This Episode is very informative and resourceful especially for those in school or college or seeking to go to college and having to balance the myriad of situations occurring in their lives in addition to trying to successfully get through a course or program. This episode provides several recommendations or tips which may help you to overcome these challenges. The presentation was done live at a school with a group of senior students at a school in Germantown Philadelphia; students who are getting ready to go to college. The episode ends with a summary of the main recommendations and tips. The presentation is also available as an article in the The Neoliberal Post. Pursuing higher or professional education is not easy, especially as black or brown students who have to joggle between work, home, school life while trying to deal with limited resources, and the challenges that come with being black and pursuing a college education especially if you’re at a school that is not predominantly black or diverse. Recently I have met, interviewed and engaged several students especially African American students (AA’s) who have shared their experience in college and who are struggling. The recurring challenges for these students, listed below, which we have summarized, are based on interviews, social media posts and comments, studies and reports and ethnographic methods: The way the course is taught or they experience culture shock

Time Management

Work life, financial stress and meeting academic deadlines and difficulties adjusting to the institutions academic requirements

Limited or no family support (feels lonely) they say great that you’re in but then don’t understand why you’re there it’s value and have no time as they navigate their own lives and you feel more doubtful about why you need to do this. Family only get involve when you are about to fail and that threatens all their financial investments that they work hard to secure your college education. In fact, I encountered two of these students recently whose concerns I will share and provide specific recommendations for students who may have similar experiences. One 24-year-old student commented that: “I’m just burnt out overall honestly and it sucks because I’m really drained, and I be feeling like giving up, but I can’t!!." Then, there is the PHD student I refer to as Ace, who is overwhelmed by having to do so much reading and is dealing with balancing work life and having his ideas challenged in class. wrote that: “So much reading to do but this is what I signed up for…. My ideas are challenged, I question my own ideas, and I question those of others,” (Ace). Many of these students have quit, had to withdraw and or opt to study elsewhere or another discipline all together. But it doesn’t have to be like that. There is support and ways we can be less overwhelmed. I have developed some tips that you may find useful, which I have shared in this article. But I will share two of these stories and provide a step-by-step list of ways we can minimize or overcome these challenges that I have found useful as a Researcher, Social Scientist, Academic, Author, Doctoral candidate, with years of advanced education, and teaching seniors and college students, entrepreneur and someone who has experience the same struggles, but is having some success. I will break them up into two stories, the first is a young man, I refer to as Zee who is experiencing burn-out and having difficulties grasping some concepts in his math class, and then I will provide specific recommendations … you may view the article at https://renaldocmckenzie.com/?p=219