he Financial Literacy guide contains resources such as links to articles, videos and research to help students make sound financial decisions.
Jarod Powell
-Staff Writer-
There is a new tool to help students manage their financial lives. The Financial Literacy guide contains resources such as links to articles, videos and research to help students make sound financial decisions.
Created by STLCC-Florissant Valley Reference Librarian Sharon Fox, the guide, which can be found on the STLCC website, was created to give access to financial information students might not otherwise know how to find.
“Most people want to be secure financially, all the way up to retirement, I would think,” Fox said. “Things like savings and debt are important things to be educated on.”
Fox said debt is a major problem with students.
“Student loan debt and credit card debt are the two primary concerns for students,” Fox said. “And it’s not something a 23 year old necessarily thinks about.”
The Financial Literacy Guide aims to clarify what seems to be a mystifying subject for college-aged people. Fox said that credit card companies pursue students aggressively with card offers. “It’s a big deal,” Fox said. “You could really get into financial trouble.”
One of the videos on the guide, “Financial Literacy in College,” features interviews with college students where they are asked questions like, “What is the interest rate on your student loan?” and “What is your credit score?” One young lady laughs and answers, “I don’t even know what a credit score is.” In fact, most of the students featured in the video could not answer what most would consider basic questions regarding their financial lives.
“Financial literacy can help students by giving them the knowledge and confidence to make sound financial decisions,” Fox said. “Not just as students, but for a lifetime.”
The Financial Literacy Guide can be found on the “Libraries” page on the STLCC website, or by going to http://guides.stlcc.edu/financial.
