The Real Price of College: How Values and Emotions Shape Financial Decisions with Ron Lieber (Ep. 13)

College decisions reveal more than numbers; they reveal what we value most. Discover how to align your financial choices with the legacy you want to build for your family. Money meets meaning in this candid conversation between Jude Boudreaux, Caleb Arringdale, and Ron Lieber, New York Times columnist and author of The Price You Pay for College and The Opposite of Spoiled. Together, they unpack the emotions and realities behind one of life’s biggest financial crossroads: sending your child to college. From fear and guilt to social pressure and “rejective” schools, Ron reveals how hidden feelings often drive family choices more than finances do. He shares practical insights for making smarter, values-based decisions, asking for more aid without “negotiating,” and teaching kids responsibility through money. What to expect: Why college is a values decision wrapped in a financial one The emotional traps families fall into when paying for school How to approach merit aid and appeal letters the right way The conversation every parent should have before senior year And more! It’s time to move beyond numbers and make decisions that reflect what truly matters to your family. Resources: The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber Connect with Jude Boudreaux CFP® The Planning Center LinkedIn: Jude Boudreaux [email protected] Phone: (504) 717-4862 Connect with Caleb Arringdale: LinkedIn: Caleb Arringdale [email protected]  Phone: (309) 797-4030 Connect with Ron Lieber: Website: Ron Lieber LinkedIn: Ron Lieber About our Guest: Ron Lieber is the author of The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money, which was an instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller when it was released in 2015. “The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Roadmap for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make,” was published by HarperCollins in January, 2021. Ron has been the “Your Money” columnist for The New York Times since 2008. Before coming to The Times, he wrote the “Green Thumb” personal finance column for The Wall Street Journal and was part of the startup team at the paper’s Personal Journal section. Ron’s first book, Taking Time Off: Inspiring Stories of Students Who Enjoyed Successful Breaks from College and How You Can Plan Your Own, co-authored with Colin Hall, was a New York Times bestseller in 1996. He also wrote Upstart Start­-Ups, a book for young entrepreneurs, and was the co-author of a guidebook to the best entry­-level jobs in the United States. Ron spent 14 years at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago and graduated from Amherst College. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters.