As a busy working father with limited free time, navigating the college planning process for my daughters felt overwhelming. From choosing the right schools to considering city amenities and ideal locations for their future, the decisions seemed endless. To simplify the process, I invested $5,000 per daughter in a college planner who provided structured guidance. While their advice was valuable, I soon realized that I could develop a more cost-effective and practical strategy on my own. Throughout the college application process and multiple move-ins and move-outs, I took detailed notes on what I would do differently. Simple things—like having a small toolkit to assemble furniture, extra batteries (because, yes, the entire town of Boulder ran out when I first moved Ashley into college), and plenty of trash bags—made a huge difference.

Hence - Family Man Picks and my college ready toolkit. This package contains a detailed college application schedule, a college cost comparison, packing list and a list of city amenities to help you prioritize what you want in a city. The schedule goes into detail spanning 2 years prior to making your college decision and includes essay writing tips, campus visit strategies, application strategies and financial aid advice. I have also included a essay writing example, a application strategy example and financial aid examples.

I wish I had this resource years ago—it would have saved me both time and money! Now, I’m sharing it with other parents to make college planning easier and less stressful.