College planning should start with what your family can actually afford
Champion College Planning helps families understand the real cost of college, identify realistic options, and make better decisions before emotions, recruiting opportunities, or acceptance letters take over.
Too many families build a college list first and figure out how to pay for it later. We take a different approach. We consider academic, social, and financial fit from the beginning so families can focus on colleges that make sense before applications, commitments, or recruiting decisions begin.
Meet Matt Sosland
I’m Matt Sosland, founder of Champion College Planning. My background combines education, college admissions counseling, and nine years of experience in mortgage lending and consumer finance.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and Teaching from the University of Nevada, Reno, a Master of Education in Sports Education Leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Graduate Certificate in College Admission Counseling from UC San Diego. I also completed specialized college-funding training and passed the Certified College Funding Specialist (CCFS®) certification exam.
Before starting Champion College Planning, I spent years helping families understand complex financial choices and make major decisions with long-term consequences. That experience showed me how quickly an exciting opportunity can become a financial burden when cost is not considered early enough.
My interest in college planning started much earlier. While earning my master’s degree at UNLV, I worked as a graduate assistant with the UNLV men’s basketball program, where I gained an inside view of the college recruiting process. During my years in Las Vegas, I also coached high school and club/AAU basketball and helped student-athletes pursue opportunities to continue playing at the college level. Those experiences first sparked my interest in helping students and families navigate the path to college.
Today, I’m a husband and father of three young athletes, as well as a multi-sport youth coach and club basketball coach. That gives me firsthand perspective on the added challenges student-athlete families can face, while Champion College Planning remains focused on helping all families make better college decisions.
Champion College Planning brings together my background in education, admissions, finance, coaching, and parenting to help students and families approach college with more clarity, confidence, and perspective.
Why I Founded Champion College Planning
I founded Champion College Planning because I have seen what can happen when families approach college in the wrong order. They fall in love with a school, celebrate an acceptance, or pursue an athletic opportunity before fully understanding what it will cost and whether the school is truly a good fit.
My years in mortgage lending gave me a different perspective on college planning. I saw borrowers many years removed from college still carrying student loan debt that affected their ability to buy a home, refinance, manage monthly cash flow, or pursue other financial goals.
I also saw the impact college decisions can have on parents. Families may draw from retirement savings, take on more debt than expected, or commit too much to one child’s education without considering what will be available for younger children.
That is why Champion College Planning works backward from fit before commitment. We help families identify colleges that make sense academically, socially, and financially before applications, recruiting conversations, and emotions begin to drive the process.
For student-athletes, that same approach becomes even more important. Instead of reaching out broadly and hoping the right opportunity develops, we help families build a more targeted list of colleges that already make sense for the student academically, socially, and financially. Recruiting outreach can then focus on programs where there is a stronger overall fit from the beginning.
Champion College Planning helps families have these conversations earlier, before commitments narrow their options. The goal is not simply to get into college, get recruited, or figure out how to pay the tuition bill. It is to help families make informed college decisions that support the student’s future without unnecessarily compromising the family’s financial future.