Degree or Debt? That is the Question

Tweet

Talking today with one of my Xclusive Mailing List subscribers made me realize what a bind this generation of students are in. This modern-day depression has stolen their dreams of funding their college careers worry-free. On top of all that, they've been fined with ridiculous and mounting student loan debt.

Reading these Student Loan Horror Stories kept a constant flow of wow's and hmm's from my lips. Read it yourself. One guy fled the country to escape creditors' phone calls and his $1.5 million debt. You might ask: What's the point of proving how smart and talented you are in college that once you're out you spend your life warding off collection agencies? The Bible tells us that being broke (or in the deficit) is a sin. Yes, a sin! You were created to be a lender, not a borrower. Living a life that's not prosperous spiritually, physically and financially is a sin against Christ.

Personally, I can not relate to those who suffer with student loan debt. Yes, I have debt, but none of it's from college expenses. You see, I worked my butt off before applying for college and, although a shop-aholic at first, I saved nearly $30,000. Additionally, I applied for scholarships like my life depended on it and was awarded a $3,500 stipend each semester because of it. In four years, I earned my Bachelors and owed no one.

Today, its a different story as I chose to enroll in graduate school two months after graduating from undergrad and incurred a few pricey road blocks, which I'm rolling over this very moment.

Academic merits have awarded some of us scholarships, while others diligently work and save or discover other avenues (i.e. sponsorships, athletic scholarships, etc.) to fund college costs. Take for instance Ralph Jones Jr., as 16-year-old who turned down Ivy League schools and their partial scholarships for a full-ride at Florida A&M University, an HBCU (Historically Black College or University). Jones' decision has come with backlash. Some say he should simply pursue his dreams, incur the extra tuition costs and let his Harvard or Yale degree pay it off for him. Clearly, I'm on the other side that says, its better to be debt free than work off paying a mortgage-size debt in his 20's and 30's.

While I sympathized with young people that drop out of college because of lack of funds (heck! I'm one of them) or graduate into harassment from Sallie Mae & her friends, I truly believe that if we spent as much time applying for scholarships and grants as we did on Facebook and Twitter, they'd be less creditors calling. If we worked at summer internships rather than lay off on the couch watching reality shows, our reality would include a paid-off semester. Forgive me for ruffling feathers, but FAFSA and bank loans should always be your last resort, not your first option.

To continue this debate, read "What is a College Degree Really Worth?"

For those of you that are in debt, don't read those horror stories thinking that there's no way out. Your situation may not be as bad as theirs, but even it is, rest assured that God doesn't dwell on your mistakes. You shouldn't either. You wouldn't have a testimony if you didn't first have a test.

I like what Bishop T.D. Jakes says: "New levels brings new devils." He continues: "That's why you need God's grace and favor at work in your life—to do what you can't do and change what you can't change. God's promise to you is that His favor will always outweigh your adversity."

I encourage you to locate a financial coach or ask someone within your Top Five, who shows great money management skills, to mentor you toward no debt. Subscribe, as I do, to blogs like Mocha Money and the Washington Post's Color of Money weekly column written by Michelle Singletary for financial advice. As a New Year's resolution, I plan to take a 21-day financial fast as spelt out in Singletary's book "The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom." Also read "First Generation White Collar," written by MoneyMonk.net's L. Marie Joseph on saving and investment tips for new graduates.

I promise, these tools will help you erase your student loan debt and emancipate you from financial bondage.

How are you overcoming your horror stories with student loan debt? What do you think about Ralph Jones' decision?

Whoopings Don't Last Always

Tweet

Like most children, I was scared of getting spankings. In fact, I was so scared that once confronted with a "Why did you do that?" or a "Didn't I tell you to...?" I would freeze in place, fretting the inevitable whooping that was seconds away from my behind. As my mother reached for a stray bedroom slipper or belt, one thought helped me to endure and somehow ignore the pain—it'll soon fade away.

Even as an adult, I use the same concept to deal with dissappointment or heartbreak. To ease the knot in my chest, I'd say to myself: this will soon past, and it did. After a while, I didn't even remember it. All the anguish vanished, leaving me with only a memory.

As we move closer and closer in the kingdom of God, it'll seem that we're dealing with more, and bigger, dissappoint-
ments in life. Not getting into the college of your choice, dropping out of school because of poor grades, a tuition that out-matches your bank accounts. (sigh) It's depressing just to think about it. Life's setbacks sting just like a whooping from your mom or dad, but whoopings can't sting forever. The pain wears off.

Your heavenly Father knew what battles you would endure. In fact, He knew how much it would hurt you and thus develop a better you. James 1:2-4 reads, "Be joyful when you find yourself in seemingly impossible situations, which tests your faith in the seen versus the unseen—what men says is impossible versus what God has already made possible for you—and mature you."

God has set you up to win and win you will. "Troubles don't last always" is not just a cute saying. It's real. Don't you want to know what happens in the next chapter? How does your story end? If Oprah can overcome incest and promiscuity, if Tyler Perry could hold onto a dream while living in a car, why should you be exempt from your success story.

Next time life gives you a spanking, reach back, grab God's promise to you and hit back. When there's no more punch in you, kick! When there's no more kick, shout and when you shout, shout out the biggest praise that you can. Even the smallest faith can create divine favor with college administrators who'll give your application a second look. With God giving you brand new mercies every morning, a financial blessing is heading your way.

I am a walking, living and talking witness that we go through challenges to do just that—challenge us to trust Him more, love Him more, give up more and do more in His name. Like the songs says, let God prove that He keeps His word.

What are some of your academic setbacks? How are you coping with the sting?

Stay In The Climb!

Tweet

After a week like I had, I found myself reading a familiar story as if for the first time. Fresh from shooting For Colored Girls, film maker Tyler Perry nurses his drained mind and spirit with a trip to Hawaii. His take on life's struggles seem to nurse mine, as well. Earlier this week, I struggled to focus solely on God's promises while ignoring life's earthquakes. How do you stand when your academic future seems so shaky? What do you hold on to when everyone around you is falling through the crevices? When fear, lonliness and doubt seems to seep in and the earthquakes of this world threatens my faith in God, I read this:

Yesterday, I was hiking a mountain in Hawaii with a friend. I was laboring up this beautiful green pastured mountain, looking down at my feet trying to be sure of my footing, while at the same time trying to catch my breath from the altitude. At times, I would make big steps, sometimes all I could do was take small ones. The terrain was uneven and rough at times. It took a lot of effort and a lot of thought so, needless to say, I was getting really tired and at times wanted to stop or just turn back.

 I got to one peak and thought "I'm here! Great, we can rest now" only to realize that just because I was at the top of one peak, that didn't mean I had arrived. There were more…more valleys to go through and more heights to reach. It was interesting to me, that in order to go higher, we usually had to go down through a valley, and it went on and on and up and up. I was tired and wanted to sit down but my friend said, "Come on, let's go a little higher." So, not to be outdone by a girl (lol), I dug my hiking boots in and went a little higher. We finally got to one of the highest points and she said to me, "This is the best part, now turn around." I turned around and behind me was the most amazing view that I had seen in my 40 years on this earth. As far as my eyes could see, beauty reigned. The Hawaiian Islands seemed to be leaping up out of the silver blue sea, stretching up to catch the dust of the sky. The clouds seemed close enough to catch in my hand and make a wish; rays of sunlight danced through them trying to find a path to show off their own glow and power. Not even Picasso could have out-painted the canvas that was before me. The heavens were declaring the glory of God. I saw Him in motion.

I said to my friend, "When did we get this high?” and she said, "It was in the climb." I couldn't help but think about life--mine and maybe even yours. I thought about how hard it had been for me chasing down my dream. I thought about how hard it can be to believe sometimes. I thought about the entire struggle, all of the pain, all of the hope, all of the doubt. I thought about the times I was working a dead end job, trying to believe; moving through day-to-day with my head down just taking one step at a time, some small, some big ones, wanting to give up; wanting to stop and sit for a while; wanting to lay in my sorrow; nobody believing in me; nobody thinking it would come to pass and never realizing that every step was taking me closer to higher. That hike was painful, it hurt, but through it all I was getting higher and had no idea how high I was. That's what it's like to chase down a dream.

Sometimes in life dreams are hard to follow, like that climb. You don't know how high you're going or even if you're moving, but every step, even when you can't see what's behind you, will take you closer to your goals. It's in the climb. I know you may be struggling right now, but you're in the climb; things may be hard right now, but you're in the climb; people may not believe in you, but it's part of the climb. They may take shots at you, but stay in the climb; you may have to stand alone, but you're in the climb. Even if you're not where you want to be right now, I want to say to you what she said to me, "This is the best part. Now, turn around." Look how far you've come. God has not brought you this far to leave you. Stay in the climb.
 ~Tyler Perry

I've lost my footing in pursuit of my Masters degree this year. Financial woes and self-blaming was eating away at my faith in myself and God, but He never stopped believing in me. Sometimes, we just want to sit, quit climbing and call the climb impossible. I've wanted to retreat, but something in me—a nagging feeling wants to know what's on the other side. I want to see the view that Tyler talked about. The Bible says that Jesus came that you and I may have an abundant life. Let's get our mountain top view, our abundant life. Stay In The Climb!!

Tell me, what's keeping you from pushing forward in your educational pursuits? What roadblocks have you encountered along the way and how will you (or have you) overcome?

Suit Up! Get Back In There!!

Tweet

Are You Ready for some FOOTBALL! Yes, it's pig's skin season again. For many of us, that means we're elbow-deep in a bag of chips and our eyes are glued to the TV for two days straight (or longer, if you count Sports Center replays).

While covering football for about two years, I was fascinated by how overly enthusiastic players were. Spitting profanities, slapping each other on the chest, back, neck and upside their helmets—all that for a first down. Sitting on the bench was their only depressor. No one wants to sit on the bench; every player wants to be in the game, not watching from the sidelines. Staring aimlessly at the field like a dazed puppy, these hefty barbarians ignite as soon as their coach turns and calls their name. "Get back out there!" That's how we should feel about returning to college.

God did not create you sit on the sidelines, watching as others dive for touch downs and fly into a sea of adoring fans. With God as your head coach, he has set up the quarterback to deliver a perfect pass to you.

Too Old To Score

You might think: "I'm too old to go back to college" and the devil would have to believe that silly lie, but as this article explains there is nothing to fear and, in fact there are benefits to returning to college as an older adult. When I began my graduate studies, I thought 26 was too old, but I found my classmates were even older. Gray-haired professionals, corporate executives and baby mamas were getting their degrees, too. These fathers, mothers and mothers-to-be rolled out of bed and drove past their homes in traffic to claim what was theirs. So can you! Excuses are for losers and fear that you've lost your mojo has you pinned to the bench.

My brother was valedictorian of his high school class, but having been out of the classroom for 15 years had hurt his confidence. He thought he would never catch up to his younger, seemingly smarter counterparts, but he was dead wrong! In fact, he quickly earned higher grades than everyone else and reclaimed his throne as an over-achiever. My brother researched extensively before enrolling in college, so that by the time classes started he had the mindset of an 'A' student once again.

So, you're only as old as you think. As the mind thinketh, so is he, remember?

Insecurities Lead to Fumbles

Have you ever seen a kicker freeze up? The pressure of a game-winning kick is so unsurmountable that a kick 45 yards away seems tougher at 20 yards, as the team's fate sails far wide of the goal posts. God opens windows of opportunity for us all the time, but we allow insecurities to freeze us. Rather than reap our academic blessings, we think: What if I don't get accepted? What if I'm just wasting my time? What if college's too hard for me? Those 'what if's' will make you drop the ball if you don't believe that God will cover you. Crosswalk.com's Whitney Hopler explores how Christians can Overcome Insecurity.

Galations 6: 4-5, which reads: "...then they can take pride in himself, without camparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load," reminds me of my two sorority sisters' journey toward their Masters degrees. Although they enrolled and attended the same university, they had different struggles. One attended college full-time while juggling other commitments, including a stressful full-time job. The other was forced to lessen her course load with online classes due to an unplanned pregnancy, but they both graduated. Everyone has struggles (and God knew you'd have them), but you must get in the inzone. As my sister said, she may not have been able to handle college and a baby, just as the other may not have juggled a full-time job with a full-time class schedule. Who cares how you finish once you do.

Good thing our team is fully equipped and stocked with everything you need to claim your college degree—a coach the works overtime, a play book and defenders, like me, who'll help block satan's plans.

How are you suiting up for the game of life? What insecurities are holding you back from a college degree?

Pigeons or Eagles: Which Are You? Part III

Tweet

Change never stops, as we’re constantly evolving into the success story we were destined to have. So, although we vowed to renew our minds through quotes and scriptures in Part II and Part I's Top Five to guide us along the way, this is just the beginning.

Proverbs 1 teaches us that only fools despise wisdom and discipline and, in order to get ahead, those two traits are indispensable. So are educational blogs, websites and search engines. Make them your best friends.

Below, are a few of my favorite education sites and search engines, two of which I’ve used myself:

Fastweb.com: I used this search engine my entire college career. It matches colleges, scholarships, internships and jobs according to your major, career interests and group affiliations. Plus, they email alerts about deadlines directlly to you. And, don’t worry about updating your profile each year, as the classification and other info updates itself.

OutlawStudent.com: I stumbled across this blog a few months ago. The writer uses emails he receives and answers the senders' questions on the site, mostly to prove that we all have the same concerns. Subscribe to this site, as it offers great advice about paying off loans, career and course choices and info for the untraditional collegiate.

CollegeScholarships.org: This site offers tons—100, to be exact—more websites, blogs and search engines for college-bound eagles, like you, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Just take your time and visit the ones that most pertain to your needs.

Please do not just rely on the list above. If you have developed your Top Five, as mentioned in Part I of this series, then tap into their network of sites and blogs to gain more info.

If you developed the academic plan (Remember: Where there is no vision, the people perish - Proverbs 29:18), as described in the Final Call – Hop On Board The Train of Success post, but having a hard time sticking with it, educational blogs, like this one, can recharge your focus.

And, as always, please email me about openings in my Exclusive Mailing List for one-on-one in-depth tips designed specifically for your needs. I love education and helping you realize that God did not make you to be pigeon, but an eagle, is simply my pleasure.

What blogs or sites are you currently checking out? How are they helping you on the road to academic success?

Pigeons or Eagles: Which Are You? Part II

Tweet

As mentioned in Part I (and again in Part III) of this series, if you’re applying for grad school and none of your friends have ever earned a masters degree or higher, or worse, have no intention of going back to school... it’s time to leave the pigeons alone & fly with the eagles.

If you’ve been out of college for whatever reason, but you’re ready to finish up your degree, then it’s time to leave that pigeon-mentality to soar with eagles.

If you've ditched the sidewalk to soar high above mediocrity, then you're now ready to renew your mind:

After last week’s post, Silence the Monster in You, I reflected on the past year of my life. I was depressed, sulky and had a low self-esteem about my academic career. Things just weren’t going my way—scholarship committees weren’t seeing my worth, financial mistakes proved I wasn’t smart enough and professors and my classmates gave me dirty looks, as if to say, ‘Why's this dumb girl here?’ Of course, this was all in my head. That monster attacked my confidence and divine purpose. Thank God the King in me showed up and expose that monster for what he truly was—a liar and a fraud.

In any event, I re-traced my undergrad years to pinpoint what worked back then, as to reinvent them for my graduate studies so I'd never question my destiny and potential again.

Quotes & Scriptures

If there’s one thing social media sites are flooded with that's inspirational quotes. Check out the Twitter box at the upper right corner of this page. From my twitter account, I retweet influential quotes all day long. Follow the sources by clicking on the hash tags (if you're wondering, what are hashtags? i.e. @1DgreeSepration). My new favorite quote is: “Rejection isn't saying that you're not good enough for them, it's saying they aren't good enough for you!” from motivational speaker and fellow-believer, Tony Gaskins.

Here are a few more I’ve collected over the years:

Inconsistency is of the devil

Faithfulness in this season prepares you for the next season

Never settle for ‘good enough’ if ‘better’ is a possibility

Faith without work is dead; work without faith is euthanization

Just Do It… and Move On

It’s Not What You Say, It’s What You Do

Type or write these out, add some of your own and hang them where you’ll see them every day. I taped them as strips to the back of my bedroom door, but you may prefer a mirror or your steering wheel. Say them aloud to yourself until they begin to spew out of you throughout the week. Every month or so, replace the ones you know by heart with new quotes you pick up at church, social gatherings, etc.

What are some of your favorite scriptures or quotes? How have they helped you in your career or in college?

 

Pigeons or Eagles: Which Are You? Part I

Tweet  This blog post was a part of a three-part series, which includes Part II & Part III.

One day I was watching (more listening than watching) to an interview on TV One. You know, that show where creator and broadcast mogul Kathy Hughes interviews a black celebrity and walks them down the nostaligic route of their success… yes, that one! Well, whenever the show is on, I always make a habit to stop and watch. One time, Kathy was interviewing Will Smith (where my Will Smith-lovers at!?) and she asked him a question that stuck with me forever. But, it’s really Will Smith’s answer that resonates with me more. When I heard it, I swear my life just paused, giving the two pioneers my full attention.

Kathy asked: What has made you so successful? Now, let’s explore those six words. To what do you credit your success? How did you create such an error-less empire? What is IT that makes you so great?

Will replied: “I have a Top Five. I’ve surrounded myself with five people who are not where I am, but are where I want to be in my life—in my acting career, music, spiritually—and I just shadow them and see what they do to be successful.”

BAM!! Will's reply blew my mind! How’s yours doing? Exactly.

Suddenly, I picked up my T-mobile phone & looked at my five favs and realized I had some deleting to do. Although, Will wasn’t just referring to whom he talks to and spends the most time with, but moreso who was he allowing to influence his career and life the most.

Whether it’s education, finances, marriage or parenting, health and wellness—we all need advice, because we don’t know everything. So, if you were in a jam—let’s say, you can’t decipher which college course best fits your career goals—who would you call?

Who in your top five, someone who knows you as good as you know yourself, could you rely on to give you spiritual guidance through grad school? And, if that person didn’t answer, do you have at least four more folks to call? Who in your life is where you see yourself in the future?

As an eager intern at LaFace Records, P. Diddy did any and everything for music mogul L.A. Reid, including fetching his morning coffee. Diddy was upfront when he told his boss, ‘I want your job!’ and, as history and tabloids tell us, he eventually earned that status, by simply soaking the advice and mentorship from someone he admired and wanted to be like.

One of my mother’s favorite mantras is “eagles don’t fly with pigeons.” Eagles soar higher than any other feathery species on earth, while pigeons are content walking on the ground. Pigeons limit themselves to a street level view, eagles soar high in the heavens and can spot their next meal thousands of miles up in the air—nothing escapes their vision. So, what are you, a limited pigeon or a limitless eagle? It’s time to choose sides.

Pigeons, stay here!

Eagles, come with me…

Ask yourself—Do you want to be successful? How are you aligning yourself with the successful person who you wish to be?