In today’s episode I’m joined by Shellee Howard, founder and CEO of College Ready, and named the 2026 Global Educational Consultant of the Year. Shellee is a two-time best-selling author, has been featured on Fox, NBC, CBS, and US News and World Report, and over the past 18 years she and her team have helped more than 3,000 families secure college acceptances, including 327 Ivy League placements and over $80 million in scholarships earned. She’s also a mom of four whose own kids have graduated from schools ranging from Harvard to the University of Alabama, most of them debt free. This conversation was so illuminating for me, and honestly could not have come at a more perfect time as I navigate this exact process with my own kids.
Here’s what we cover:
- The story of how a painful conversation with a high school counselor turned Shellee into “the mom on a mission” who started College Ready
- Why getting into college and getting out without debt are actually two separate goals, and why families need a plan for both
- The number one thing colleges want to know about your teen, and why so many teens genuinely can’t answer it
- Why college should be thought of as a stepping stone to adulthood rather than the end goal, and how that reframe changes everything
- Why picking a major before picking a college (not after) can save families tens of thousands of dollars
- The four “buckets” of college money, including one of the most overlooked sources of funding
- How independent scholarships work, why kids as young as fourth grade can start applying, and how this strategy can help close the “gap” even after a student has already committed to a school
- What one step to take this week if you’re feeling behind or overwhelmed about the college process
This episode is for any parent who wants to help their teen find their best-fit college and walk away with real scholarship money, without draining their own retirement to get there.
Shellee Howard Links
Free 30-Minute College Clarity Call a gift to listeners
www.collegereadyplan.infoFree Resources — 7 tools you can use at no cost, including help finding your child’s core values and calculating your student aid index
www.collegereadyplan.com/resourcesNonprofit: Empower Education
www.empowereducation.worldBooks:
How To Send Your Student To College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money
amazon.com/dp/1546749624The College Admissions PLAN Simplified: A Busy Parent’s P.L.A.N. to a Debt-Free Degree
amazon.com/dp/B0DQ48NLLVConnect with Jasmyne:
Instagram: @jasmyne.guidedpassages
