50 best colleges for African Americans: a solid education, matched with the right opportunities, creates successful collegians: here are some strategies students should employ as they move from the college campus to the corner office and beyond

Black Enterprise, Oct, 2004 by Tanisha A. Sykes

--Additional reporting by Stephanie Young

CRASH COURSE:

Besides your diploma, you may get something else upon graduating from college--DEBT!

Sallie Mae calculated the mean undergraduate debt for African Americans to be $15,300 in 2002. Use these tips to help you balance your budget.

GET A JOB. Counteract debt by working during your summer or winter vacations, lf you choose to work during the school year, work part time to allow yourself enough time for schoolwork, According to the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, the effects on undergraduates working more than 21 hours per week included limited class schedules and access to the library, as well as a negative effect on grades.

Take advantage of on-campus jobs such as work-study and assistant positions, which allow you to work around your class schedule. A balanced combination of work and school can result in better time management and less procrastination. Hake sure you are able to handle your course load before determining if a part-time job is right for you.

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS. Apply for scholarships every year. "The Internet has revolutionized how students learn about college scholarships," says Baird Johnson, vice president of product and marketing for EastWeb.com, the Internet's leading scholarship search service. "Over $1 billion in scholarships is awarded each year--much of it earmarked for students with particular backgrounds or unique qualifications. Using a free online search engine such as FastWeb allows college students to search a database of 600.000 scholarships to create a personalized list of scholarship opportunities unique to them."

COMPARE CREDIT CARD OFFERS. Consider these five elements when choosing a credit card, advises the National Foundation for Credit Counseling: finance charges, annual fees, grace periods, penalty fees, and balanced calculation methods. "Beware of introductory low-interest-rate credit offers," warns the NFCC, "Frequently, the interest jumps dramatically within six months to a year." Never sign anything you do not completely understand.

BE FINANCIALLY ORGANIZED. "Debt isn't the problem; buying decisions are the problem," says Scott Bilker, author of Credit Card & Debt Management: A Step-By-Step How-To Guide for Organizing Debt & Saving Money on Interest Payments (Press One Publishing; $19.95), "Have a list of all your bills and always pay them on time." Use the worksheets in Bilker's book to successfully manage your bills. NFCC members provide free and affordable confidential money management, financial education, budget counseling, and debt management services via in-person and telephone sessions For more information, call 800-388-2227 or visit www.nfcc.org.

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS

A total of 482 colleges and universities were selected based on the following criteria:

1 Accredited four-year colleges or universities with an African American student: enrollment of at least 3%.

2 Colleges or universities that did not meet criteria one, but are large or well-known (e.g., the University of Southern California).