FAP800: Stories from the Financial Aid Podcast

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I wanted to take a few moments to celebrate five success stories from the Financial Aid Podcast over the past 800 episodes. These are all real, all true, and all great examples of the power of new media, the power we have to change lives for the better.

A soldier, name withheld for privacy, emailed early this year to mention that he listens to the podcast while overseas in Iraq. Education-minded, he’s working towards achieving more using the Army’s distance education programs, but didn’t know how to pay for it. After some research, we put together some ideas, and last I heard, he’s pursuing an advanced degree while still serving abroad.

A girl on MySpace had dropped out of school, took some time off, joined the Air National Guard. After some time, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do but she did realize that a career in the military wasn’t it, so she started working and listening to the podcast. She wrote that after she started listening to the show, she realized she wanted to go back to school and had an idea for how to pay for it now.

In January of last year, I podcasted from College Goal Sunday in Framingham, Massachusetts, about the FAFSA and some things about the FAFSA that were especially confusing. Just a couple of weeks later, the US Department of Education responded to my comments by changing the FAFSA and improving it for the millions students who complete it each year.

A senior in high school wrote in just a couple of months ago that using the information presented in the Financial Aid Podcast, along with the accompanying Scholarship Search Secrets eBook, he’s been able to win over $5,000 and counting in scholarship funds.

A parent in the Midwest wrote in to say that with the advice and scholarship search tips in the show, he was able to see his oldest daughter go to college with partial scholarships at a state university, something he didn’t think would be possible, and something that he was ashamed of.

When people ask me why I podcast, why I produce this show, why I take so much time out of every day here at the Student Loan Network (between 45 minutes and an hour first thing in the morning), these are the stories I am proud to re-tell. The podcast makes a difference.

Sure, the Financial Aid Podcast has done well by all the usual statistics and metrics, but the real reason, the real motivation is that I know we have changed lives together.

If even one student goes back to college because of this show, then the show has made a difference, has made the world a better place.

If even one student gets a scholarship that helps them graduate with less debt, then the show has made a difference.

This is the power of new media, the power of podcasting, the power to create and produce the kind of show that the world needs, but that mainstream radio and television aren’t able to profitably produce. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and excited to see what we can do in the weeks and months ahead.

I’ve said it before, but I can’t say it enough. This show, and the successes in it, are thanks to you. Thank you for being a listener of the show, for calling and writing in with your questions, your success stories, your participation, and for taking what I create in this show and putting it to use.

Without you, I’d literally just be talking to the computer and would have given up a long time ago, but with your feedback, I am inspired to keep going, to keep creating the show for you every day, to keep helping to make a difference in the world of financial aid and paying for college.

Thanks for being here for 800 shows, and for staying tuned. I suspect very strongly the best days are still ahead, so please continue to help friends and colleagues tune in. Together, there’s no telling what we’ll be able to accomplish, but I know my goal is to keep making the world a better place, one student at a time, and I hope you’ll continue the quest with me.

Thanks for listening to the Financial Aid Podcast.

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Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3

Reminders

+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidNews.com.
+ Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook

+ Private student loans
+ Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com
+ FAFSAonline.com”>FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com
+ Edvisors Jobs

+ Stafford loans | Other federal student loans
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.