Yet Another Discussion About Student Debt

Let’s talk about something that no one wants to talk about with strangers: money. We’re going to just jump right into it: college finances suck. Students find that one of the most stressful aspects of college is not actually going to class, but paying for it. Nearly 70 percent of graduates from 4-year colleges are in debt with student loans. Meanwhile, the Huffington Post recently reported that the national student loan debt has reached $1 trillion dollars. This is now a problem that is too big to ignore.

Politics and money go hand in hand, but for the sake of argument, let’s stay out of the politics as much as possible here. Let’s not complain about how awful things are, but rather, let’s focus on solutions.

In order to prepare for this lengthy discussion, you must have a factual account of the dire situation. I find that infographics are the easiest to comprehend and to contextualize. Education Schools Online and Daily Infographic have two of my favorite infographics.

With the financial security of a student’s future being unstable, a student is left with a choice: either go to college and hope for a high paying job after college or get whatever job is available right now even if it means sacrificing dreams. This is not the ultimatium that we should be giving our students.

Next week we’re going to go over one specific issue with college finance each day. In no particular order, we will discuss loans, grants, money making opportunities, post-college job market, rising tuition, and the value of different educational paths. Different scenarios will be covered for each issue, and hopefully we can all have an open and honest (and polite) discussion on how to make the best of the current situation. Does anyone want to offer up a topic that I missed?

Brand Ambassador Spotlight: Brooks Leitner

Ladies and gentlemen, we have in our midst another superstar! Brooks Leitner hails from University of Maryland and has been busting his butt since the beginning of the semester.

This is Brooks’ first semester with us as a Brand Ambassador and we think he’s doing a great job! He started out with us as a Preferred Note Taker and when his first study guide went out to nearly 500 chemistry students, he earned enough money to pay for a spring break trip!

If you’re wondering what keeps him so motivated and organized during his busy semester, Brooks says, “Over 25 of the people I referred have used a promotional code, and I have seen that over half of them have made over $100 from their notes! It’s a great feeling to know that I was the liaison between such a great company and the money-earning potential of my peers”.

Out of all the jobs that a student could have in college, why did Brooks choose to work with Flashnotes?  He says that “being heavily involved in Flashnotes keeps me motivated to pay attention in class and take GOOD notes. The better my notes, the more others will be interested in them, and the better I do in my classes.”

We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves, Brooks. We’re glad to have you onboard!

If you want to spread the word and help others on your campus, check out Flashnotes!

Company Spotlight: Steve Popovich

Steve Popovich Jr. started his career in the music business while he was still a junior in high school. He went from promoting regional bands in the Cleveland, Ohio area to running his own record label and working at Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Robert Plant and Steve Popovich Jr.

Steve’s father, Steve Popovich Sr. was a music industry maverick who had a successful 45-year career in the music business. Steve Sr. championed the careers of such legendary artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Boston, Cheap Trick, Janis Joplin and Ted Nugent. His most notable success is launching the career of Meat Loaf, whose debut release on Cleveland Int’l Records is the #3 Top Selling Album in the history of the music business.

Steve Jr. grew up listening to and loving all types of music and we had a chance to catch up with Steve and ask him some questions related to his musical past and why he’s working at Flashnotes.

Why did you leave the music business?

“I was blessed to work for my father’s label, Cleveland Int’l Records for a number of years and experience that atmosphere.  There’s nothing like being in a creative environment.  It’s infectious! Now is a great time to be independent with the right product.  If you can own your niche you’ll do fine. I look at the technology industry as being very similar to the music industry in that aspect, and it became an easy transition for me.”

Why Flashnotes?

“Dave and I went to High School together outside of Cleveland.  We stayed in touch, and talked about our latest ventures. Flashnotes stood out to me and I thought somewhere down the road I may be able to come in with my background and help out. I’ve been fortunate to be around some very creative and passionate people and Mike and Dave are up there. They believe in their mission statement: not only building a brighter future for higher education but revolutionizing the marketplace that has been struggling in recent years.”

“My attention span is that of a gnat.  Five minutes into my professors’ lectures and I’d be all stressed out trying to write down what little I could absorb from what they were saying. You can be certain that if Flashnotes were around when I was in college, I most definitely could have benefited from it.”

What’s the significance of partnering music artists with Flashnotes?

“Music is the soundtrack of our lives. Anyone can feel connected through music. I love that no matter what state you live in, you can still share a common musical interest with someone else. Flashnotes is the educational adaption of this belief. No matter what state you are in, you can share a common educational goal with someone else”.

Why Kenny Chesney?

“Flashnotes believes in partnering with viable brands that have proven track records.  If you look at an artist such as Kenny Chesney, he is one of those few brands that have been able to sustain his career. You know if you go to a Kenny Chesney concert, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.  Being able to launch our first sweeps with Kenny Chesney is very exciting and we’re looking forward to partnering with the right artists as time goes on.”

Excited about our partnership with music? So are we! Let us know if there is an artist or tour that you’d love to see.

9 Books to Read in College

If you’re still reading this, you might be thinking, “What do you mean, ‘read in college’? I already have to read books for research papers, and even then I don’t even finish those books!”

When I was in college, my mom told me that I should start reading for fun and I laughed at her. Now, I can’t put a book down. As a college student, you only have so many hours in the day to eat, sleep, study, and have a social life. If you can finish at least one of these books, I will be satisfied. I promise you, these books are life changing. They made me realize many things about how the real world works, but the most important lesson I learned is that not all reading is torture.

1. What Color is Your Parachute– A practical guide for job seekers. It’s updated every year, so you don’t necessarily need the latest edition, although it is pretty useful.
2. F**k It– This is my favorite book hands down. I first started reading this book because of the title, but now I reread it multiple times a year because of the empowering lessons about the way society works. Read this book before you read any other book.
3. The Simple Art of Greatness– Find out how CEOs think. If you’re prepared for the way successful leaders approach business, then you as an employee will be their best resource. There are also really great one-liners in here, too.
4. Freakonomics– Learn what motivates people and how trends in society are connected. I quote this book daily.
5. Eat, Pray, Love– This book is for the ladies, although fellas might find the “pray” section helpful, too. This book is all about one woman’s journey from depression to self-satisfaction across 3 continents. This book inspired me to find my inner peace through meditation (sitting on my yoga mat and day dreaming).
6. Getting To Yes– Learn the art of negotiation. Get what you want in life without sacrificing your beliefs. This teaches you the art of psychological warfare, something that not many people can master.
7. AP Styleguide– For the love of your future job, please learn grammar and spelling. Some people think that they won’t need to know all the intricacies of the English language because their job doesn’t require it. Newsflash: people (employers, relatives, professors, etc.) immediately discredit you when they see a grammar or spelling mistake. You went to college right? Write like it.
8. The Tipping Point– Find out why little things can make a huge difference. Learn how trends are sparked and gain momentum. This book offers great insight into society as well.
9. The Importance of Being Ernest– This is a great read if you have a little downtime. This short play is lighthearted, humorous, and ridiculous. As with most things, it is better to read the play before seeing the movie. Happy Bunburying!

Looking for more books to read over summer? Have any other favorites that you don’t see on this list? Share ‘em with us!

15 Tips to Help You Decide Whether Grad School Is Right For You

For those of us who are not going to be doctors or lawyers, the choice of whether or not to go to grad school is often a tough one. Parents are telling you one thing, the economy is telling you another and you are just caught in the middle of an epic battle royale. This is a huge decision that ‘s going to change the rest of your life; you are going to have to live with the consequences of whatever choice you make right now. Are you nervous yet? Don’t worry- we’re here to help you. Here are 15 tips to help you decide whether grad school is right for you.

1. Think about why the subject of grad school even came up. If your school’s career counselor suggests it, it might be a good idea. If you just want to stay in school longer for the sake of being in college, it might be a bad idea.

2. Don’t let your parents make this decision for you. You’re an adult now. Your parents aren’t going to be the ones doing your homework and research papers for you, so don’t let them boss you around.

3. Do some job searching first. Grad school should really be an option if you can’t get a career. Do some serious job searching in your career field for at least a year. If you are still unhappy, then consider grad school.

4. Think about your 20’s- which will be gone after you get out of grad school. Do you want to live most of your 20’s slaving away in front of a computer screen in a library? Do you want to be emotionally distraught at least 5 nights of the week? Both of those scenarios are definite possibilities at grad school.

5. What will you be learning? If you will be learning something that you can’t find in a book, then by all means go to grad school. If you can gain this knowledge in an MOOC or by doing research online, grad school is not for you. Look at the course offered for your degree and make sure that you will be practicing the things you’re being taught.

6. Think about the monetary impact long term. Are you willing to be in serious debt for a very long time? Will this degree help you make more money that you ever thought could be possible? Are you the only one paying for your education or will you receive help?

7. Do you really need this degree? This goes back to  #1 and #5. Do you need this degree in order to get your dream job or are you just going to grad school because you want to learn more?

8. Think about what life would be like without grad school. Most of your life will be dedicated to school, so it makes sense to think about how your time could be spent otherwise. If you don’t continue your education, would you like to travel? Would you start a family or a career?

9. Research which schools offer the best resources for your major. If you’re going to spend a lot of time and money on this degree, you want to get the most out of it. Find a school that not only offers the best library and professors, but also the school with the most successful alumni.

10. Are you willing to move anywhere to continue your education? If the school you chose from #9 is out of state, think about your housing, food, transportation and tuition costs.

11. Think about an internship and grad school at the same time. One of the best ways to get through grad school is to pick up an internship so you can practice your skills. It will give you industry contacts as well as real world knowledge. The best part is that the internship could turn into a career once you graduate!

12. Ask your employer to pay for grad school. If you already have a job and are thinking about grad school, the first thing you should be doing is asking your employer to pay for it. Your employers will love that you have a highly trained skill set that will benefit their company. You might even be asked to help train your fellow employees!

13. Talk to someone actually in grad school. The best way to figure out if grad school is right for you is to talk to someone actually in grad school. They can tell you why they chose it, how their experience is so far, and how their career will benefit from it. This is valuable knowledge that you need to hear before you make your decision.

14. Look for scholarships. Do you want to be in debt? My guess would be no. There are thousands of scholarships out there that can help you graduate debt free- which is a very, very rare thing. However, if you search hard enough, you can do it.

15. Think about the amount of caffeine you will consume per day. Don’t like coffee, tea or energy drinks? Grad school is not for you.

Grad school is a huge step for everyone. In some cases, the choice to go to grad school is more important than where you attended undergraduate college. Have you already started the internal grad school debate? Do you have any unanswered question? Ask them here!

Seven Foods That Help Improve Brain Function

You can say that Hot Cheetos dipped in cream cheese is the best study food out there, but you’re only fooling yourself. If you’re stuck in the library for hours on end, do your body a favor and bring some snacks! They’re a great distraction from staring at a book or a computer screen and they keep your brain functioning at top speed (the sooner you’re out of the library-the better).

Here are seven foods that help your memory, improve your focus, and taste great!

1. Chocolate. Who knew chocolate can actually help you study more effectively?  Dark contains high amounts of epicatechin that boost concentration. We would love to end the list here, but we can’t.
2. Nuts. Chocolate covered nuts are even better! Walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and pecans are all a great source of Vitamins E and B6, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants that help improve overall brain function. Note: if you’re allergic to nuts, don’t eat them. You won’t get any studying done in a hospital.
3. Fish. Salmon, tuna and other cold-water fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids boost energy, enhance learning ability, improve problem-solving skills, and boost memory power and enhance communication between brain cells. Try a nice tuna sandwich or some salmon and brown rice before hitting the library!
4. Ginseng. Try some ginseng tea- it helps with memory retention and overall brain function. If you need to sweeten it up a bit, try honey instead of sugar!
5. Apples. Boost your memory and concentration with the quercetin found in apples. Slice up apples at home and throw them in a Ziploc bag with a side of peanut butter and you’ve got yourself a perfect study snack!
6. Berries. Blueberries are known for improving motor skills and learning capacity while strawberries are rich in fisetin, a flavenoid that improves memory recall. Although berries don’t travel well in backpacks, they’re great in a small Tupperware. We recommend fresh berries and Greek yogurt.
7. Water. Drinking a lot of water is important especially if you’re drinking a lot of caffeine. Studies have shown that dehydration can cause your concentration to drop by as much as 13 per cent, and your short-term memory by around seven per cent. Dehydration is never fun and can lead to headaches and other health problems.

Keeping your body healthy and happy will make your studying more bearable by improving your memory and concentration. Happy Studying!

Sunday Not-So-Funday

It’s Sunday afternoon and you’re just waking up from a very long Saturday night. You wake up just in time to eat breakfast at 1pm and then it’s time for some good old Sunday fun activities.

But wait- you just remembered you have that three page paper due tomorrow for art history! Your Sunday Funday plans with friends just got ruined. What are you going to do!?

Luckily you have a college veteran on your side.  I can walk you through exactly what you can do to if you should find yourself in this position.

Drink caffeine immediately. Normally, I wouldn’t suggest dehydrating your body after a long night of debauchery, but this is an exception. You need to get yourself in the paper-writing mood, and you can’t focus on your paper if you are tired or lazy. Caffeine is a great way to give you that extra boost of energy you need to get started on your schoolwork. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be done. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, do something active for 10-15 minutes. Going on a quick run or even a walk in the sunshine is enough to shake you out of a slump.

Study Outside. The sun is finally coming out, the snow is melting, and it’s almost nice outside. If your friends are going to be rambunctious inside, then move your schoolwork outside! The fresh air is exactly what you need to clear your mind and focus on that paper. Grab some shades, a light jacket, and soak up some sun while you study in peace. If you don’t have a laptop, don’t have Wi-Fi, and don’t have a place right outside your house that you can study, then you have thought of every excuse in the book and can comment on this blog to share more of your fabulous excuses with the rest of us.

Don’t Complain. Seriously. You got yourself into this position; you can get yourself out of it. Keep your complaints to yourself and just do the paper. The more time you waste complaining to your friends about how you are “so tired” or how you hate your professor, the less time you will have to actually write the paper. The last thing your friends want to do is hang around with Buzz Killington. (This option of dealing with unexpected homework is not the most fun, but it is the most valuable to personal growth and becoming a mature adult.)

You have to do your homework at some time or another, and most of us like to procrastinate. This isn’t always a bad thing. (Some of my best papers were a result of intensive research done during a short period of time.) However, don’t make a habit of procrastinating and don’t put yourself in a position to choose between your friends and your schoolwork on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Most of the time, your friends will win and your grades will end up the loser.

My favorite secret of the most successful college students- make learning personal.

4 Ways to Get a Job Using Social Media

Gone are the days where job searching meant scouring the newspapers and help wanted ads. Nowadays, job searching consists of searching the major hubs of job postings online. How do you know what’s a scam and what’s not? With hundreds of thousands of postings scattered across the web and scams everywhere, what’s a college student supposed to do? I’m glad you asked.

YouTube your resume. This is a great way for you to showcase your creativity to your future employer. Employers love watching video resumes because they can get a better feel for your personality and your attention to detail (not to mention the fact that they are probably tired of looking over hundreds of paper resumes). On the other hand, employers will be immediately turned off if they see a video of you reciting your resume or an unnecessarily long video. Some good examples: James the workaholic and Angelica the teacher.

Use Twitter to find out who is hiring. Most companies will tweet about positions they’re hiring for. With Twitter, you can peruse hundreds of companies at once. Use the search bar to type any key words associated with your ideal job position or field of expertise and watch the companies line up. There are also companies that take all the guesswork out of Twitter job searching. Their main objective is to find you a job through Twitter. My personal favorite one is The Creative Ham. They have a “forever incomplete list of agencies” and “irrelevant job listings” to make your job search easier.

Facebook is an easy way to expand your options in your job search. Figure out which companies are growing and hiring. Just like Twitter, Facebook is great for figuring out the status of a company. Look at the number of people who “like” the company and how many people feel passionately about it by looking at the comments left on the page. You can also easily see what companies “like” the company you’re looking at and how your company engages with consumers and competitors.

LinkedIn is the mother load of all job postings. If you’re not on LinkedIn, you need to be. Make a resume, join every group you can, and start looking at companies that you’re interested in. LinkedIn has a tab purely for job postings and companies that are expanding rapidly. Another great feature of LinkedIn is the ability to put a face to a name. Employers will want to see your face and you want to see who works for the company.

Arm yourself with all the knowledge that social media can give you. Knowledge is power.

3 Excuses to Get Out Of Anything

I don’t have enough time in my day to do everything. Should I go workout or go study? Decision made. I’m playing Mario Kart.

Do you ever have too much to do so you just decide to give up and not do anything? Don’t worry- we’ve all been there. Here are some excuses we’ve devised to get you out of doing anything for the rest of your life.

“I’m sick” Teachers say this at the beginning of every single year: “If your sick, just don’t come to class because you’ll get everyone else sick”. It’s true. One person in my 75-person lecture was coughing like crazy and the next time we met for lecture only 25 people showed up because they were all sick. The easiest way to not go to class is to be sick.

“I forgot” Who cares if it was your only job interview in the last five months? You forgot. It’s fine- we’ve all forgotten something at one point in time. Your would-be-future-employer doesn’t care if you’re on time for your interview anyways. Simply tell them, “oops, I forgot”. The easiest way to not get a second interview is to tell people that you really don’t care how valuable their time is.

“That goes against my New Year’s resolution” This is the mother of all excuses that never fails. Go ahead- tell someone that your New Year’s resolution was to gain 15 lbs. They won’t question you when you eat the entire lasagna that your mom sent you that was supposed to last you a week. (We don’t know anyone who did that)

Next time you’re sitting at home on your throne of lies and don’t want to do any thing, make sure to pull out one of these foolproof excuses and watch your free time multiply.

If you have any other good excuses, please feel free to leave them below. Our social media manager needs some new material.