The Advisor Series · 10 to 15 minutes
Students take the advisor's chair.
A case lands on the student's desk: one person, one real decision, and the numbers that come with it. Students decode the numbers, make the call, and write a memo explaining it. Then they see how the whole class advised, because good judgment is rarely unanimous.
The advisor's desk
Read. Decode. Decide. Write.
01
Read the case
One person's situation, written the way a real client would describe it.
02
Decode the numbers
The offer, the letter, or the fee schedule, read the way an advisor reads it.
03
Make the call
A committed recommendation, the reasons for it, and what to watch for.
04
See the room
How the whole class advised, with memos students choose to share.
All 13
One case per big decision.
Banking & Saving
- The Hidden Cost of FreeHow to choose a checking account that doesn't quietly drain your paycheck
- Where Should Your Savings Live?How to choose a high-yield savings account, and figure out how much is enough
Investing
- The Holiday Sure ThingHow to test a sure thing before you put a dollar on it
- Maya's Roth IRA: What to Actually BuyHow to choose what goes inside a retirement account, and what the fees really cost
- Opening a Brokerage AccountChoosing a broker, opening the account, and avoiding the traps along the way
- Pay It Off or Invest It?The order of operations for making every extra dollar count
Credit & Debt
- Alex's First Credit CardHow to read a credit card offer and decide for yourself
- Dylan's Car DecisionFix it, sell it, or finance it, and what that choice actually costs
Taxes
- Should Alex File?What to do with your first W-2 when you're not sure you have to file
- The Gig Tax SurpriseWhat to do when money arrives with nothing withheld
Insurance
- What If You Actually Get Sick?How to choose health insurance when you're young, healthy, and hoping you never need it
The College Project
- The Real Cost of CollegeHow to read a financial aid award letter and find your real number
Wrapping Up
- A Financial Plan at 25The final memo is for the student: not the student of today, the one at 25
In print, with a teacher sheet for each case.
Every case is in The Launchpad Activity Workbook, and The Real Cost of College also runs inside The Launchpad.