Financial Aid Package – Wealth on the Move

How to Win Scholarships & Pay for College Without Student Loans with Dave Peterson (Episode 29)

By Wealth on the Move | September 4, 2025

Summary: In this episode of Wealth on the Move, host Will Hoffman discusses the challenges of funding college education with expert Dave Peterson. They explore the vast opportunities available through scholarships, the misconceptions surrounding them, and the importance of starting the scholarship search early. Peterson shares insights on different types of scholarships, the scholarship application process, and how to build a compelling personal narrative. The conversation emphasizes the need for parents and students to be proactive in seeking financial aid to alleviate the burden of student loans and ensure a successful educational journey.

Resources:

Takeaways:

There is a significant amount of scholarship money available, much of which goes unclaimed.
Scholarships are not just for seniors; opportunities exist for younger students as well.
A strong personal narrative is crucial for winning scholarships.
Students should start applying for scholarships as early as possible.
Many scholarships do not require high GPAs or test scores.
Building a personal narrative involves academics, extracurriculars, volunteering, and work experience.
Avoid applying for illegitimate scholarships that ask for sensitive information.
The scholarship application process requires attention to detail and following instructions.
Students can earn scholarships even after high school graduation.
Utilizing resources like Scholarship GPS can help streamline the scholarship search process.

Connect with Will Hoffman:

Dave Peterson and Scholarship GPS not affiliated with Hoffman Wealth Management and Private Advisor Group. This presentation is not intended as specific financial advice for any individual.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More

Education Planning Series: Your Guide to Navigating the FAFSA (Ep. 11)

By Monetary-Mix-Tape | February 2, 2023

Do you need clarification on what a FAFSA is, and how you can receive student aid to help pay for your child’s college education?

Welcome to the first in a series of episodes focusing on Education Planning!

In this episode, Tina Steele, founder of The FAFSA Guru, discusses navigating the process of submitting a FAFSA, and securing your child’s best financial assistance package. She also shares ways to avoid the common mistakes that could cost you thousands, and guides listeners on the ins and outs of the process to ensure you’re getting the most financial aid possible.

Join the conversation as Tina discusses:

The importance of filling out the FAFSA form every year
How to avoid common mistakes when filling out the application
What additional documents are required by some colleges for eligibility
Options surrounding scholarships and government grants
And more

Resources:

Connect with Tina Steele:

Connect with Will Hoffman:

About Our Guest:

Tina began her career in higher education just out of high school when she landed her first “real job” working in a financial aid office. She quickly realized that she loved helping students navigate the college planning and financial aid process and achieve their dreams. It also inspired her to get her own Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Over the last thirty years she has worked directly in the financial aid office at several public and private colleges and she also spent 10 years facilitating college planning and financial aid workshops across the state of Maine for a federally funded grant program aimed at helping disadvantaged students aspire to and pursue college.

Now as the owner and Founder of The FAFSA Guru Tina guides families through the overwhelming financial aid process. She has a number of programs and services she offers in addition to zoom and phone consultations. She created this business to offer help to families at an affordable price as working with Educational Consultants can cost thousands of dollars. You can learn more by visiting her website at thefafsaguru.com.

Tina Steele and The FAFSA Guru are not affiliated with or endorsed by LPL Financial, Hoffman Wealth Management, or Private Advisor Group.

About Our Host:

Will Hoffman is a financial advisor and the Founder of Hoffman Wealth Management, a firm dedicated to helping professionals create wealth plans that revolve around their financial goals. Will has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and is passionate about becoming his client’s most trusted financial ally.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Private Advisor Group, a registered investment advisor. Private Advisor Group and Hoffman Wealth Management are separate entities from LPL Financial. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The LPL Financial registered representative(s) associated with this website may discuss and/or transact business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered or licensed. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident of any other state.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: RSS | More