table. I work with the entire family – I work with the student when it comes to finding colleges, cutting through the marketing glitz, identifying strengths, possible careers, etc. I also work with the parents, by knowing the rules of financial aid and how they work, to ensure they give their child the college education they need while keeping as much of their hard-earned money in their pockets as possible. I’m invested in and committed to your college success. I don't wait for you to have a question, I help you formulate the questions! I'm solely accountable to the families who hire me. An important distinction from say a financial planner or accountant who claims to do "college planning" is that, on the financial side, I suggest strategies based on my knowledge of the rules of financial aid and what affects the financial aid formulas; but, I do not "sell" my parents any financial vehicles such as annuities or insurance policies, or specific investment vehicles. My parents are armed with the information but not "forced" to adopt it or pressured to buy investments they may or may not need in order to implement the strategies. They are then free to work with whomever they wish to help implement the suggestions – or even to decide that they don't want to pursue the strategy, if that's what they wish. Bottom line, I help my families save time and money. My students have gotten into a full array of schools – the ivies included. The difference is that my families made informed decisions about colleges based on the right fit for the student academically and socially and the right fit for the family from a financial standpoint. Well, you can always sign up for my weekly email newsletter, "The College Oracle" which is absolutely free! I also encourage you to participate in any of the free “Finding Cash For College” workshops I host -- via telephone conference call, LIVE at various locations throughout the Baltimore/DC Metro area – or listen to the Finding Cash For College CD – it was recorded during one of my live workshops! Even though it's free, trust me there's a LOT of great information given at the event that can help you get started. Another GREAT way to sample without a huge investment is to join my Get NOTICED, Get IN, Get MONEY College System Bootcamp. This program is ideal for families who realize that Individual Coaching isn’t right for them -- perhaps because of time and/or budget constraints, or because they want to “try before they buy”. Over the course of 14 weeks, you'll get "how to" coaching audios delivered directly to you. It's me guiding you step-by-step through the Get NOTICED, Get IN, Get MONEY College System. You'll receive worksheets to help you accomplish the tasks. To make sure you get answers to questions that come up as you work through the system, you also have two 15 minute laser coaching sessions with me where you come with your questions and I provide the answers you need! If you're interested in the Bootcamp, give my team a call at 410-715-2116 and they can answer your questions as well as get you started. And of course there's always my Get NOTICED, Get IN, Get MONEY College System Home Study Program. It gives you the most important things to do to figure this all out easily and then set up a simple to follow plan so you consistently work towards your college goals. It's all step-by-step, not a big mismash of things. So, you do step one of the system, and when you're done with that, start step two, and so on. You get over FIVE hours of audio classes from coaching sessions I've done with students as well as all the information, tools, worksheets, templates, and examples handed to you on a silver platter. Easy. You can get it at http://www.GetNOTICEDGetINGetMONEYSystem.com Well, I can sympathize and understand that feeling. But, let me ask you something, if you don’t get help with the whole process, at the end of the day, how will you be sure that you aren’t making a mistake that costs your child the opportunity to get into a college right for them or spending more than is absolutely necessary? I help my families avoid the mistakes that can cost you the opportunities at a particular college or end up making college more expensive. BUT,it’s a proactive service. If you come to me AFTER you’ve made these mistakes, I won’t be able to help you. If I don't believe I can get great results for you and your student, I will tell you that, too. Many of my families recover their investment when I identify money saving strategies that lower the amount the colleges will expect them to pay towards their student’s education. For the few families for whom we can’t identify immediate savings, those families happily report they more than recoup their investment with just ONE of the financial aid awards their student receives. When that happens, the coaching more than pays for itself! But, even after taking all of that into consideration, if you still feel it’s more than you can handle, my Get NOTICED, Get IN, Get MONEY College System Bootcamp or Home Study System is the perfect solution. It can provide you the step-by-step structure that can position you for more money. If your car breaks down and you can’t afford a mechanic, it doesn’t solve the problem that your car still needs to be fixed, does it? So, do you just pop open the hood and start fiddling, or is it wise to spend a couple of bucks on a manual to help you fix the problem? Sure! Just email us at coach@jeankeller.com or call 410-715-2116. My client relations manager will be happy to answer any questions you may have and if she can't answer, she'll arrange a time for us to talk and I'll walk you through all of the options so you can make the right decision for you and your family. I'm honored you'd like to work with me, and I can't wait to "meet" you!How long have you been a college planning coach and how did you begin?

Who are your clients, exactly?
What kind of personality do you work best with, and what is expected of your clients?
Is there a type of family for whom coaching with you doesn't work?
What exactly is the Get Noticed Get in Get Money College System and what does it include?
Does this really work? Can you really save us money?
Can I talk with some of your clients or former clients to see what it's like to work with you?
How will we work together and what does the program entail?
How long do you work with clients?
What's the coaching investment?

So, what do the different individual coaching programs look like?

How are you different from other college advisors or planners, including the guidance counselor at school?
Expert Advice = Maximum Results
Okay, I know which program I want, how do we get started?
I'm not sure I'm ready. Is there any way to sample your work at a low cost to see whether it's right for my student and our family?
We see the value you provide but we just can’t see spending money now if I have to spend so much on college itself ...
Okay, I'm ready to do this for myself and my student but I have a couple of additional questions? Can I call you?
Imagine: Watching your student receive his or her college degree and you still still have money in your pocket!
How would that make you feel, knowing you gave your student a critical piece of his or her future success AND had more money left in your pocket at the end of the day? Pretty darned good, right?
Well, call my team TODAY at 410-715-2116 and let’s schedule a time to discuss your situation and help you make sure the program you've selected works best for you and your student!





