AFFORDABLE COLLEGE

 “The former NFL player Troy Polamalu insured his curly hair for $1 million. Rihanna has her legs insured for $1 million. Mariah Carey is a brilliant performer, and instead of ensuring her voice, her legs are breaking the records of a whopping $1 billion. If we were Mariah, we would fall more often. Many more singers have followed this trend. Moreover, many musicians spend fortunes on insuring their other body parts.”

 As you can see if an athlete or music performer gets hurt, they can fall back on insurance not just a college degree! Charles is happy that he attended college, but he is happier about something that his father did for him! Believe it or not Charles’s father did not write him a check to go to school, but he did teach him the importance of working hard and how to earn an income. All these things are small, but big in value why? Because these lessons incorporated Charles to learning and gaining more financial knowledge! It’s easy to understand that some students are struggling with their loan’s payments. In Charles own personal opinion, it’s not so much about money or having a parent to pay/write a check for a student to go to college. If there was a sin (hypothetically) far as dealing with student loans it would come down to one thing to start with first! A person has to understand finances first, so they can avoid or limit being financially hurt!

 Many students are in debt, because they were told to go to college to be successful etc. Earlier in this blog we have shared Charles high school experiences about teachers pushing the idea of college to be successful. There is a deep question to ask now. What is better for a student to learn and understand, first some financial knowledge or get into debt while pursuing college? This is the point of this whole blog message! To have or not have money is not a sin, but the real issue is how much more financial knowledge is needed before a college student begins!

 Students please don’t wait learn everything you can about finances it’s never too late! Many students as we see today, are eating their slice of payments from the big student loan debt balance cake! Charles advice for students is easy. Try to learn as much information as you can about finances first, so when you make any decisions about college you will not be financially hurt! When Charles attended college, He was not stressed out and lost, because he knew how to cut his college costs.

 Student loans are hardly a benefit for young aspirants. They have their whole life ahead of them, yet they face the daunting task of controlling their finances to pay off their student loans. How is that fair? Students spend their whole life just to repay their student loans. Further, with the rise of inflation and the value of money decreasing virtually every minute, there will continue to be challenges.

 Charles has a different take on this. Many students are in debt, because they were told college could help them succeed. Students are excited and motivated to get started with a college education, but as Senator Warren suggested, not having enough money is a sin. However, without financial knowledge first, they are rendered powerless. Charles suggested that he didn’t stress out about college due to his financial knowledge. All he had to do was cut back on his expenses by 40%, and he was able to catch up.

 Charles response in this blog to Senator Warren statement is perfectly placed, given that the lack of financial knowledge is a problem. However, that doesn’t mean that the Goddess of Victory only shines on those born with a silver spoon. Those not as privileged only need more financial knowledge to achieve their goals and dreams.

 If you’re one of the students looking to step foot in the real world, don’t fret. Life is a rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs. The key thing here is to understand is that having or not having money is NOT a sin, but a student must have financial knowledge before the college journey begins. Charles’ was featured on the Student Loan Podcast on Episode 69 which is all about the importance of financial knowledge. It covers:

 For more information, please visit his website. To listen to the podcast just click the images below to go to the links.

 Have you heard the joke, “Hiring a fresh graduate with three years of experience?” sounds funny, but that’s not a joke. In fact, most employers love to hire young graduates with work experience. But it’s easier said than done. Working during college is daunting and challenging, but it can be advantageous in the long run.

 Charles Chadwick, the author of the book College Checklist, shares that he had to work through his college years but claims it was the most significant decision ever made as it helped him on many fronts. He is blatantly open about it and claims that his work-study jobs significantly helped him in his professional journey. But the real question for young professionals is, “Is studying and working simultaneously a great way to get an early start?” Charles Chadwick thinks so. In today’s discussion, we will highlight reasons why students should start working during their college days.

 One of the most important reasons to work while studying is that it allows you to get the hang of the initial struggles. Students have to take out hefty student loans to get a good college education. So, working during college allows you to reduce and, in some cases, avoid or limit debt. In general, most people who work their way to college have lesser loan debt than those who don’t.

 Further, they are also financially smart, because they know how to manage their expenses and life. A part-time or remote job helps you become an expert at managing budgets and time. Even if you don’t work full-time, you can have the experience required to land a decent job, earn extra cash, and avoid debt.

 As per Charles Chadwick, it’s not a bad idea either. It helped him gain better financial knowledge and become a better budget planner. As per Charles, before college,use to sell various items on eBay and earn good money from jobs in the maintenance and IT computer departments. It’s worth mentioning that he also called himself the “eBay King,” due to his gigs.

 A single aspect that most professionals lack is professionalism, because they don’t network with others. A major benefit of a student working during their college days is that it allows them to network with other professionals. They might find better employment opportunities in different workplaces. It also allows them to meet with students from other institutions and create LinkedIn connections.

 Further, as employees, students might find the opportunity to display their unique capabilities and improve their job prospects. Most trainers encourage young professionals to expand their wings and create professional networks. So, when they craft these professional relationships, it gives them a chance to showcase themselves and open up several avenues.

College Financing

 As a student, you’re always looking for more earning opportunities. Extra income opportunities are always appreciated, whether to manage your academic expenses or to enjoy college life. Apart from peer pressure, a student’s life can be tough, and when the going gets tough, you want your financial situation to be good. So, better income opportunities can help you be financially independent, achieve budget smartness, and acquire a future saving habit.

 Charles Chadwick, in his book “ Cultivated Circumstances Experience is sometimes priceless.” shares a story about how earning extra income helped him earn a powerful free computer system. Although he was selling different things on campus, it helped him be more financially independent than his classmates. It’s a significant advantage given how college students are social animals and want to engage with their peers and party hard.

 Once you begin working after college, you might find it hard to manage your time. At times, you have to juggle several projects and meetings. So, if you find yourself a chance to learn time management before you kickstart your professional life after college, avail it with both hands. It can also help you to juggle your classes while working a job.

 It will also help you learn about people at work. It’s important to understand that there is a difference between working with people in school and communicating with people at your job. In hindsight, it can help you gain abilities to adjust to the real world outside the four walls of your classroom.

 Charles Chadwick shares that his professional career skyrocketed, because he was always willing to work, learn and get some type of work experience. Of course, that’s subjective because not everyone likes to push themselves beyond their limitations. However, Charles, suggests that even a single job during studies can help you manage your time better. After all, you must take the time to do something, because money won’t be handed to you on a silver platter. Just like student loan forgiveness, if it happens great, but if a student does not qualify, please understand you must manage your finances it’s the right thing to do.

 It’s funny how being an entrepreneur was a big boy’s thing in the past. People who used to become business owners in the late 1900s were usually part of large-scale corporations. These days, everything has gotten a lot easier. Every day, we hear about some teenagers becoming online sensations or millionaires by creating and changing the way we do things. What does that present? A chance to become entrepreneurs.

 College students have the chance to become entrepreneurs and take the world by storm when they enter the professional arena. Charles Chadwick talks about a story during his college days when one of his professors talked about their equipment. They spoke about how the G5 Power Macs were great systems before, but were a little outdated. So, it was time to upgrade to the new iMacs. They said, ” It would be nice to upgrade to some newer models, but I don’t think we can, given our limited budget.”

 That’s when Charles had an idea that quickly made him ask, ” What if we sell our old systems and purchase newer iMacs?” Charles’s professor liked the idea, and quickly decided to set up a meeting with the finance office. Most people might not even think a student would come up with such an idea. Even if they do, hardly anyone volunteers to suggest something, but it was Charles’s moment, and he took it.

 After a few days, a meeting was planned where they presented their idea to the finance office, and they agreed. As a reward, the college’s finance officer asked him, “Charles, what do we owe you for your trouble to sell all these computers? “ Charles said “if it was not too much of a problem, could he maybe keep one of them?” and they agreed. So, it’s all about leveraging an idea and going through with it.

 Did you know that working improves your grades? Contrary to popular beliefs, most working students witness their grades improving. It is usually a result of learning to organize and plan your study time effectively. Of course, you have to be precise with your approach. Experts suggest that it usually depends on the hours you’re clocking in for work.

 Studies indicate that students who work 15 to 20 hours per week have better GPAs than those who don’t work at all. So, think again about performing better in your studies because you’re a full-time student. Let’s look at it this way; if you don’t put your time, energy, and effort into a job, you will do that in an unproductive environment.

 As someone who was in your shoes, Charles knows what it takes to survive and thrive in a harsh college environment and work simultaneously. He also understands the importance of working during college hours. That’s why he has prepared five quick ways for you to earn money in college.

 Earn with a Hobby: One of the best ways to earn is to find a hobby that you like. For instance, if you’re a photographer, you can earn money by getting a few gigs on the side like baby showers or engagement pictures etc.

 Work-Study Program: Several working opportunities, like maintenance, finance office or other labor work, allow you to earn well even during college and get some type of work experience.