My time spent with Manuel and his team was super helpful for me and my family! When it came time to do essays for my college applications, his team was very specific and detailed in their criticisms. Since the essays used in my college applications were very particular about subject matter and word count, him and his team's pointers greatly helped me in conveying my essays' messages effectively. They also made understanding finances for my difference colleges easy to understand. Going into the federal financial aid application process, I was rather intimidated with the amount of steps involved. However, after consulting with Manuel and his team, they gave us a clear outline of what we have to do and what forms of financial aid to look out for--even going as far as to point out which of my chosen colleges offer the best financial aid. Overall, College Planning ABC offered me and my family a smooth, professional, and streamlined approach to the college application process that would've felt more time-consuming and stressful otherwise. read more

I met Manny at one of his free meetings at the library and trusting him with my daughter's college admission was truly one of the best decisions I've made. She was admitted to several top schools and will be attending one of the top UCs this year. As a middle‑class parent without much knowledge of how the admissions system works here, I was overwhelmed. Manny guided us through every step -- from essays to financial aid to taxes -- with patience, clarity, and genuine care. My daughter says that without his help she wouldn't have done nearly as well, and she really enjoyed working with him, which mattered a lot during an already stressful school year. I highly recommend Manny if you have a child preparing for college, Thank you, Manny! read more

Manny is very good advisor for college. He is perfect for those looking for help that live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I highly recommend seeing him when your kid in the 8th or 9th grade. This is the best time to take advantage of his services. read more

See all

Manny has been with us from beginning, to middle, to end. it can be a challenging process to navigate, so having his kindness and knowledge is huge!! Thank you, Manny for always helping and showing us how it's done! read more

When I was in college in the early 90s, somehow my parents paid for it all and I thought nothing of it. Now that I have 2 kids going to college at the same time, I had been stressed with the planning and how I was gonna pay for it all. I came across a webinar with Manny and then was offered a chance to sign up to do a 1-on-1 consultation with him. I wasn't expecting much, especially not for free, but I went for it hoping it wasn't a scam. And it wasn't If you get a chance to consult with Manny or his team, do it! It is well worth the time and he really should be charging hundreds of dollars for the information that he gives because its likely going to save you thousands of dollars or more in the end. He listened closely to and took notes about my particular financial situation, where the kids are going to college and what they wanted to major in. He let me know the money that I should be getting based on my income and household numbers, told me that I needed to make some phone calls to the schools' financial aid department and told me exactly what I needed to say. Since the webinar and our consultation, I've continued to participate in other webinars and zoom meetings presented by different groups and I'm starting to learn and get more comfortable with planning/paying for college. I haven't given up yet, but unfortunately we just haven't been able to get much scholarship or grant money, so we're looking at the different ways we can still make this all happen because it's now only a couple of months away. If you're in the same boat, I really recommend talking to Manny about your personal situation. He's honest, patient and non-judgemental about whatever your financial situation is and he wants to help you. Thanks Manny and College Planning ABC read more

I met Manny at one of his town hall events, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to connect with him. Working with him on college planning has been an incredibly positive experience. He guided us through every step of the college application process, breaking everything down in a way that was easy to understand and manage. Thanks to his support and expertise, what could have been a stressful journey felt clear, organized, and completely stress-free. read more

Manuel was knowledge, a good listener and genuinely interested in helping us save money on college tuition. He offered routes beyond merit scholarships that will reduce our expenses. We are grateful he was recommended to us. read more

I got Manny's name from a friend. My college planning experience with Manny was absolutely wonderful! He is an EXPERT in the financial aspect of college planning and also about the college application process and all its parts. He walked us thru our options with pros and cons. I really appreciated how clear he was explaining the options to us. I highly recommend using him. I can't thank you enough for what he has done for us. We are so grateful to Manuel and his team for making this possible. I look forward to working with you again for my other children. I highly recommend Manuel and his team at College Planning ABC,Thank you again Manny! read more

For years my close friend shared that I needed to hire Manny to help with college. I got busy and frankly thought, how hard can it be? My daughter applied to Chapman on Early Decision and got in. I thought what is all the hype about, this is easy. Fast forward 2 years and my son graduated with over a 4.0 and didn't get into any of the schools he aspired to. I was in shock! To see his disappointment, I was at an absolute loss. In comes Manny and just talking to him and his upbeat personality makes you feel better. You feel he is throwing you a lifeline and he's there to support you. He advised my son to go to a Community College and then revisit the University route. My son was a great student and once he got over the shock, he and Manny devised a strategy. I am proud to share that since enrolling to West Valley College and staying in touch with Manny, after 1 year, he was admitted into LMU, Pepperdine, U of Miami, University of Washington, and will be attending USC. Manny is the best out there and he really knows his college entrance path. Do as I say, not as I did. Call Manny when your child is early in high school. My son faired well but we also know if we had Manny earlier, we probably would have had a different outcome out of high school. read more

I needed help on a unique, complex financial situation and what I could do to adjust my tax status to qualify my daughter for more financial aid. I was able to get an appointment quickly and it was very easy to book online. My experience with Manny was great! He was very knowledgeable and quickly understood my complicated situation. He walked the thru my options with pros and cons and difference we might experience between financial aid for UCs vs private colleges. I really appreciated how direct and clear he was explaining the options to me. I will definitely use Manny further as we seek financial aid. I highly recommend using him. read more

Do not use this service. There are plenty of better resources that will also save you a lot of money. Manny is a terrible person. We paid him to help us. Rather than helping us, he stressed us out as a family. His job is to help answer questions regarding college and to oversee that the process goes smooth. He did not do that. He has this attitude as if he gets to choose when he helps. We are paying. You are not doing it out of good faith. He needs to learn that. He was so terrible that we did not finish using his service. We paid a pretty penny for his help and because of how unbearable he was, we decided it was best to take the loss. The last straw was a Zoom meeting that my dad, him and I had. My dad had questions to ask and he did not want to answer them. Not only did he not want to answer them, he wanted to make sure that my dad knew that he did not want to talk to him. Every session I had with him, he wanted to act buddy buddy and be my friend as if that would now not need him to provide the service that we paid for. He does not care about you at all. He wants your money. Not to help you. Please, please do not use this service. He is a grown man who handles his emotions like a child. read more

It was so worth meeting with Manny on a Zoom call. He saved me thousands ($49k) of dollars in tuition by knowing what is out there for grants, scholarships, etc. He will go over your assets and help you determine how to fill out your financial aid forms. He's very personable as well. It is worth your time. read more

I made the decision to join a free webminar with Manny from Facebook a week ago. It was very informative and eye opening!. Manny gave a through explanation in stating the differences between the UC and Cal State System. Also the intricacies of the Financial Aspect of College Admission. It was so helpful to know where to start!. I have 2 kids, one High School Student with a great Academic record but unsure how to make the most of it for her. Manny has already created an outline with priority steps to take in order start this process in the most affordable way possible. He is very patient and takes time to listen to my personal situation and has provided very sound advice. I highly recommend to any parent with a High School Student to consult with Manny. Guarantee it will be the best hour you will have as a parent navigating today's college admission process. read more

Coming from a middle income class family I didn't think there was any way my children would receive any kind of financial aid, but with Manuel's help we were able to receive over 21k in financial aid. Over the span of 4 years, this would equate to over 80k in aid! Manuel's expertise of what colleges were looking for was incredible. He was knowledgeable in recommending which colleges to apply for which had a higher chance of acceptance. Moreover, Manuel considered the class size, the learning environment, and the length of time for college completion as certain majors are so impacted that it takes longer to graduate due to class availability. I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me and my family. My eldest son has completed his 1st year of college at the University of Portland. When I asked him how it went he said, "It was the best decision in his life to pick University of Portland." We are so grateful to Manuel and his team for making this possible. Thank you for your guidance in helping our son apply for colleges that made sense for him based on my son's learning style and how certain colleges would be a better fit for him. As a result, my daughter will be following suit to the same university. I would have never imagined that my kids would be able to attend a private college. I am overjoyed that my kids have a better start and opportunity than I did. With both kids you have helped me save over 160K in college tuition! I look forward to working with you again for my 2 other children. If you have the opportunity to work with Manuel and his team at College Planning ABC, I highly recommend their services. If you are considering his services don't wait until your child is a senior, and start no later than junior year! read more

As a parent of a recent senior graduate, I am so thankful I attended Manuel's free college planning seminar. I enjoyed it so much that I invited several friends and attended a second session with my then, sophomore & freshman. Never too early! What makes Manuel's (Manny) approach to college financial planning so successful is his ability to get through to each student, understanding their strengths and weaknesses. His personality is a huge factor in why I chose to work with Manny. He has a no-nonsense approach, keeping open lines of communication with parent/student. I was always kept in the loop with all of my son's appointments, deadlines, etc. The college application process can be a daunting maze, with each school asking for something different from each of their applicants. Manny knows this maze like the back of his hand, offering new, up-to-date information on college requirements, SAT/ACT testing, essays, etc. With Manny's help, my oldest will be attending his dream school in the fall, all the while making it very affordable to do so. I've got another senior that is currently working with College Planning ABC and my daughter right behind, will also be under Manny's guidance in the near future. College Planning ABC made college affordable for my son and I. If you've got a high school student in your life wanting to pursue his/her college education, reach out to Manny and his team at College Planning ABC. read more

During the Pandemic in 2020 when it was decided that 11th Grade 2nd semester will be credits/No credits and SAT/ACT became optional and UC became test blind we thought we should hire a counselor and on recommendation we hired Manny in April. My son in his first meeting became very comfortable with him and the great thing about Manny is he responds immediately any time of the day or night to answer our queries.He has an excellent list of colleges and gave us a lot of information about merit scholarships and loans.As a result our son got merit scholarships in most of the colleges.Even after one year he still helps us regarding any payment or paperwork issues on student loans. Ajit Dash (Parent) read more

I had a good experience. I was able to be in contact with staff which made applying for college much less stressful. It helped me not procrastinate on my essays and guided me through the steps very clearly. I was able to ask questions and have them answered promptly. Great guidance and help. read more

Manny listened to everything I had to say. He was warm, personal and professional. He asked all the right questions to get to the root of our problem. Any time I had questions about the financial jargon he used, he took the time to explain it to me with patience. Manny was able to find and explain how to accomplish several ways to find more money for my son to attend college. We even talked about colleges he could transfer to after he has completed this one based on my son's dream job. I never felt like this was a scam or just another unfeeling financial guy who just wanted to sign me up for his plan. Manny really cares about saving everyone money for college. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me one-on-one! read more

My daughter recently got accept from waitlised SCU. Yay thanks for Manny help and guidance. If you are parents who do not have time or experience in college planning Manny will be a good resource to go to. Yes, would recommended College Planning ABC. read more

I was refered to Manny by a friend to try to figure out college costs. I was overwhelmed and didn't know where to start. Manny helped us choose colleges that had high academic rates and were generous with Merits. He helped us with Financial aid and taxes and how to get the most money. At times I reached out to him 10pm and he was still available and ready to help. I will definitely recommend his services to any student who is looking to apply for college . read more

We attended a few of the FREE workshops and each time I would learn something new. We signed up for the program before JR Year and it has been a great decision for our family. The program is complete with results. Our son received acceptances from 3 Universities-School of Engineering here in the SF Bay Area - School of Engineering. One of them included a generous scholarship offer. They guide you through the whole process. We are very happy!! We highly recommend College Planning ABC! read more

Being parents and having to deal with the daunting task of trying to get your child to college is tough already. Doing it during a global pandemic and the unprecedented fact that SAT and ACT test scores are no longer required, that can put any parent past their breaking point. Manny and his team were great and put all options in perspective. Going to an in state university this year was a difficult task especially with the increase of out of state applicants. My son got accepted to a few but non of which he wanted to go to. Manny was able help navigate my son to college's were he would be able to flourish and also enjoy his college experience. Manny has a team to keep both child and parents on track so not to miss critical dates, proof read essays, apply for scholarships, and apply for financial aid that best suits your family. Because of Manny my son had choices of to top universities and added scholarships. Manny's team made such a stressful time that much less stressful. Can't thank you enough for your help and guidance. Go wildcats read more

Definitely you can trust Maunel Fabriquer for any questions that are related to the financial plan for college. He is honest and full of acknowledgement. His actions align his words and vision on his website. Through his advice my child received a satisfactory financial package. Thank you, Manuel, for your excellent service. read more

Manuel has been super helpful in just a one-hour consultation where he provided a fountain of highly valuable information. He was easy to talk to, very knowledgeable, caring, and this was actually enjoyable. He provides a great combination of college finance info plus practical tips on how to get into good programs and make it through a college degree in a timely way. read more

What can I say..... we were at a loss. Trying to navigate and figure out how to get our son into a good college. My husband was given Manny as a referral by a coworker. We called Manny and through his expertise we were able to take the stress off and get our son into an elite college. Thank you Manny for all your help! read more

A friend recommended Manny to me and we are so very grateful for his help. As a middle class family we were not going to qualify for any need based financial aid and Manny was amazing. He recommended several private colleges that each offered our son over $100,000 in scholarships at schools that were in cities he was interested in living in and with majors he was passionate about. Our son ended up in the honors program at a wonderful private college in Boston and he just finished his first year! He is getting over $140,000 in merit based financial aid that is guaranteed over the 4 years he is in college and he is excited to be at a school that truly meets his needs and is cheaper than the UC's. We had no problem signing up with Manny to help our daughter find her dream school who is now a junior in high school. He is worth every cent! read more

Manny was very helpful in providing us guidance on ways to save money with the high cost of college tuition. We have 2 kids in college and were trying to figure out how to stretch our dollars. He is highly knowledgeable on tax savings strategies. He takes the time to explain things that made sense for our situation. Highly recommend Manny. read more

We signed up with Manny in June of last year when the 2023 college admission process was well under the way. Looking at the insanely low acceptance rates of many top schools, we felt Manny's expertise may be able to provide some added assurance and guidance on how to pay for the high cost of private schools. He gathered our information quickly and provided clear steps on what needed to be done, from one-on-one meetings with our student, finalizing a college list, to drafting essays as well as implementing financial strategies to lower our EFC. He was always responsive, patient, and direct. He also seemed to have a good team under him, from top-notch editors to help us with UC and Common App applications, to administrators with our FAFSA and CSS Profile filings. He made sure all our bases were covered: a strong list of safe/target/reach schools, fit academically as well as financially. Thanks to Manny, not only our child got into many of their top schools, but also received several scholarships, and financial assistance (at an Ivy) to make college more affordable! read more

Before my work with college abc, I was very confused and uneducated with the college application process. Manny helped me get into my dream school and countless other top notch universities! I recommend college planning abc to anyone starting the application process. read more

Manny helped my daughter and I tremendously. The college application process was daunting to say the least and he provided step by step support as well as resources from essay editors to scholarship opportunities. Manny always made himself available when we had questions and concerns. With his support, my daughter was able to get into her dream school and was also accepted by multiple universities. Manny is a genuinely nice guy who wants nothing more then to see his "kids" succeed. read more

Manuel has been great, explained with patience what we needed to know. He found the time to talk to us even on a short notice and at a time when I'm sure he was overloaded with requests. Great to talk to and ask for advice! read more

My son's new favorite person... Without question the best decision we made in the last two years was to work with Manuel. Private college was never on the horizon from our perspective. Attending a free seminar opened our eyes to the possibilities. Learning how and why certain colleges selected students was fascinating, and the seminar flew by leaving us hopeful. When Manny met with our son one and one, his attitude changed overnight. He had an optimism and enthusiasm about all things testing (who knew?) and wholly enjoyed the phone interviews about what he wanted from a university (studies, sports, clubs, social). Finally, school selection was key and proved to be the piece that completed the puzzle. Not only does our son have scholarships to incredible private schools, but he has options. From our prior plan of living at home attending the local college to the current visits to private schools to DECIDE which one to attend, my son's life is forever changed. From two hard working parents who would never have been able to navigate the academic jungle without Manny, our gratitude is endless. read more

As the first in my family to go to college in America, it was extremely difficult to navigate the college application process, from the essays and to the financial aid. However, once I went through College Planning ABC, I was able to improve the quality of my essays, get support for financial aid, and overall have a less stressful college application process. I'm now happily a mechanical engineering major in UC Santa Barbara, and I'm grateful for the support College Planning ABC provided me on my journey here. read more

Manny is a great counselor and can help you streamline the process for college and help you in making such a tough decision!

One of the best investments we've made for my daughter was meeting up with Manny and his team at College Planning ABC. Manny came highly recommended to us by some good friends, and I can't begin to thank him for all that he's done for us! He guided and assisted us every step of the way to help get our daughter into the college of her dreams, and he helped us find the resources to pay for it! We were able to receive $80K in scholarships, $15K+ in grants, and assistance in financial aid. Our total tuition for a prestigious SoCal private college was less than the tuition cost going to a Cal State College. Manny and his team were tremendously helpful in the entire process with helping to complete the FAFSA (Federal Student Aid) application and other student loan applications, searching for scholarships, reviewing our daughter's essays for college submission, implementing financial recommendations, and providing a complete college planning checklist of what needed to be done and when it needed to be done. The entire college application process was already overwhelming to begin with, but Manny and his team helped make the process go smoothly and put our mind at ease! Unlike the typical high school counseling appointments which provide "general/generic" information, Manny sits downs with you one-on-one and goes through every detail of the college application process from start to finish. Manny and his team is in constant contact with you via phone, email, and follow-up appointments to make sure everyone is on track with deadlines. College Planning ABC provides such an awesome service and we couldn't be any happier with the support they provided us as well as the tremendous amount of $ they helped us save!! I have two more kids heading for the same path...and I'm looking forward to working with Manny and his team again! I would highly recommend their services to everyone and anyone who has a child planning to go to college! You will not be disappointed! read more

Free complimentary workshop for College Planning is very useful for parents who has kids going to college. At first I was worried of attending because I was half expecting there would be some hidden sale tactic. Nothing like that happened, it really was at no risk or obligation seminar. No sales pitch happened, Manny (speaker) just really have a passion of showing you the in and outs of saving money in college and how to minimize your cost by applying for private and federal grant or scholarships and how to go about it. Its tons of good information, and what's more, he offered an hour of complimentary one on one meeting in his office in San Jose. Attended that too today and again no sales pitch and just useful stuff. I totally recommend for you to catch the next seminar. read more

I highly recommend College Planning ABC to parents and students seeking a knowledgeable, professional & caring planning service. As the parent of a college freshman attending a highly selective university, I can't emphasize enough the importance of doing your homework early while your child is in middle school. Work with Manny and he will make the process less stressful for you and will also save you LOTS of money! read more

Very inspiring and talented speaker. Manny kept the audience engaged and feverishly writing everything he had to say. His information was both informative and entertaining, greatly appreciated him speaking at our parent meeting. Manny was even kind enough to donate books that we could sell and use the profits to benefit our student body. Highly recommend him. read more

Manny was so wonderful to work with. We reached out to him during my child's senior year in late October 2019 to get help with college applications. With so many new rules and changes, college applications was so confusing. With such short notice before the deadline for college applications in November 2019, Manny was able to guide my child to successfully meet the college applications deadline as well as helped my child with editing appealing college essays. With Manny's help, my child was on target with deadlines & college choices. That made a tremendous difference for us. Manny is a life saver. I really enjoyed working with him too. He is so accessible & available. He also helped us with scholarships and that helped us saved a lot of money. Thank you Manny for all your help! I highly recommend him as he saved us a lot of time & money. read more

Manny is energetic, knowledgable, informative, and super funny. Even though college planning is what he does for a living, he is passionate about really helping people save $$$ for college. He offers a free webinar and a free follow-up one-on-one to advise parents on everything college. Thank you for all the information and laughs this evening. read more