00:00Thank you Mrs. Obama for helping Essence kick off our college tour.
00:06So when we last interviewed you, you were just launching the Reach Higher initiative.
00:11We'd love to hear more about all the accomplishments of the program and what's new and what's next.
00:16Well, you're in and we've spent this year, you know, doing what we talked about,
00:22really talking about the importance of getting an education beyond high school.
00:28And again, whether that's a two-year or four-year college or university,
00:32we've been trying to do the most that we can through the administration to make college more affordable,
00:38to give students the support they need by, for example, supporting high school counselors
00:43who are often overworked and they don't have the resources to really focus on college preparation.
00:50We've been trying to lift them up. We've done some work to make the FAFSA form,
00:54the financial aid form easier to fill out.
00:58And beginning next year, students are going to be able to start filling it out months earlier,
01:04which will make it even better.
01:07And we've really been trying to engage this country.
01:12Our leaders, our celebrities, you know, institutions like Essence,
01:17you all have always been a leader on having discussions about college and education.
01:23We've been working to make these conversations top of mind all around the country,
01:28encouraging kids, doing college signing days and celebrating kids who are going to college
01:34in the same way that we celebrate athletes going pro or, you know, folks getting drafted into college for sports.
01:41We want to celebrate our kids for getting educated, so, and trying to make it fun along the way.
01:47What would you say are some of the benefits of pursuing a community college education?
01:53Well, a lot of times when kids think about college, they think about four-year institutions,
01:58they think about high costs, they think about moving away from home,
02:01you know, all the things that might turn many kids off of the concept completely.
02:07But in this country, we're fortunate that we have so many options for kids to get their education
02:12and two-year colleges are one of the best ways to do it in an affordable way.
02:18Many community colleges are linked up with high schools that allow kids to start taking courses
02:24in their sophomore, junior, senior year and get credit for those courses.
02:28And sometimes they can go into community colleges in their second year and get ahead of the curve.
02:34For kids who are more nontraditional students, you know, maybe you're a single-parent mom.
02:40Maybe you already know what you want to do.
02:43You want to be an EMT and work in an ambulance, so you don't want to spend that time in a four-year university
02:49getting a liberal arts degree because you want to get right to work.
02:52The other thing about community colleges is that they provide real training for jobs that actually exist.
02:58And we saw that here with the health services programs.
03:02I mean, the Howard Community College here is connected right to the general hospital right next door.
03:08And a lot of the kids are already doing internships and they're going to be ready to be employed
03:13the minute they finish their programs.
03:15So we want to make sure that kids in this country know that those options are available to them.
03:20And for so many, that's going to be the best way to go, a two-year college, community college.
03:26You're a first-generation college kid.
03:28And so many of our African-American students are the first in their families to go to college.
03:33If you had one thing that you could share that you wish you knew starting out,
03:37what would you say to a young black woman starting out in college?
03:40So much, so much.
03:42But I think if I have to sum it up, I would say do your research, you know.
03:47And if you can, go and visit the college or program that you're going to participate in so that you have some idea.
03:56If you can't afford to do the visit, talk to an alum.
03:59Talk to a current student.
04:01Go on the website.
04:02Sort of have a sense of what the experience is going to be like for you.
04:06For me, when I set foot on my campus, it was like, where am I, you know?
04:10How do you live in a dorm? How do you choose classes?
04:13Now kids can reach out and get that kind of help.
04:16But they have to kind of search it out and do the work.
04:19The other thing I always tell kids is don't be afraid to ask for help.
04:23The minute you walk on campus, find your community.
04:26You know, whether it's at a cultural center or, you know, a sports team if you're lucky enough.
04:31Or, you know, making sure that you link up with somebody on the faculty who you connect with.
04:37You know, ask for help when you need it.
04:40Find out what tutoring programs there are to offer if you find yourself being overwhelmed.
04:44Don't wait until the end of the semester or the end of the quarter to think, oh, my God, I'm drowning.
04:50You know, start asking for help the minute you get on campus.
04:53And don't think asking for help makes you weak.
04:55It makes you smart.
04:56Thank you, Mrs. Obama, for encouraging all of us to reach higher.
05:01Thanks for everything you all are doing for our kids.
05:03Proud of you.
05:04Proud of you.
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