“YOU HAVE TO BE YOUR OWN CHEERLEADER AT THE END OF THE DAY.”

Bio

With student loan debt in the United States exceeding one trillion dollars, student loan debt expert Rashida S. Thomas knows all too well the burdens that college graduates face on their quest to live the American Dream. A Dallas transplant by way of St. Louis, Thomas holds a B.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a M.B.A. from Lindenwood University, and a M.A. in Management and Leadership from Webster University that left her with $136K in student loan debt.

Thomas has made it her mission to help others acknowledge, manage, and conquer their student loan debt. She understands that the verbiage used by many lenders and educational institutions can be confusing, thus leaving borrowers with more questions than answers. As a result, she helps others understand their payback options, deciphers the hard-to-understand fine print, and teaches them how they, too, can get their debt under control.

Episode Take Away

• The biggest struggle she had when starting her business was nailing down her target audience.
• When applying for financial aid you first want to start with filing out the FAFSA
• A few choices to consider are work study, grants, scholarships, and student loans
• If you plan to go the student loan route choice federal loans over private loans

References & Links

Rashida’s Website

www.rashidasthomas.com

Rashida’s Most Recent Blog Post

Roadmap to College: Locate Your Funding Options

The Dreamaholics Podcast Website

www.dreamaholics.org