For most families, the "college decision" is the single largest financial gamble they will ever take. We hand a 17-year-old a pen and ask them to sign off on a high-stakes, high-risk investment before they’ve even had their first full-time job. At Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR), we believe it’s time to move past the "degree-at-any-cost" mentality and start talking about ROI. I recently sat down with Dave Urso, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Blue Ridge Community Coll

Some people feel uncomfortable with negotiating. This is unfortunate. Good negotiation leads to better outcomes for all. A good negotiation is a form of good communication, where all parties express their key preferences. This creates a better platform for productive, long-term relationships. Focusing on your BATNA is the foundation of good negotiation and a productive, long-term relationship. About the author:    Jeff Hulett leads Personal Finance Reimagined ,  a decision-ma

I show you how to make your work performance review a 2-way street — that benefits you as much as your employer. Most importantly, it helps you make a confident job decision - whether you commit to stay or move into job change mode. About the author:    Jeff Hulett leads Personal Finance Reimagined ,  a decision-making and financial education platform. He teaches personal finance at James Madison University and provides personal finance seminars. Check out his book  -- Making

In the high-pressure hallways of suburban high schools, a persistent myth refuses to die. It is the idea that community college is effectively “13th grade”—a consolation prize for those who couldn’t get into a “selective” school, or a social dead end that looks “uncool” on a LinkedIn profile. While students stress over which prestige sticker to slap on their parents' SUV, and parents worry about the social optics of the local junior college, the corporate world is looking at

Admittedly, I am an AI Enthusiast. But I also know that in the labor market, there will be winners and losers. This article describes how to win. In my previous work on The Great AI Pivot , I discuss how the AI disruption creates more, but different kinds of jobs. I argued that our biggest hurdle isn't technical—it’s emotional. We are biologically wired to fixate on the "Red Bar" (jobs lost) while ignoring the significantly larger "Green Bar" (jobs gained). We fear the "s

This is our 3rd Vidcast for college decision month. Today – we discuss college success for parents and students as they prepare to say goodbye for the first day at college. This vidcast is very personal. I will discuss many tips and tricks that made my family's college separation healthy. These success ideas were the final launch pad for their amazing college experience. About the Author:    Jeff Hulett leads Personal Finance Reimagined, a decision-making and financial educat

Blue Ridge Community College's Student Recreation Center is shown as the lead image for the VidCast. This is our second Vidcast for college decision month. Today – we will discuss why community college is a great choice and should be in every high school student’s college choice set. College decision-making is surprisingly complex, College decision-making has many criteria and deciding what is important to you. Plus, since the decision is new to most students, it creates even

This is our first vidcast for college decision month. This is the time of year when high school juniors and seniors are getting serious about college decision-making. In this first talk – we will discuss the college decision tool called College Xoice. I helped research and develop this technology, so I am very happy to share some of its amazing capabilities. Mostly, my hope is the students, and their families make use of this app to make great college decisions. About the Aut

I am PASSIONATE about achieving College ROI! College ROI is achieved when the value you get out of college - the income and/or happiness opportunities achieved - is worth MORE than the costs of college. The one thing we know for sure is that traditional residential colleges can be VERY expensive and there are other ways to achieve college benefits without spending a ton. One approach to achieving the optimal college ROI is to leverage the United States' incredible Community

History is not merely a collection of dates and names; it is a series of "pivots." These are the moments when the tectonic plates of human productivity shift, forever changing how we live, work, and relate to one another. From the steam engine to the internet, every great economic leap has required something deeply human, yet frequently resisted: a leap of faith. Today, as Artificial Intelligence weaves its way into the fabric of our professional lives, we stand at the thresh

In the American cultural narrative, the term "first-generation" is often regarded as a niche category or a specific demographic box. At PFR, we see it differently. The challenges facing these students often remain hidden in plain sight. These obstacles rarely stem from a lack of talent or ambition; instead, they reflect a lack of exposure to the "family business" of higher education and the complex financial systems supporting it. According to U.S. Census Bureau data released

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with one of my favorite thinkers, Duke Economist and Political Science Professor Mike Munger , to dissect the "super complex" challenge of college decision-making. As President of Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR), I know this choice is massive. College is more expensive than ever, yet there are more lower-cost alternatives—from community colleges to taking a gap year—that deserve serious consideration. The question isn't just where

In times of uncertainty -- great opportunity exists. This article is the opportunity bridge. The year 2025 brings a chilling dose of reality to American higher education. Between proposed government shutdowns forcing layoffs at the Department of Education and political leaders questioning the tax-exempt status of massive university endowments, there is profound uncertainty. For most families without significant savings—without a "money tree" planted in the backyard—the centr

Jeff Hulett interviews Justin Chezem, Head Coach, CNU Men’s Soccer and Scot Cooper, Founder, Matchplay Recruit. We focus on 2 questions:...

Today, I’m excited to interview Lee Norwood, founder of Annapolis College Consulting and a leader in college advising. Lee has worked...

Today – we are going to get real! I’m going to share Bob’s college story. I’ll introduce Bob in a moment. To give you a little...

How would a risk manager or investor advise a college decision-maker? The very expensive college system exaggerates risks we did not have...

Making a good college decision is challenging. Our culture suggests that college is an excellent investment. The truth is, it can be, but...

Today, we are going to take a different kind of decision journey by taking you to the other side of job decision-making. This article...

When Professor Daryl Wieland stepped into the classroom at George Mason University this spring, it was his first time teaching personal...