The Academic Hustle: The Ultimate Game Plan for Scholarships, Internships, and Job Offers

by Matthew Pigatt

Overview

A guide to financial aid and paying for school “filled with nuggets of insight and wit from one who succeeded against the odds and aims to inspire others” (Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President Emeritus, Morehouse College).

Matthew Pigatt made the transformation from a juvenile delinquent with a 2.1 GPA in high school to a national award-winning researcher, graduating magna cum laude from Morehouse. In this book, Matthew uses his journey of entering college on academic probation and covering all tuition with loans—to securing over $100,000 in scholarships, fellowships, and awards—as a springboard for a detailed, step-by-step guide to academic and career achievement.

The Academic Hustle gives a personal accounting of strategies uncovered while conducting research on high achievers. Through experience and research, Pigatt has refined a system that has been replicated by hundreds of other students to secure scholarships, grants, internships, and jobs—amounting to millions in funding for their career development. Learn how to:

• Develop a plan for your career
• Find and apply for scholarships
• Win awards and be recognized
• Cultivate a network for success
• Master time and manage money
• Develop an impressive résumé

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633539341
Publisher:	Mango Media
Publication date:	07/22/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	270
Sales rank:	976,222
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Recognized as Legacy Miami Magazine's 40 under 40, The Miami Times' New Generation of Dreamers, and Harvard Business School's Young American Leaders, Matthew A. Pigatt became the youngest elected official in South Florida in 2016 as Commissioner for the City of Opa-locka.Commissioner Pigatt graduated magna cum laude from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies and Psychology. As the first in his family to go away to college, Commissioner Pigatt earned over $100,000 while in school and participated in international research training programs in Paris, France and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He conducted national award-winning research at UC-Berkeley, Emory, and Morehouse on high-achieving individuals. After returning home he organized the Juvenile Justice Committee of People Acting for Community Together which assisted in the elimination of out-of-school suspension in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.Currently, Commissioner Pigatt chairs the premier mentoring program for boys in South Florida, the 100 Black Men of South Florida Leadership Academy. He is the founder of the annual South Florida HBCU Picnic, founder of the Sankofa Cypher: A Black History, Culture, and Thought Group, and author of The Academic Hustle: The Ultimate Game Plan for Scholarships, Fellowships, and Job Offers. Through The Academic Hustle, Commissioner Pigatt has helped thousands of students secure millions in funding to attend school and develop their career.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 13

My Story: (The Come Up Wasn't Pretty) 17

Introduction to The Academic Hustle 25

Do You Need The Academic Hustle? 35

Part I The Foundation

Set The Foundation: Identify What and Why 57

Find the Motivation: Personal Mission Statement 58

Determine Your Course: Career Planning 71

Define Your Steps: Goal Setting 92

Part II The Four Pillars

Pillar #1 Get the Best Education 103

Select the Right Institution 104

Decide on Your Area of Study 113

Pick Your Classes Strategically 115

Earn 'A's 119

Pillar #2 Develop an Impressive Résumé 131

Experience-Building Activities 133

Get Involved 135

How to Stand Out 156

Win Awards and Get Recognized 158

Create a Master Résumé 161

Pillar #3 Establish a Network of High Net Worth 165

It's About How You Connect With People 165

Power Networking 169

Building Strategic Relationships 174

Securing Strong Recommendations and References 180

Pillar #4 Tailor Your Presentation 187

How to Research Opportunities 189

Presenting Yourself as the Ideal Candidate 193

Elevator Conversation 196

Interviewing to Win 207

Cover Letters, Essay Questions, & Personal Statements 209

Develop a Working Portfolio 212

Part III The Two Costs

Money Is Time 221

Invest Your Time 223

Identifying What You Need to Do 225

Making Time to Do It 227

Doing It 231

Getting Organized for Classes, Extracurricular Activities, & Applying 232

Manage Your Money 235

Understand the Costs 236

How to Make Money 238

Crash Course in Personal Finance 245

Part IV Putting It All Together

Developing Award-Winning Applications 253

The Complete Guide to Winning Everything 261

Final Words 263

About The Author 265

Editorial Reviews

As a college president, this is the book I have been waiting for! Matthew’s personal transformation, combined with a clear game plan for how students can finance their college education, strikes the perfect balance between inspiration and action.” ~Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President of Benedict College

“Matthew Pigatt in The Academic Hustle provides a clear pathway for urban youth toward higher education and a positive, productive life of prosperity. It should be used as a blueprint for urban youth who seek to overcome the financial hurdles of higher education.” ~Dr. Steve Gallon III, School Board Member for Miami-Dade County Public Schools

“If parents and students follow this game plan they will not have to worry about money for school or what to do after graduation. The Academic Hustle truly is the ultimate game plan for academic achievement.” ~Mr. David Watkins, Director of Equity and Academic Attainment for Broward Public Schools

“An insightful guide for students and parents! The author is a product of Morehouse College that instills in graduates a strong ethic of ‘lifting others as we climb’. The Academic Hustle is filled with nuggets of insight and wit from one who succeeded against the odds and aims to inspire others to academic achievement and personal fulfillment.” ~Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President Emeritus of Morehouse College

“The 100 Black Men of America, Inc. has mentored thousands of youth to career achievement. Matthew is one of our best. Through The Academic Hustle, he distills the wisdom gained from his national award-winning research on our members and his personal transformation into a manual for excellence in education and beyond.” ~Al Dotson, Chairman Emeritus, 100 Black Men of American, Inc.

“A must have for any student. If there is one book I can hand a student to show them how to make the most of college, The Academic Hustle is it.” ~Dr. Kevin Rome, President of Fisk University“How to pay for college is the number one obstacle that prohibits too many students with great potential from earning a degree. This guide offers insightful and innovative ideas about how to achieve that goal without amassing massive debt, which will enable young people to focus on what’s most important—building bright futures.” ~ Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-24 Florida)

From the Publisher