College is expensive, there is no doubt about it. Our national, state and college financial aid system is overly complex and complicated. It does not look like it is going to get any easier.  

Students and their families preparing for college today are under prepared for the complex financial aid process, the high costs of attending college and the crushing amount of debt.

In 2020, our nation’s college student debt grew to $1.6 trillion with 10.8% of student borrowers defaulting on their loans.  This debt not only hinders the goals and dreams of our college graduates and their families, it is impacting our community, businesses and our country’s economy.

Did you know that today’s college graduate has about $30K in student loan debt?  Unfortunately, these students are

• 64% more likely to live at home after graduation
• 26% are less likely to participate in their employers 401K program
• and are delaying getting married & starting a family 

Unfortunately, today's college students (and their parents) don't have a financial aid plan and a strategy to pay for college.  

The stories I hear every day from families about college financial aid and costs include extreme confusion, anxiety and worry, both emotionally and financially. Without financial aid knowledge, students and parents are unknowingly committing to colleges they cannot afford.

Families need greater access to comprehensive financial aid education and information needed to assist families in selecting a college that both the student and parent can afford.

I believe a financial aid education is critical and must be made available to families years before their student’s senior year in high school.  In today’s financial literacy arena, there are very few comprehensive financial aid education programs available.

As such, The Financial Aid Shop is filling this need. Simply Teaching College Financial Aid.

The Financial Aid Shop is committed to changing the way families plan for college, empowering them with the tools needed to pre-empt unnecessary stress, college debt and out of pocket expenses, including student and parent debt.

Graham Strategies, Inc., dba The Financial Aid Shop, is a woman owned, LAUSD Certified Small Business and California Corporation located in Los Angeles County, California. The Financial Aid Shop was founded in 2018 and offers financial aid education programs to families, schools & school districts, businesses and non-profit organizations.

Our online programs are comprehensive, easy to use and support families before, during and after college, and are delivered using “best in class” digital platforms.

We have helped thousands of families successfully navigate their college financial aid experience. Parents and school administrators have shared that our classes and workshops make learning about financial aid fun and easy.  Participants in our online programs share that they “feel like we are working side by side at their kitchen table”. 

Empowering families with a financial aid knowledge today, for tomorrows financial aid process.  From stress to financial success!

While millions of dollars are spent educating students and families about financial aid, they remain surprised and overwhelmed by the process.

With that in mind, The Financial Aid Shop’s mission is two-fold:

I. Educate students and families to “become their own financial aid experts”. Provide families with an  educational toolbox and training resources to reduce students and parent's stress and ultimately, lead them to select a college based on “financial fit.”

II. Develop partnerships with schools, local governments and non-profits, and businesses to provide online financial aid education training programs, workshops to the communities they support. 

The Financial Aid Shop™ offers comprehensive Online and on demand Financial Aid programming using easy to follow digital learning platforms.  

We offer several financial aid courses for families who are U.S. Citizens/Eligible Non-Citizens with dependent children who eligible for federal financial assistance, California Foster Youth and programs for California Dreamers.

Our business model is simple. We want to teach families about college financial aid so they can get the grants & scholarships and help your student graduate debt free.