I find it’s often we take Spring Break for granted when we’re in college but once we no longer have it we wish we did.

Do you remember having to take naps, or perhaps you have a few little ones around the house that fight you on it. You wish you could somehow communicate to them just how much they’ll miss it once they’re older and unable to take naps.

Perhaps business and our life in general should take a lesson from the college experience. Often we need a mental and physical break from the daily grind or monotony. What do you think?

Keeping our mental health in peak performance often means that we need to take some time away. I know when I was in college I looked forward to being out of classes, did take a trip, but mostly I just used the time to catch up on homework and put in more hours on my job.

I think I may have missed the point in the years I didn’t. Ironically these were the years I really needed to take time away and relax. The idea of Spring Break is to help us get away from it all. To take a mental rest, rejuvenate ourselves so that we’re ready and able to gear up and perform our best the rest of the semester, now sometimes I know our professors tend to forget this and pile homework on as we get ready to be out of class for a while. But if possible take some time away; reconnect to who you are even if it’s only for an evening or a day or so.

I wish that I had during those years, out of all six years; I think I only took one trip, but now I wish I’d taken time for more. It’s not always possible to take a trip but let’s find other ways to unwind.

Spring Break Ideas:

• A night to yourself with your favorite movies or shows
• Curl up in front of the fireplace, (depending on the weather of course) with a good book and a glass of wine.
• Make yourself your favorite dessert
• Do your favorite workout, now hold on before you knock this one you can relieve a lot of stress with this one. Yoga and Pilates are two great ones for stress release.
• Make a date night in the middle of the week
• Take a day off of work, and fill it with your favorite things
• Ask your best friend to do the same and the two of you spend the day filled with special things for the two of you
• Do the same with a significant other

I’m always looking for new ideas, tell me what your favorite thing to do? Share let’s get some great ideas from each other. I’d love to hear your ideas.

Sophie

Or Spend a few dollars just on you for spring break, you truly deserve it especially in the middle of the semester. Take the stress out! Even if it’s just for a few hours. You know these are great even after spring break too

Here are some of my favorite things, is there anything you think I should check out?

Music to calm the mind, could there be a better name than Liquid Mind?

Bath Essentials I love!

Or if you really want to unwind in elegance, I recommend, it’s to die for!

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Should you go to college?

Well that’s a very good question. In my experience with colleges over the past fifteen plus years; this is probably one of the toughest questions with no easy answer. But I know where to start…

If it were only so simple to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to this question I’d love to figure it out tell everyone what that easy answer is. This would streamline the process for everyone.

But when we are making such life changing decisions it’s so important to take a look at the small picture and the big one too.

So the only way I can really answer this question is to help you take a look at things perhaps you may not have thought of yet. This will allow you pull your resources and make an informed decision about your future.

One of the biggest concerns right now is graduating without having a great job waiting for you in a field you love. Unfortunately there is no guarantee because this economy has affected all of us.

Even those with bachelors and masters degrees are struggling to find work.

The good news is that this is getting better little by little, but by in large this is still a tough economy overall.

So what do you do?

Many colleges are encouraging students to go back to college and better themselves so that when things do turn around you’ll be ready be hired. And this is true if you are not skilled in the trade you’d love to be in.

However, before we get to that the most important thing you can do is to ask yourself questions. Grab a pen and let’s take a look at ways you can determine if whether going back to college is the best solution for you.

I cannot answer these questions for you but I can help you ask questions and provide resources where you can make a determination regarding what would be the best move for you.

I’m sure you’ve heard that research is so important, and it is so let’s begin with these.

What would your ideal job be? If you could dream or design any type of career what would it be?

This may seem like an easy question, but if you don’t really sit back and ask yourself, and give an honest response then you’ll continue to do something you feel that you should, rather than something you love.

When you answer this first question, jot down the first things which come to mind and keep putting together ideas until you have about 10 or so.

Take this list and do some research, find out how valuable the job will be in the future

Here are some articles to check that out as you make your decisions

• http://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Top_Jobs.cfm
• http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/08/future-top-10-h.html
• http://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Hot_Jobs.cfm

If you fall in one of these three categories you’ll want to be sure to check these out.

• Students:

http://www.careervoyages.gov/students-main.cfm

• Are you changing a career?

http://www.careervoyages.gov/students-main.cfm

• Parents helping students to make a great career choice

http://www.careervoyages.gov/parents-main.cfm

Once you’ve determined what the value of the careers you’re considering are next look into the colleges you’re considering.

Often it’s taken for granted that by deciding to go to college all we need to do is to simply choose a college.

One thing I didn’t understand when I began looking into my own college options years ago is that no all colleges, are created equal. I really didn’t know that there were and are differences in colleges, outside of Ivy League schools of course. I knew that these were in a class all their own.

But this is a huge myth!

Colleges, especially now have to run like a business. They have to be concerned with cost, accreditation, graduation rate, and much much more.

Gone are the days where as long as you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree you’re pretty much guaranteed a good career.

Now a lot of it has to do with what can you do with the information you’re learning, and what kind of placement rate the college has.

Colleges often have statistics of what their placement rate is, and this is good information to have. I’d recommend taking it one step further, find out who is hiring students from these schools.

Generally this is public information and you can find it on the college website, or get this information from their Career Advisors at the college.

Key: Ask what the attrition rate is, what is the rate of students who come into the college vs. those who graduate. If the Admissions Advisor or Career Advisor is not willing to share (or Get) this information then this is a Red Flag. Be wary of this college.

If you really want to set yourself apart…

• Take the list and I’d contact the companies, find out what they look for in students they hire. Is it primarily the name of the college that they’re hiring for, the degree or what specifically they look for in employees they hire from this college?
• Let them know you are considering attending the college and want to know what their experience has been. Ask if they would recommend a different college and why.
• If it’s a company you could see yourself working at in the future let them know that, obviously you’d want to speak to someone in Human Resources for this.
• Relate that you are looking to set yourself apart and are eager to work for them.

Warning! Don’t just talk to one company to tell them this have a list of several that you contact about this. It can be very bad putting all your eggs in one basket!

Once you’ve looked into the colleges and the companies, compare  your experiences to what you would need to get the positions you’re interested in.

Consider the investment, is it going to be worth it for you in the long run, don’t just think about now and what you need to do today, keep this in mind, but don’t lose site of the big picture just because things are so tough right now.

How far are you from retirement?

What would you make with a job in this field? http://salary.com

I know this is so much easier to say than do… at least it has been for me. I have to make myself follow through on things when all I can see in front of me is the stress, and problems jumping out at me.

If you missed my post on what I’ve discovered about myself during this recession take a quick read on this post. http://www.sophiemaddox.com/2010/03/11/my-recession-gift/ I’m right there with you.

More important questions for you

• Do you have what it takes to do the job you’re interested in.
• If not how far off are you?
• Find out if the company will hire you while you’re bridging the gap.
• Ask if they have a tuition assistance program, some will help you with this especially if they see initiative from you first.
• Look into a certificate verses a degree, would this help you get the additional training you need without breaking the bank?
• Can you take classes a community college for the training?

In summary the important things are:

• Find something you love
• Research the future of a career in this
• Research the college options if this is what you need
• Look at the big picture and small one
• Research hiring companies find out what you need to get into your dream job
• Consider alternative education options

You may need to get a degree or you may just need to take a few classes or get a certificate to get into the career you’ve always wanted.

The recession is here and it will be with us for a while longer so let’s plan for right now, looking at what you can get into with the skills you have, and what kind of careers you can get into in the future.

This will help us put together an immediate picture and still plan for the future at the same time.

There are two books I’d recommend

One helps you determine what it takes to succeed as an Adult student

This next one gives you an insider’s perspective, by talking with students who’ve attended or are attending the colleges you’re considering.

Stop by my store and find other resources to help you as you make plans for now and the future.
Http://www.shop.sophiemaddox.com

Be sure to share this with your friends and family and let me know what you think, please re-tweet, Digg this and pass it on to others.

Oh, and don’t forget your free gift.

Sophie

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The economy, the recession, job loss, no money it can feel like the sky is falling. In many ways what we’ve known growing up is gone. But there is one thing that we have now that we didn’t have before, opportunity, and for many of us a determination to survive we didn’t know we had.

Think about it.

Now with the invention and mass release of the internet we can go to college much easier than we could before. We can work from home, raise a family and go to school, all things which were not available before.

There is a lot of good things still to come I believe.

One thing this recession has done for many of us, me included is to make me think of the things which are really important in my life.

Let me take a quick step back, in the few years before the recession I was working hard, spending time with family when I could, going to college, making career moves, life changes i.e. marriage, moving etc.

Yes things were stressful, but pretty good overall.

Then… when my husband and I decided that the best thing for his career would be for us to move from Chicago to Southern California in the Summer of 2008, right I the middle of the recession, we had little idea what we were in for.

• We lost over $10,000 in the move, driving a U-haul, towing our car across country during the highest gas hike I’d ever known really took a financial toll on us.
• We moved from a very nice luxury apartment in Chicago to an apartment of the same size and our rent increased over 500 dollars in a bad area, gratefully we found a place six months later in a much nicer area.
• I had moved with my job, but the ‘organization’ was the most disorganized here. Without too many details, I was bounced around between two locations, the pressure was increased both in the job requirements (mandatory overtime, while the tools necessary to do the job were taken away) and the psychological stress (learned just how badly I react when I’m threatened & yelled at frequently by a very demanding, mean, uncaring boss). My health took a downward spiral, I found myself sick frequently, including several infections, I couldn’t sleep I was so anxious over the stress. The organization even had trouble paying me what they promised they would.
• My husband and I started a business with a couple of partners and in the end they back stabbed us and took our identity, and cost us a good deal of money

There is much more but you get the picture…

Sometimes I felt like I couldn’t handle everything, but my husband and I decided to take a look at what we have and chose to be thankful. It was not easy! It was definitely a conscious choice, we decided to look to see what other opportunities we have, and to work toward those and to say a prayer for those who’ve hurt us. That’s not easy either, not by a long shot. But after a while some of the stress started to dissipate.

We still have a lot to work through, but I’m discovering just how valuable close friends, family and a good sense of humor are. They literally are a lifesaver!! These are gifts to peace of mind. I have to practice this everyday, but the result is worth it.

There are so many opportunities that we can take advantage of when you’re feeling down take a moment and find one thing to be thankful for.  It can change your whole perspective.

Here’s what we’ve decided to do

1. Look for things to be thankful for
2. Find things that make us laugh
3. Look for new opportunities to grow, college, business opportunities, etc.
4. Find ways to help others, we’ve volunteered for causes we believe in like the Army Yellow Ribbon event.

The Yellow Ribbon Event is a program to help soldiers and their families acclimate to being back with their families. Focusing on helping others who’ve had a tough time, lost loved ones and seen war show us even more what we have to be thankful for. If you know someone in the Army who’s returning from over seas support them through the Yellow Ribbon Event, http://www.arfp.org/skins/ARFP/display.aspx?mode=user&ModuleId=8cde2e88-3052-448c-893d-d0b4b14b31c4&action=display_page&ObjectID=63471a43-ff2c-45b9-9f84-4160041b15b4 Here’s where you can get more information.

So let’s look up, there is much to look forward to, we have more going for us than at any time in the past, take a look at this blog posting by BetsyAnne of the Non Traditional Student blog. http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-today-is-so-exciting-for.html She helps us to really look around us at the opportunities we do have.

The Recession has helped me in ways I never thought it would.

Another way I find encouragement is to read about others who have gone through something tough. I love stories with a positive ending or an ending where the individual had had a life change but is still working through a tough time.

What gift has the recession given you? I’d love to hear your story…

Here is a great book that will lift your spirits and help you discover your own encouragement through this recession. Make the recession do something positive for you.

Take a second to check this out…

Please share this with anyone who needs encouragement, Digg, Re-tweet, and grab a copy of your free thank you gift.Together we’ll be stronger.

Sophie

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Say Bye Bye to distractions breaking your train of thought.
One of the biggest things for us to work around as students is the constant possibility that we may be interrupted. The phone, the door, the kids, family, our work and even things we are looking forward to.
But when it comes time to really learn our classes the last thing we need is to be distracted. When we’re distracted our minds cannot absorb, or process information effectively. Instead we only partially learn and our grades reflect this.
In my experience one of the biggest interruptions is distraction, whether this is thoughts running through our minds, or physical things keeping us from getting the best grades we can.

One of the best ways I could see that I was distracted was to look at my grades. Unfortunately I didn’t always realize just how distracted I was and how many interruptions I’d allowed in my life until I saw my transcript for the semester.
For many it’s the middle of a semester, there are so many things on our minds that when we do sit down to focus on the next project or the next quiz, we find ourselves wishing that it was over and we could do anything else. I’m not a fan of housework, and the funny thing is that during the times I’m most distracted I even found ways to think about or want to do extra housework. Ugh!!

So what did I do and how can you stop distractions cold, so you can make sure that your mind is sharp and ready to study during the times you’ve set aside to study?

1. First Use your strengths… during many parts of the day we find that we need to manage a number of things at once, and often we’ll delegate certain responsibilities to others. Well apply the same principle during your dedicated study time. If you have kids put one in charge while your studying, tell him or her that this is time that you cannot be interrupted and that they must help you, by making sure that you’re not interrupted.

2. Second turn the volume on your phone off, and leave a message letting callers know that you’re studying and will return calls when you’re done. If you’re expecting important news on your e-mail, be sure to send a short e-mail with a similar message.
Important Time Management Tip: If there are some e-mails that you have to respond to, do this in a set block of time send as many e-mails with similar messages; copy and paste e-mails that you can send with similar content, and change small bits of information to customize it to each individual.

3. Third, share your schedule with others let family and friends know when you’ve set aside time for study and let them know that you’ll be unavailable during these times, and when you will be available.

4. Fourth divide up your day and the responsibilities that you need to do into categories, I hate dealing with unpleasant things or conflict, so one thing I’ll do to keep myself from being distracted is to take notes on what it is that I need to do or say ahead of time, then I put it out of my mind by focusing on other things.

And… I deal with anything uncomfortable early in the day, this way it is not at the forefront of my mind the rest of the day thus I’m free to focus on things which are more important.

5. Fifth determine not to procrastinate, Yes this is the easiest thing to do especially when you have so many things to focus on as a student. However, one of the best ways to distract yourself and not do well in college is to procrastinate and then all your deadlines hit at once and it’s almost impossible to keep from being distracted, and interrupted.

6. Six plan for interruptions to happen anyway, but make sure you have a game plan, a response to address the interruption as quickly as possible and get back to your studies.

7. Seventh, and MOST importantly keep your mind sharp, when your mind is sharp then dealing with everything else mentioned is doable. I’ve found that one of the best ways to do this is to play games. There are games online or games you take with you. Games are one of the best ways to have fun and keep your mind sharp so that when distractions or interruptions come up you can quickly think through them and get back to your studies. Plus a sharper mind helps you work more quickly through your homework giving yourself a gift of more time.
Now what would you do with more time?

I don’t always have my computer handy so I grab my DS Light on the way out the door. I love this because it has great games to keep your mind sharp on a variety of subjects and all I need to do is spend a few minutes on the games. So I stick it in my purse and when I’m waiting for my food at a restaurant, or sitting having my favorite cup of coffee or whatever; I have the perfect way to keep my mental capacity sharp and ready for anything.  I’m not one who plays video games too often so when my husband decided to get this for me he wanted to make sure that it could have games on it for those of us who don’t spend a lot of time gaming. It’s fantastic! I love having something I can use that doesn’t require that I learn a whole new set of skills. I feel so clumsy with the new controllers on Xbox360, or etc. the buttons all do so many thing and have so many combination features that I honestly feel lost.

They are so fun, you can keep your mind sharp with anything from quick math games, to music to words to sports games, memory, and so much more. I love it.
If you don’t have one I did find one on Amazon for you check this out.
Nintendo DSI, has all the latest perks, not only does it play games and allow you to share this with others but it also has a great built in camera, which allows you to customize pictures in seconds, and you can access the internet as well.

I

f you’re looking for one without all the extras the DS Lite has all the benefits of a DS without the camera or internet capability.

Or if your kids have a DS or DSI already, grab a copy of these brain games to boost your mind.

If you’re in front of the computer then here’s a great site to visit to keep your mind sharp. Here is a list of games I’ve found intriguing for mind development… oh and their fun too. There is an excellent site dedicated to helping you keep your mind sharp and ready for thinking it’s http://playwithyourmind.com/

Grab your mouse and click on the one which looks the most fun for you and then click on one where you know you need a bit of work. This way you will have a great way to have immediate success in something you are already good at, and then progress to one which you will get better at.

GridLogic in Logic Games
Wording in Word Games
Zirch in Search Games
MahNumbles in Math Games
Broken Mouse in Mouse Games

BrainBall, an IQ Test
WordBall, a word puzzle
Typing Test, a typing sport

Discover more ways to keep your mind sharp with these links.

Mind Games

• Word Games
• Logic Games
• Typing Games
• Math Games
• Search Games
• Memory Games
• Mouse Games
• Card Games
• Spatial Games
• Miscellaneous Games

Brain Fitness Games

• Memory
• Eye-Hand Coordination
• Visual-Spatial
• Problem Solving
• Attention & Focus
• Processing Numbers

Puzzles/Brainteasers

• Word Tease
• Blankout
• Word Toggle
• Word Grid

Be sure to share these excellent resources with others who would like to break free from distractions or sharpen their minds, please re-tweet, Digg, and let me know what you think.

Sophie

P.S. Don’t forget to grab a free copy of your thank you gift.

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Okay sometimes I love the internet and sometimes I really hate it, this is definitely my biggest love hate relationship. For the past few days my internet has been down!  And when you need the internet for school, work, bills, social connection and all the rest what do you do?

Well, that is what this post is all is all about, your vital tips to making sure that you don’t lose class work or a grade just because your internet went down!

When you rely on the internet for anything you must have a backup plan!!!

First of all in college you do have several things you can do so that you make sure you’re not left in a bind.

1 Print off your syllabus, keep this in a place where you can access it easily. The syllabus has all the information about your assignments and the contact information for your professor. Once you have trouble getting online contact your professor immediately and let them  know what’s happening.

2. Know where else you can access the internet.

• Work- check with your boss, let them know ahead of time if you’re taking an online class, and ask if they’d mind if you worked on your class during your lunch and breaks. A lot of employers will like the fact that you’re working on self improvement on your free time and this can look very favorable to you in a review.
• Library Many libraries have internet access for patrons, you’ll most likely need a valid library card, and there are time limits, but I’ve seen this extended for college work.
• Internet Café- Yes you do have to pay for these but in a pinch they can be great until you get your service back up and running like you really need it to.
• Starbucks- Now some Starbucks want you to have a WI-FI account with a carrier such as At & T before you can use the service. However, a cheap AT& T prepaid card would be a great thing to keep handy for emergencies.
• Cell Phone- See if your cell phone carrier as a card that will work with your computer so that if your main source of internet connection goes down you have a back up one.
• Network your house, this way if the internet does go out, depending on why it went down you’ll still have access to the internet.
• Panera Bread- Many of these restaurants have free WI-FI, as long as you get a cup of coffee, tea, or something small. Also they ask that you respect their busy hours and don’t stay on for more than a half an hour during peak busy times.

3. Plan to do as much of your homework and etc offline, and back up everything with a portable storage device, either a back up tower, the mini ones will fit in a medium size purse. Or have a USB device with your work saved on it so if you need to use one of your back up plans for the internet your homework is not stuck on the hard drive of say your PC, and you need to send your work in.

A couple of times I had my internet go out when I was taking online classes.

4. Here was my back up plan- What helped me the most was knowing that I had to be online for class discussion only three times during the week, and I needed to read the lecture which I often printed out, and respond to questions from the professor during those three times. And since I often did my homework offline the only other time I had to be online was to turn in my assignment and since that was a simple download of what I’d been working on I could minimize my time online and thus any outside cost.

Typically these questions were based on the lecture so having the printed version, generally about 5-8 pages really helped. I could respond to the questions with several sentences and then be off line in about 15 minutes.

Some Colleges- Now some colleges require you to be online for specific periods of time, and in this case make sure to contact the professor and find out if there is something you can do to make up the time you have to be on for. Ask for an extra credit assignment. This will let them know you are serious and will do whatever necessary to keep your grade high. And perhaps they won’t make you complete an extra assignment but when you initiate this request this will often go a long way with professors, and they will in turn work with you.

Now this worked during the traditional class periods, for the midterm or final week I had to make sure that I had more time so I needed to use the internet café, etc. go when it was least busy and make sure that the people running the café know that I would be online for hours for the final. Often this is not a problem as long as you let them know, but paying a few dollars for internet café time is so worth it to save your grade!!

I hope you found this helpful… please share this… re-tweet, Digg it and let me know what you think. This blog is for you and I really want to make sure I’m answering your questions.

Sophie

P.S. Don’t forget to get your free thank you gift!!

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One of the best things about the internet is that it’s a great source of amazing amounts of information.

There are some truly Amazing Blogs, forums and sites out there so let’s take a look at some which will also be a great resource to help you.

Check these out.

1. http://adulted.about.com/

This site is a great resource on a variety of topics for adult students; Deb Peterson hosts this site and has valuable in site to help adult students decide on where to go to college Check out her list of topics to help you.

• Adult Learning
• Student Center
• Teaching & Ice Breakers
• Get Your GED
• Get Your Degree
• Professional Certification
• ESL
• Training
• Schools & Organizations
• Lifelong Learning
• Share Your Experience

2  http://collegecareerlife.net/

A site which helps provides a myriad of online resources and advice for students of all walks. What I really liked is that the site shows a list of jobs for Liberal arts Majors, something that can be a little hard to find sometimes, the cool thing is that it lists these jobs by degree.

3. http://myusearchblog.com/

Searching for the right college for you can often be challenging, this site has a great tool, a quiz you can take to link you to college matches that would work for you.

4.http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/

This blog hosted by Betsyanne has excellent resources and advice for non-traditional students who are looking for information which applies to students who have decided not to take the traditional route through college.

I particularly like her last post about how the ‘No Child Left Behind’ program applies to adults, and specifically adults with special needs. She shows how the ‘No Child Left Behind’ program provides services and benefits for these students.

Thanks Betsy. http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2010/02/no-student-left-behind-information-for.html

http://studyingparent.blogspot.com/

Many of us Adult students are parents, and would like to know how someone who’s in college with children or teens gets through everyday life as a student. This blog is a great way to see how someone else is making it all work, and on top of it all she’s preparing for a move. Wow! Way to Go Student Mum! Persistency is key to graduation.

http://www.online-college-blog.com/

Many of us have a need to take classes online. If you want a blog for students who are also taking classes online this is another great site to begin or continue building your online support group.

If you found these helpful please pass this post on, just re-tweet, Digg, and let me know what you think.

Sophie

Oh, and don’t forget to grab a copy of your free thank you gift.

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Hopefully you’re not here but I’ve been here and know plenty of students who’ve been there, or who are currently feeling unmotivated.

So what do you do, when you’re in college and find yourself unmotivated?

The problem is that many of us, me included want to be able to get our motivation back when we want it. You know take a nice relaxing evening, a bubble bath our favorite movie and then we’re ready and motivated to do and get better.

Well unfortunately I’ve found that our minds don’t tend to work that way, it’s a bit more of a puzzle than that. It took me a few years to have a better understanding on how our minds do work.

When we acknowledge that we have lost our motivation, often by that time it’s been gone for a bit.

So to get our motivation back we have to sit back and think where or when we actually lost our motivation.

One of the best ways to do that is to write. Perhaps you have a blog of your own, or a friend you can e-mail. The reason to write is because this involves a physical processing of ideas, we can work out frustrations in our mind but when we work through them by writing we can filter through the mess and get to the truth easier.

Once an event or feeling has derailed our motivation we have to analyze or understand the reason. Typically when we’re motivated we’re very excited, energetic and enthused, we can’t wait to tackle the big project and get the result we want.

• The first why: Unfortunately we often don’t stop to think that the emotions we’re feeling could get derailed. It’s easy to feel that the energy and excitement we’re feeling will carry us all the way through college.
  Now while that’s true for some it’s not true for others. I unfortunately had Senioritis my sophomore year in college. I had a lot of friends who were graduating so thinking of another two years was not appealing to me. I was tired of working a couple of jobs, attending class full time and having very little left over for myself.
  I had to take time to think about what really caused me to start college.
• The second why: The other thing I had to do was to understand why I was feeling like this. I was tired. When we’re tired it’s difficult to find anything that truly motivates us. My favorite thing to do seems unappealing.
  So I have had to take time, step aside and understand why I no longer like my favorite things.
  Here’s your key, understanding why you feel the way you do takes the power out of the cause for feeling so down.
• Why Write: This is why you write, you need to get to the bottom your loss of motivation before you can begin looking for a solution.Once you understand why you feel like this then you can take these frustrating feelings and turn them around. See the irritating situation as a way to better understand yourself and where you can improve.

Assess why you had the motivation in the first place

1. Was this because you felt you should do something or is it because you really wanted to go to college for yourself

Often by the time we’re adults considering college the reason we’d go to college is to improve our self or our situation.

Mentally recreate the reason you felt motivated in the first place. This is key to becoming motivated again.

Separate yourself from the emotion as much as possible, both the good and the bad. Think more about the reasons you started pursuing your education.

2. Are they still true, or have they changed

If the reasons are the same then separating our minds from the highs and lows of our emotion will be key to finding true motivation again.

If they’ve honestly changed then take time to really think about what you want, where you want to go and use this to create motivation in a new direction.

We can talk to friends, and family, but in the end we have to work through this and answer these questions for ourselves.

I had to acknowledge that I needed to succeed; I really wanted to have a career of my own. I didn’t want to be without options, I knew for myself that this meant that I had to finish my degree.

And do you know what, I do have more options.

I can help you find all the tools, money, etc to get into and through college, but I’ve always told my students the one thing I cannot give you is motivation.

Please pass this on to encourage other friends and family who might feel unmotivated, re-tweet, Digg, this and grab a copy of your free thank you guide.

Let me know what you think, ask questions and let me know what you’d like to see me chat about.

Sophie

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College cost can be a dream killer but it doesn’t have to be, as you saw in the video Clepping out of a class is an option, not just for military students but everyone, what this means. You demonstrate that you have knowledge in a subject and receive class credit for the course without having to take the class. Sound good?

This post will show you exactly what kind of savings you can expect and where to get the details of a Prep Exam, like a study outline. You’re not expected to just know the given topics just off the top of your head.

How does this work?

Well you choose a subject; say for example you want to get out of Western Civilization, instead of sitting through a class for a session or semester you study for the ‘final’ called a CLEP or DANTES (The CLEP program started by the military) Exam pass it and receive full credit for the class, thus saving you hundreds if not thousands of dollars for a class, AND it will shorten your time in college.

This smart cost saving program is simply for amazing students.

All you pay for is the test and perhaps study material.

Let’s look at the numbers.

Community College ranges from $20.00- $90.00 on average per credit hour, call your local community college to verify the cost in your area.

A university often ranges from $200.00 – $600.00 or more depending on the college make sure to get a specific cost per college credit hour from the colleges you are considering.

Community College Savings with a CLEP Exam

Let’s use the lowest cost per credit hour to be conservative.

$20.00 per credit hour

(X) Multiplied by

3 credits per class

Total $ 60.00

Now add in books $115.00 for class books this is an average for many classes, ranging from about $80.00 to $150.00 or more. (150+80 / 2 = 115)

So the cost per credit hour total, plus the book average for the least expensive class is:

$ 60.00

+ $115.00

Total $ 175.00 per class

Now take a CLEP or DANTES Exam ranging from $35.00- $75.00 total, and you have a HUGE savings!

So

$175.00

- $75.00

Total $100.00 savings per class

And this is the lowest amount you can save.

Here’s a fun exercise, let’s see would look like for you.

Take the information above and put in the cost per credit hour for the colleges you’re considering, and the average cost for books at this college, and see how much you’ll keep, and smile, you’ve just found a way to successfully save money on your college costs!!

I’ve done some research for you and found one program which gives you full study guide material and practice questions for the lowest amount listed above for classes.

Plus: they guarantee that you’ll pass the class or they’ll give you the money back.

You can’t lose, you save thousands, look at all the classes you can pass with full credit. They estimate you can take up to a year off your studies!!  Discover what classes you can get credit for

Let’s redo the numbers so we’re all on the same page

$ 175.00

- $ 35.00

$ 140.00 for the most conservative cost savings to you.

Grab your mouse and take a look at these, your wallet, and budget will thank you. CLEP or DANTES class list

Be sure to talk to your college and verify which classes your curriculum will need and make sure that they accept the CLEP exam results and then go for it.

Keep your money, graduate faster and achieve your dreams.

Be sure to pass this post on to your friends and family, let’s all keep our money in our pockets. Please re-tweet this Digg it and grab a copy of your free thank you gift.

Oh and please let me know what you think, ask questions so that I make sure I’m giving you what you need in this blog.

Sophie

CLEP or DANTES Class details

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Okay so Boot Camp is done, and you’re training for your next assignment, but you want to know what to do next. College is at the top of your list. Joining the Air Force and having them pay for your education was one of the benefits of signing up.

Knowing that if you wait it will get easier and easier to put your career on hold, you’ve decided to pursue your education, but now it’s time to see where you can get the money promised to get into college.

Well your brilliance has led you to this post so here are the nuts and bolts.

Pull out that trusty pen, or reach for that Ctrl +P combination and print this out for your records; and let’s get you the answers you need.

First of all here are the sites you’ll need.

https://www.my.af.mil/

AFVEC online TA process

Keep these handy, I’d recommend bookmarking them.

1. First, click on the top link; it’s your link to the Air Force Virtual Education Center. Here you’ll create a log in identity if you don’t already have one.

2. Next: Click on the second link, here you’ll walk through six steps to complete the AFVEC Tuition Assistance process.

Thirdly, notify the college you’re planning to attend about the completion of your this form needs to go to your Financial Aid Advisor, and Admissions Advisor if applicable. They’ll need to help you complete this with class registration.

What amount of money can you expect, well at the time of this post here are the current funds allocated for Air Force TA

Very Important! Ask your college if they provide any additional benefits, such as a tuition discount for you as well. No need to leave any money on the table.

• $250 @ Semester Credit Hour, or
• $166 @ Quarter Credit Hour, and
• $4500 @ Fiscal Year, beginning in October each year, not January.

Note: This is on a First come First Serve basis, so apply as close to October for this as you can. When the budgeted money is gone you’ll have to wait until the next military fiscal year.

Or here are a couple more another options for funding college outside of your TA:

The biggest question I received outside of how to set up the funding for college is whether you can use your GI Bill and your Tuition Assistance at the same time, and the answer is yes you can.

But what is not so very clear is that if you use them together the benefits coordinate, what that means is that if you use them together then you’ll have less money in the long run.

In other words if you use them together, the total amount you’re eligible for with your GI Bill is less when you use them together. Your TA amount is taken away from your GI Bill amount thus decreasing what you are eligible for.

What I would strongly recommend students to do who needed additional funding for their college is to apply for Financial Aid.

Now this is when I would often get a raised eyebrow or two, followed by this question. If I have tuition assistance why would I take out a FAFSA Loan?

Well with FAFSA you don’t have to accept everything you qualify for, the application tells you what you’re eligible for, what you can get if you want to.

Let’s say you want to use your TA to cover college but you know you’ll have several hundred dollars in books you’ll need and you know you need to get a new computer for school too. Well if you qualify for a Pell grant and perhaps a State grant, then you can use this money to get the books and computer. You can say ‘No thank you’ to the loans and just use the grants and the Tuition Assistance together.

What if your TA runs out? Now The TA is not an endless amount of money that you can use for college once you apply, the amount is caped you’ll want to talk to your Educational Advisor and find out what that amount is for you. If you’re not sure how to contact your Advisor, then ask your commanding officer where your unit reports to for Educational Advisors.

So if you run out of money for the year but you still have some classes you need to complete this year, then you have two options, either utilize the FAFSA loans you qualified for, or use some of your GI Bill to bridge the gap. Here is a video on how to navigate the FAFSA website easily http://www.sophiemaddox.com/2009/12/15/fafsa-video-1/

You don’t have to worry about the benefits coordinating if you have used all of the funds you have allocated for the year. You can use some of the money you have from your GI Bill just for those classes. Don’t reapply for the GI Bill after these classes, but keep in mind that when you return the next time to use your GI Bill there is a separate application for that, carefully search the site to make sure that you’re filling in the right application.

CCAF

I know you’re aware of the CCAF (Community College of the Air Force) A great educational asset for you; you can take classes through the CCAF even if you already have a degree. Your Tuition Assistance will be provided for this education, even if you already have a degree from the CCAF, or another two year college.

Great News! You do not need to have your supervisor’s signature to use your TA!

Word to the wise; be sure to let him or her know that you’re taking classes, this way they can support you.

Warning!! There are a few details to keep in mind when you’re planning to use your TA.

Here is what would prevent you from getting TA.

• You haven’t received your grades from courses completed and it’s been 60 days or more.
• Blank parts of your educational record, so demographic information like DOB, Phone, DOS, Your Unit, Office Symbol, address, e-mail, base current educational level etc. so be sure that you have each detail completed on your educational record!

Additional reasons you’ll not be granted TA.

• Your course starts more than 30 days in the future
• You’ve already begun your course
• The course is a lower division course and you’re an upper division student, (your classes are completed for your 100 and 200 level classes for your degree, but now you want to take a different 100 level class, you’ll be denied, unless this class is one at the CCAF).
• Your degree plan record is not in your records, once again be sure your educational file is complete and up to date.
• It would be so irritating to find out that you’re denied TA for something a little proof reading or double checking could correct.
• TA is not approved for courses taken (outside of the CCAF) for a second degree i.e. a second Associates degree

Now What If:

Okay so let’s say you’re in class and you realize that you have to drop the class.

Will you be penalized? Great question!

Communication is key; let your Education Center and the college you’re enrolled in know that you’re dropping the class so that this does not affect your TA.

Keep in mind you’re responsible for the tuition cost that applies for portion of the class you did attend.

Unless: You qualify for the waiver of tuition assistance reimbursement, ask your Education Office what the rules are for you on this. There can be a number of different scenarios.

Now depending on the rules of the particular college you’re considering you may have a low grade, but I’d petition the college to make sure that you’re grade is either an:

W- Withdrawal, the rules for this are typically within a given amount of time or…

I – an Incomplete, this typically will not be a part of your GPA. When asking for an Incomplete, make sure you have a convincing case so that the Administrator doesn’t just give you a low grade. Each college is different; find out what you need to do and who you need talk to so that this doesn’t affect you.

The fine print of an Incomplete: Find out what date you need to complete the course by on the Incomplete grade, typically the Incomplete is conditional on the fact that you need to complete the course in a specific amount of time, generally this is within 12 months from the end of the given session, or semester.

Unfortunately if you fail to get a grade within the amount of time allocated then you’ll owe money for the Tuition Assistance used to cover the class.

If you found this helpful please pass this on to every service member you know, reserves, or active duty. Please re-tweet it, let me know what you think, and Digg this post.

Let’s get this information out to everyone. I’ve come across so many Soldiers who are not sure how to get the money they were promised when they signed on the dotted line. I want to make sure that you know how very grateful I am that you’re willing to serve and protect our freedoms. Please take a copy of my free gift to you. See the panel on the right.

Sophie

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So the semester is off and running. For me much like New Year’s resolutions there is the initial resolve to manage everything and have a very productive semester.

But then reality would set in and I’d find it easier to put the dates down for when things were due and not planning for the time it would take me to actually complete the projects. I ended up wasting time like the Doctor in the video.

Today I want to help you avoid making the same mistakes I did. I learned a few things that most will not tell you. But they are essential to managing your time and getting good grades.

Grab some paper or your computer keyboard and let’s help simplify things a bit for you.

Vital: First analyze where you spend your time, at the end of a couple of days jot down where you spent your time so you can see where you’re losing the most time.