About College Planning 101

College Planning 101 is dedicated to finding the best academic, social, and financial fit for students. The reward is the success of the students I work with.

Today’s students aren’t just applying to college. They’re preparing for a world shaped by artificial intelligence. I teach families how to use AI as a tool, not a shortcut, to strengthen research, uncover merit opportunities, and build real-world skills that extend far beyond the application process.

At College Planning 101, I help families navigate admissions in the age of AI combining strategic college planning with ethical, intelligent use of emerging technology so students stand out authentically and compete confidently.

I welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and offer you the best, most comprehensive service in the college planning industry. I make the overwhelming college application and admission process easier.

Together, we will find the right college fit academically, socially, and financially for your family. Because getting into college isn’t enough. Students need to know how to think, compete, and lead in a world transformed by technology.

Stephanie has taken so much of the stress out of the process of not only finding and applying to colleges, but also figuring out payment and scholarship options. Without her help my dad and I would've been completely lost. Not only did she provide guidance before I even began applying to colleges, she also continues to be of aid every year when it came time to fill out the FAFSA and apply for financial aid. She quite literally has helped my dad and I save thousands of dollars throughout the entire process in realistic and doable ways. Paying for college can be extremely stressful, Stephanie has absolutely helped in making it less so.

Molly Litton

Why Hire College Planning 101?

Artificial intelligence is changing classrooms, careers, and college admissions.

Families today aren’t just navigating applications, they’re navigating a technological shift that is reshaping how students research, write, learn, and compete.

At College Planning 101, I help families leverage AI safely and effectively, without compromising integrity, so students gain a competitive edge while developing the skills colleges and employers value most.

But strategy alone isn’t enough.

You hire CP101 because you want:

A strategically built college list based on academic AND financial fit
Merit positioning — not guesswork
Authentic essays strengthened, not manufactured
Ethical AI guidance in an evolving admissions landscape
A calm, confident plan instead of last-minute panic

This isn’t generic advising.
This is calculated positioning.

The Financial Advantage

College is one of the largest investments a family will make.

My process focuses heavily on:

• Merit aid positioning

• GPA benchmarking

• Academic strategy alignment

• Early timeline leverage

• Avoiding overpaying

And here’s what that means in real numbers:

99% of my families receive enough merit or financial aid to recover their program fee — often many times over.

The goal isn’t just admission.

The goal is the right admission, at the right price.

Peace of Mind for Parents

When you hire CP101, you are not outsourcing forms.

You are gaining:

• A strategic partner
• A merit advocate
• A calm guide
• A future-focused advisor
• A safeguard against costly mistakes

Families not only hire me because they’re overwhelmed, they hire me because they want to be intentional as well

If you’re serious about positioning your student to stand out academically, financially, and strategically. This is where we begin.

Click the link below to schedule your free, virtual consultation…

College Planning Seminars

College Planning 101 has held hundreds of educational seminars and webinars at libraries and high schools. These presentations have helped thousands of families understand what it takes to get into college today and the tumultuous financial aid process. Hundreds of families have reaped the benefits of getting students to the right college at the right price.

Let us help you navigate the overwhelming college planning process.

College Planning 101 Student Acceptances

College Planning 101 has helped more than a thousand students in the last decade achieve acceptance into a variety of colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Adelphi University
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Alfred University
Alvernia University
Assumption College
Bard College
Bentley College
Boston College
Buffalo University
Champlain College
Clark University
Colgate University
College of St. Rose
Colorado State University
Cornell University
Endicott College
Fordham University
Gettysburg College
Ithaca College
LIM College
Long Island University
Lyndon State College
Manhattanville College
Marist College
Montclair State
Northeastern
New York University
Old Dominion University
Pace University

Penn State
Quinnipiac University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Rider University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Sacred Heart University
Sarah Lawrence College
School of Visual Arts
Seton Hall University
Siena College
Smith College
St. John Fisher College
St. John’s University
St. Lawrence University
Stockton University
SUNY University at Albany
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY The College at Brockport
SUNY Cobleskill
SUNY Cortlandt
SUNY Delhi
SUNY Oneonta
SUNY Oswego
SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Purchase

SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Purchase
SUNY Stony Brook
Syracuse University
Temple University
Tufts University
UMass Amherst
Union College
University of Chicago
University of Connecticut
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Delaware
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Michigan
University of New Haven
University of Rhode Island
University of Rochester
University of Tennessee
University of Vermont
Vassar
Villanova
Wake Forest University
Western New England University
Wisconsin University
Yale
York College

About College Planning 101

Why Hire College Planning 101?

Artificial intelligence is changing classrooms, careers, and college admissions.

Families today aren’t just navigating applications, they’re navigating a technological shift that is reshaping how students research, write, learn, and compete.

At College Planning 101, I help families leverage AI safely and effectively, without compromising integrity, so students gain a competitive edge while developing the skills colleges and employers value most.

But strategy alone isn’t enough.

You hire CP101 because you want:

The Financial Advantage

College is one of the largest investments a family will make.

My process focuses heavily on:

• Merit aid positioning

• GPA benchmarking

• Academic strategy alignment

• Early timeline leverage

• Avoiding overpaying

And here’s what that means in real numbers:

99% of my families receive enough merit or financial aid to recover their program fee — often many times over.

The goal isn’t just admission.

The goal is the right admission, at the right price.

Peace of Mind for Parents

When you hire CP101, you are not outsourcing forms.

You are gaining:

• A strategic partner
• A merit advocate
• A calm guide
• A future-focused advisor
• A safeguard against costly mistakes

Families not only hire me because they’re overwhelmed, they hire me because they want to be intentional as well

If you’re serious about positioning your student to stand out academically, financially, and strategically. This is where we begin.

College Planning Seminars

Stephanie Goldberg-Mauro

College Planning 101 Student Acceptances

Contact Us

Quicklinks

Memberships

College Planning 101 Newsletter

About College Planning 101

Why Hire College Planning 101?

Artificial intelligence is changing classrooms, careers, and college admissions.

Families today aren’t just navigating applications, they’re navigating a technological shift that is reshaping how students research, write, learn, and compete.

At College Planning 101, I help families leverage AI safely and effectively, without compromising integrity, so students gain a competitive edge while developing the skills colleges and employers value most.

But strategy alone isn’t enough.

You hire CP101 because you want:

The Financial Advantage

College is one of the largest investments a family will make.

My process focuses heavily on:

• Merit aid positioning

• GPA benchmarking

• Academic strategy alignment

• Early timeline leverage

• Avoiding overpaying

And here’s what that means in real numbers:

99% of my families receive enough merit or financial aid to recover their program fee — often many times over.

The goal isn’t just admission.

The goal is the right admission, at the right price.

Peace of Mind for Parents

When you hire CP101, you are not outsourcing forms.

You are gaining:

• A strategic partner• A merit advocate• A calm guide• A future-focused advisor• A safeguard against costly mistakes

Families not only hire me because they’re overwhelmed, they hire me because they want to be intentional as well

If you’re serious about positioning your student to stand out academically, financially, and strategically. This is where we begin.

College Planning Seminars

Stephanie Goldberg-Mauro

College Planning 101 Student Acceptances

Contact Us

Quicklinks

Memberships

College Planning 101 Newsletter

• A strategic partner
• A merit advocate
• A calm guide
• A future-focused advisor
• A safeguard against costly mistakes