This conversation breaks down how families can approach college planning with more clarity, less panic, and a sharper eye on fit and affordability. Josette Mandela talks with Margaret Baudinet, owner and CEO of College Solutions and a national scholarship specialist, about early college exploration, merit scholarships, and how to avoid costly decisions driven by prestige alone.
In this episode, Margaret shares practical guidance for families with students from middle school through senior year, especially around scholarships, admissions strategy, and financial aid. The discussion is especially useful for parents trying to balance dreams, debt, and long-term family financial well-being.
Key topics
Margaret shares her path from growing up in the Deep South to studying at the University of Virginia, doing postgrad work at Oxford, and building a career in higher education.
She explains how she fell into admissions work after originally imagining a career as a political speechwriter, and why helping students has kept her in the field since 2009.
In this episode, she emphasizes that college planning should begin with fit, not just prestige, because the wrong school can cost more in transfers, major changes, and stress.
She outlines how merit scholarships work and defines them simply as free money for academic, artistic, service, or athletic strengths.
Margaret describes how College Solutions uses a scholarship database tailored to variables like ancestry, geography, and intended major to find awards that are actually winnable.
She explains why eighth and ninth grade is less about choosing a college and more about building curiosity, study skills, and executive functioning habits.
Margaret discusses how many colleges now expect students to know their intended major earlier in the process, which is a major shift from how admissions used to work.
She talks about how family involvement has changed over time, with more fathers taking active interest in the research and numbers since COVID.
In this episode, she walks through why a 91 percent top-three-choice placement rate still requires realism, especially when academic records or missed deadlines limit options.
She shares examples of matching students to schools that fit who they really are, including a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast who found his lane in game design.
Margaret explains the value of community college transfer pathways and why they can be a smart, affordable option for cost-conscious families.
She breaks down financial aid methodology, including the difference between federal methodology and institutional methodology, and why applying for aid is usually worth it.
Connect with Margaret: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-baudinet-8334a6b/
I hope you enjoy this episode!
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– Josette and the The Empowered Money Girl podcast team
Visit Josette’s website here: http://www.josettemandela.com/
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The Empowered Money Girl is a podcast for ambitious women who are building careers and lives on their own terms. Hosted by Josette Mandela, each episode features honest conversations with female leaders from across the country—founders, executives, and changemakers who’ve carved their own paths in business, finance, and beyond. From money mindset and leadership to career pivots and personal growth, this show brings real stories and practical insights for women who want more than just success—they want meaning, freedom, and impact.