Mission Statement
We empower families to reduce the cost of college through a data-driven, strategic approach. Positioning students to access institutional discounts, endowments, grants, and scholarships by aligning their academic profile, social fit, and financial standing.
Are you going to college to earn a degree, or are you going to college to build a resume while letting colleges help pay for it?
Getting in isn’t the goal. Thriving — and getting paid to attend — is.
Most admissions coaches focus on one objective: getting students accepted into their list of dream schools. But acceptance alone doesn’t guarantee success, and it also doesn’t guarantee discounts. It just means you got in.
A different experience
- May struggle academically
- Pays full sticker price
- Accumulates more student loan debt
Diversified College Planning’s approach
- Enters near the top of the academic profile
- Positioned for merit and institutional aid
- Set up for long-term financial success
At Diversified College Planning, we take a different approach. We meet students where they are academicallysociallyfinancially. Then we identify colleges where they are not only likely to be admitted, but also positioned to thrive. And get paid to attend.
Just as important, we understand that colleges operate under different business models:
Generous merit scholarships to recruit high-achieving students.
Relies more heavily on need-based aid than merit awards.
Discounts very little regardless of profile or need.
We align each student’s academic profile and financial situation with colleges whose enrollment strategies create the greatest opportunity for admissions, affordability, and long-term success.
We take away the guesswork by reverse-engineering the admissions process using data from our proprietary software.
A Proven Process, and A Team You Can Trust
The New Reality of College Planning
The college admissions process has changed dramatically over the past two decades. What was once a relatively straightforward and affordable path has evolved into a complex system shaped by rising tuition costs, increasingly competitive admissions standards, and complicated financial aid formulas.
Today, families are often overwhelmed by the number of decisions involved in preparing for college. Choosing the right schools, navigating financial aid applications, understanding scholarship opportunities, and planning for the long-term financial impact can quickly become confusing and stressful.
At Diversified College Planning, we help families navigate this process strategically. Our mission is to help students gain admission to the right schools while protecting the financial stability of the family. With the right strategy, students can maximize opportunities while families reduce unnecessary college costs.
A Smarter Approach to College Planning
There are more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, and every institution operates differently. Each school has its own:
Understanding how colleges operate and how they price and discount their education is essential. Colleges are businesses. They actively recruit students, but not always in ways that benefit a family’s financial position.
That is why having a guide who understands how the system works can make a meaningful difference.
At Diversified College Planning, we help families:
College Planning Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming
College is one of the largest financial decisions most families will ever make. Without proper planning, it is easy to overpay, miss opportunities, or make choices that negatively impact long-term financial security.
At Diversified College Planning, we guide families through every stage of the process, helping students open doors to schools they may have thought were out of reach while protecting the family’s financial future.
The earlier planning begins, the more opportunities become available.
It Starts With Your Financials
It first starts with your financials. We evaluate your financial situation from a college’s perspective. This tells us how colleges will view your financial portfolio.
We calculate your Student Aid Index (SAI):
This process can be so much easier than just guessing and hoping. We take hope out of the process and put real data behind your decision.
Our Journey: The Diversified College Planning Timeline
A legacy of trust, innovation, and family values—since 1980.
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2025
A Message From Our Founders
Rick and Margaret Stolz
Colleges have become highly sophisticated in how they recruit students. What was once called admissions is now known as strategic enrollment management—a system built around data and algorithms designed to increase a school’s revenue, not necessarily to serve the student’s best interests.
Families often approach the college process with hope and good intentions but without a full understanding of how it really works. At Diversified College Planning, we help families see through the noise.
As a family-owned business for over 45 years, we’ve worked with generations of families just like yours. We understand the pressure parents feel to provide opportunities for their children without jeopardizing their financial future. We’ve seen the stress, the uncertainty, and the sacrifices families are asked to make.
That’s why we approach this process as a family helping other families—offering guidance that’s grounded, thoughtful, and always in your best interest.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey. It’s a responsibility—and a relationship—we deeply value.
– Rick Stolz CLU, ChFC, RHU, CLTC, LUTCF
Our Leadership
Experienced Professionals, Committed to You and Your Child’s Success!
Jarad Stolz CRPC, CLTC
Jarad Stolz brings a wealth of experience and insight to Diversified College Planning, where he works closely with families to make college more affordable through smart, personalized financial strategies. With a deep understanding of both financial planning and the inner workings of the college funding system, Jarad helps families reduce out-of-pocket costs without compromising long-term financial stability.
Jarad specializes in college funding strategies that go beyond basic financial aid advice. He helps parents understand how the Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated and how to legally and strategically lower it to qualify for more need-based aid. His approach includes evaluating financial positioning, helping families restructure assets when appropriate, and identifying schools that are most likely to offer generous merit and institutional aid based on a student’s academic and personal profile.
Through a top-down planning method, Jarad assists families in building a focused college list—starting with over 2,500 schools and narrowing it to those where the student fits in socially, gets in academically, and most importantly, gets paid to attend. His ability to merge admissions strategy with financial strategy allows families to avoid overpaying, reduce debt exposure, and protect retirement savings in the process.
Jarad’s dedication to transparency and individualized planning has helped countless families approach the college process with clarity and confidence. Whether working with first-time applicants or families navigating college for multiple children, Jarad ensures every plan is grounded in logic, driven by data, and designed for long-term success.
Mike Dusombre CRPC, CLTC
Mike Dusombre plays a key role at Diversified College Planning, where he brings a unique combination of financial insight and real-world practicality to the college funding process. With years of experience guiding families through complex financial decisions, Mike focuses on delivering straightforward, effective strategies that reduce the cost of college and protect long-term financial goals.
Mike works with families to simplify every stage of the planning process—from understanding financial aid formulas to evaluating school affordability and building a strategy that aligns with both college and retirement timelines. His approach emphasizes clarity, efficiency, and impact. By helping families lower their Student Aid Index (SAI), uncover merit-based opportunities, and strategically target colleges that offer substantial aid, Mike ensures families don’t just find the right school—they find the right financial fit.
What sets Mike apart is his ability to translate financial strategy into meaningful outcomes for each student and family. He takes the time to understand the full picture—academic goals, household finances, and long-term priorities—then creates a plan that balances them all. Families value his honest, no-fluff communication style and his commitment to helping them make confident, informed decisions in an otherwise overwhelming process.
Through personalized guidance and a data-driven approach, Mike helps families avoid common mistakes, minimize debt, and save tens of thousands of dollars on the true cost of college. His mission is simple: make the path to college more affordable, more strategic, and far less stressful.
The people behind your plan
Sarah brings years of experience to the team, offering families deadlines to complete all forms required. She helps file forms on time and correctly to reduce verification.
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Whether that’s FAFSA, the CSS Profile, or any institutional forms, Sarah helps you navigate the process. She also helps with appeals and negotiations when appropriate and uses our historical data from what colleges typically offer.
Joseph, a standout graduate of our college planning program, went on to earn a degree in Economics from Cornell University.
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His digital test prep platform was created to learn at your own pace by going through modules that help students understand what questions they may be missing and why they missed them for a fraction of the cost compared to traditional prep companies. Built on proven learning methodologies developed by his expert team, the platform delivers personalized strategies that help students reach their full potential. Backed by a dedicated group of educators who continually refine and expand its resources, they ensure that families benefit from the very best in modern educational support.
Our LIVE Cohort is an interactive SAT and ACT preparation program designed to keep students engaged and accountable.
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Beginning 30/45 days before the exam, students participate in four live, one-hour Zoom classes led by Cole, followed by a personalized 20-minute one-on-one coaching session after each class to review progress, answer questions, and fine-tune their study plan. After every session, students receive homework, a study guide, practice sets, and concept videos covering both Math and English to reinforce what was taught. Students also gain access to full-length practice tests and a growing library of on-demand resources. To ensure they’re fully prepared, every participant receives free access to our Last Second Review, a comprehensive live review held the day before the SAT or ACT exam.
In 2014, Alan Katzman launched Social Assurity to provide the most comprehensive social media and digital literacy curriculum for college-bound students.
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Drawing on his extensive background in law, compliance, and technology, Alan has delivered countless lectures nationwide on the evolving role of social media in both college admissions and career development. Based in New York, he dedicates his time to monitoring emerging digital trends and expanding Social Assurity’s educational reach to ensure students are equipped for success in an increasingly connected world. For a fraction of his cost, Diversified College Planning delivers this value to your families to stand out in a crowded field of applicants.
Theresa helps families uncover the best-fit colleges for their student—academically, financially, and personally.
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Her deep knowledge of school profiles and admissions trends brings clarity to an otherwise overwhelming search process. After your student takes our assessment, Theresa will then start breaking down all 2,600 universities with your family to start your college search.
Driven by over two decades of teaching, advising, and administrative leadership, Melissa empowers high school families navigating the complex journey from freshman year through college admissions.
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With a passion to help high school families, she uses her 20+ years of teaching, administrative, and academic advising experience to relieve families who are overwhelmed with all stages of high school and college admissions with a guided relationship to meet the student’s needs. From help with essays, career exploration, college application assistance, high school resumes, and activities list audits. Melissa has a personalized relationship with students to help set them up for success.
Why Most College Planning Services Fall Short—And What Sets Us Apart
Get the guidance you need, all in one place—from FAFSA to career fit to maximizing aid.
