K.R.E.A.M. Magazine

The Bright Minds Scholarship Program by PG&E. OOh yes! This one is a biggie. 

What you win: 10 awards of $30,000 given and renewable for up to 4 years to a 16-year-old or older high school senior, graduate, GED certification recipient or current post-secondary undergraduate student with plans to enroll or currently enrolled full-time in a 2-year or 4-year in a post-secondary program.

Translation: A full ride to most colleges in America! Awesome!

There are also prizes of $2,500.

The best part: “Nontraditional students who are returning to school or planning to pursue a postsecondary education for the first time are eligible and encouraged to apply.”

Deadline is February 17th, 2012. Pass it on! Visit this link to apply!

by Jocelyn M. Goode, Principal, J.Goode Creative Branding (www.goodebranding.com)

Did you ever imagine that the simple decision you make in your sophomore year of college about your major could be worth $1 million or more? Yup, these days just going getting a bachelor’s degree is not enough to secure a career of upward mobility. And your choice of major affects your lifetime earning potential.

The type of degrees you possess will heavily dictate the trajectory of your career. And yes, not all majors lead to equal-paying professions. Computer Science is a far more lucrative major than Education. Engineering trumps Law. And a liberal arts education is the weakest…according to an article by Motoko Rich in the Business Day section of the New York Times.

Other things that play into lifetime career earnings are race and gender. The article “It’s Not Just the Degree, But What You Study” states, “the wage gap between men and women remains even among those with similar levels of educational attainment in the same occupations. On average, women who work full time earn 25 percent less than men.” 

When it comes to African-American and Latinos, choosing a major wisely is even more important becomes institutional racism leads to other inexplicable disparities. Note this, “Blacks with bachelor’s degrees earn 20 percent less than whites with the same level of education, and among African-Americans and Latinos, those with master’s degrees have lifetime earnings lower than whites with bachelor’s degrees.”

So if you are still in high school, this is a great time to take internships to begin to investigate possible career tracks. By volunteering in the industries that you think you may want to work in,  that prove to be expanding and offer sizable salaries, you can enter college with a sense of direction. From the first class for which you register, position yourself for the major that will lead to fulfillment and money!

~Jocelyn M. Goode, CollegeSet Bay Area Project Manager (www.collegeset.org)

This article from Investopedia.com shares some great tips about how the general public may benefit from special discounts that are usually exclusive to students.

Get all 9 pointers here!

Share your comments if you have ever benefited from these deals!

~Jocelyn M. Goode, CollegeSet Bay Area Project Manager (www.collegeset.org)

It goes without saying that visiting a college that you plan to attend is a very good idea considering you will be spending the next fours there. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your visit…Straight Game 101, read below!

DO:

1. Do Make an Appointment & Spend the Night

• Contact the Admission’s Office to arrange for a student to host you in his/her dorm room.
• Go to at least one evening activity and check out a campus party.
• Be sure to visit the library, computer lab, gym, first-year and upperclassman dorms, museums and any other campus features.

2. Do Make a Visit to the Financial Aid Department and the Career Center

• Inquire about special scholarships for incoming and current students.
• Learn about post-graduate fellowships, graduation awards and academic prizes.
• Ask about on-campus employment and salaries and popular post-graduate professions.

3. Do Meet with Department Heads and Professors

• If you already know what your major will be, speak with professors about course load, prerequisites, availability of tutors and office hours.
• Find out if classes are taught by professors or by Teaching Assistance.
• Many professors research, write and publish frequently. Ask about what the faculty has produced in recent years.

4. Do Eat in the Cafeteria

• Observe the diversity of the students and how they interact. Do groups seem to self-segregate or are people mixing?
• Check out the food options, the quality and freshness of the salad bar and the hours of operation.
• Find out alternative eating places on campus and what a typical meal plan looks like.

5. Do Speak with as Many Students as Possible

• Ask about their first few months away from home .
• Learn about their favorite professors and classes.
• Get them to gush on a college experience highlight and an obstacle that challenged them since being in school.

DON’T:

1. Don’t Party Too Hard

• Don’t be that pre-frosh that gets drunk and makes an embarassment while visiting. Word spreads fast, so do text, tweets and facebook pics.
• Don’t hook-up, it’s just not a good idea either. Focus on building new friendships instead.
• Don’t be rude to your host or his/her friends. Again karma is a real and negative energy always circles around.

2. Don’t Sleep Through or Text During Info Sessions

• Here is your chance to be memorable. Be attentive.
• Impress by asking pointed questions.
• Smile and make good eye contact and you will stand out from the crowd.

3. Don’t Be Late

• Leave extra time for parking and walking. Many campuses have building spread blocks apart and it’s easy to get lost.
• Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier than necessary just in case…
• Factor in breakfast. You may want to grab a bite before an info session so make sure you build time in.

4. Don’t Forget the Town

• Make sure to explore the town, neighborhood or city around the college.
• Take note of which banks have branches in the area, the location of grocery stores and the quality of shopping/dining options.
• Feel out if the local community and the sentiment people hold towards college students.

5. Don’t Be Scared

• As you prepare to enter the world without your family, use this visit to break out of your comfort zone.
• Explore the campus on your own without a map and see what you discover.
• Visit a class that is totally different from what you would typically select.

Finally, always be safe, use good judgement, say “thank you” and enjoy yourself…this is only the beginning!

~Jocelyn M. Goode, CollegeSet Bay Area Project Manager (www.collegeset.org)

If you didn’t know already, the rules of the game have changed when it comes to financing college. With thousands of Americans defaulting on their student loans, personal savings are even more important when it comes of off-setting the very pricey tuitions that most high school graduates are facing as they prepare to enroll into college this year.

So what can the average 17-year-old do to get the most mileage out of their money? Here is a list of teen-friendly saving tips:

1. An Apple a Day…

Instead of buying a bag of chips or junk food for an afternoon snack, grab an apple from home or buy one for about a quarter. If you would have spent $1, now you have $.75 to add to your piggy bank. Multiple that by 5 days a week you save $3.75 and then by 4 weeks in a month and you save $15.

2. Serve Your Neighborhood

Have you noticed that folks on your block need someone to sweep up leaves in front of their homes, shovel snow or even wash their cars? Take the initiative and offer to serve your neighbors. Share that you are saving for college and see how many people are willing to pay you 20 bucks or more for an hour of work.

3. Be a Penny-Pincher

Compare prices on the items you buy. Sometimes the products that are on sale, even the generic brands can save you up to 50% off the original cost. Take time to compare prices instead of doing the “grab-n-go”.

4. Cook, Create and Sell

Whether it’s lemonade, jewelry, handbags or cupcakes, make something that you know people around you can eat or use, and sell at church events, local farmer’s markets, school functions and house parties. Each sale is money in the bank and less in college loans.

5. Old News is Good News

Have a closet full of clothes you don’t wear anymore? Itching to hit the department stores for the clearance sales? Well before you run and pay the mark-up mall prices, think about organizing a clothing swap with some of your friends. Have each person bring their unwanted old clothes and trade amongst yourselves. Someone’s trash just may become your treasure!

6. Shop Discount

If you must get something new, go to stores like Loehmann’s, TJ Maxx and Ross, where popular retailers send their overstock offered to you at up to 75% of the original costs. You leave looking fly with your wallet still fat.

7. Open A Savings Account

It seems like an obvious way to save but opening a savings account also helps others save on your behalf. On holidays and birthdays, share your account number and encourage friends and family to make a deposit into your college-fund in lieu of a traditional present. Research banks that offer good interests rates, and remember, never withdraw from your savings until college time!!

In 2012, the competition for employment, scholarships and college admission will only intensify. Give yourself an advantage by being proactive and stack your own dough now. If you are a high school freshman, imagine what type of savings you can amass by senior prom? As I used to say in college, “Future you will thank you!”

~Jocelyn M. Goode, CollegeSet Bay Area Project Manager (www.collegeset.org)