The Application with Allison Turcio

Ep. 72: Cost, Clarity, and Connection: The Case for a Parent-First Strategy

Episode Summary

Parents aren’t just supporting players in the college search — they're often leading the charge, especially when it comes to finances. In this episode, Will Geiger, Co-founder and CEO of Scholarships360, joins Allison to talk about why parent engagement is no longer optional and how institutions can better meet parents where they are. From practical communication strategies to demystifying financial aid, Will shares real-world insights on what parents actually care about, what they’ll act on, and how colleges can build trust early.

Episode Notes

Parents aren’t just supporting players in the college search — they're often leading the charge, especially when it comes to finances. In this episode, Will Geiger, Co-founder and CEO of Scholarships360, joins Allison to talk about why parent engagement is no longer optional and how institutions can better meet parents where they are. From practical communication strategies to demystifying financial aid, Will shares real-world insights on what parents actually care about, what they’ll act on, and how colleges can build trust early.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [2:03] The real extent of parents’ influence on college decisions from day one
• [12:18] Lower-lift ways to start engaging parents in the search process
• [18:09] The potential impact of parental influence on future student recruitment

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• allisonturcio.com

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website, or search for “The Application with Allison Turcio” in your favorite podcast player.

Guest Name: Will Geiger, Co-founder, Scholarships360

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmgeiger/

Guest Bio: Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut.Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.