Merit Aid for College
If you’re the parent of a 6th through 11th grader and you haven’t listened to ChooseFI Episode 460 with Brian Eufinger, you need to drop everything and listen to that episode.
This was the most eye-opening episode I’ve recorded in years, as I was completely unaware of “merit aid grids” based on GPA and ACT/SAT test scores.
It isn’t an exaggeration to say this episode changed the trajectory of our college search for our older daughter, who is now in 11th grade.
A college we really like here in Virginia publishes this merit aid grid and it seems plausible to get up to a full tuition scholarship. We simply wouldn’t have known this existed if Brian hadn’t come on the show.
Reminder that Brian suggests all parents of 10th graders review the presentation they have available on this “Sophomore” page on their site and sign up for one of 50+ entirely free mock testing sessions to determine if the ACT or SAT is better for your student to focus on.
To paraphrase Brian, “better to be Varsity in one test instead of JV in two.”
Savings on Medical Care
I’ve been meaning to revisit some of the best tips from past FI Weekly newsletters, so when Keenan wrote in, it provided the perfect excuse to highlight some ways to save on medical care.
Here’s Keenan’s email:
“I wanted to share two discount pharmacies that I've learned of that have saved people I know hundreds or thousands of dollars:
Cost Plus Drugs (Mark Cuban’s company)
For instance, I have a family member whose Anthem Blue Cross medical insurance wouldn't cover Mesalamine and the quotes were between $600-900 for a 30 day supply. It's only $32.40 at Cost Plus Drugs (Brad note: I’m seeing this down at $26.70 now). A truly astounding difference.
Hopefully this may help others out!”
Here are two other medical savings tips highlighted in a prior newsletter:
· MDSave.com for hundreds of different procedures, scans and tests at a fraction of what you’d pay your local hospital or imaging center through insurance
· Ulta Lab Tests for a la carte blood testing at extremely reasonable rates and easy scheduling