Financial Literacy
College is an investment in YOUR future. The FREE resources on this page are to assist students in making better-informed financial decisions before, during, and after college. These tools will help increase your knowledge of college costs and affordability, financial aid options, budgeting and saving, and managing and minimizing loan indebtedness. The goal for FINANCIAL LITERACY is to become an invaluable set of skills that helps you navigate school and life.
In order to effectively manage your financial aid, you need to be informed about all the resources and numerous options that are available to you. We’ve collected a few tools and tips to help make financing your education even more manageable. We want all SCF students and families to feel financially prepared for college.
Complete Financial Literacy Program
GradReady is a personal financial literacy tool created specifically for busy students who
want to learn more about managing their finances. GradReady provides excellent topics
with expert guidance and real-world money skills that will help you to make better-informed
financial decisions in your college years and beyond. Students can learn at their
own pace, 24/7, in a flexible, user-friendly online environment. Get instructions here to begin now!
- Paying for College
- how to help fund your college education through completion of the FAFSA and intro to federal loans
- master student loan repayment options
- creating and maintaining a monthly budget with money saving strategies
- information on off-campus living and making ends meet
- Money Management
- understanding different banking services
- credit fundamentals - building credit & understanding credit scores
- calculate your debt and gauge your future income
- avoiding identity theft and protecting yourself
- Real-World Finance
- manage and organize your student loans
- future finances - learn how to make good decisions about your future income
- maximize your paycheck, benefits, and investments
- post-college purchases like home buying and mortgage basics
Develop a Budget
It is important for every student to learn how to make a budget during your college career. Keep in mind that working with a budget involves both short and long term planning. Short term expenses are items such as your books for classes, rent, groceries, and other daily activities. Long term expenses involves planning, for example: your student loans, purchase of a car or a home, and anything that includes your future. Learning to use a budget now will make your future much easier to navigate. For more information Click here.
Additional Resources
- Financial Awareness Counseling Tool
- The U.S. Department of Education's Financial Awareness Counseling provides tools and information to help you understand financial aid and assist with managing your finances. This is a good resource for anyone who is currently paying for or planning to pay for higher education. You will need your FSA ID, the same one you used with the FAFSA, to access the site.
- Repayment Estimator
- Before you contact your federal student loan servicer to discuss repayment plans, you can use the U.S. Department of Education's Repayment Estimator to get an early look at which plans you may be eligible for and see estimates for how much you could possibly pay.
- My Money
- Mymoney.gov - This website is a product of the Congressionally chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which is made up of more than 20 Federal entities that are coordinating and collaborating to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans. The Commission was established by the Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act, Title V of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-159).
- Financial Well-being - Where do you stand?
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides tools that you can use to see where
you stand financially. The ultimate goal of our work is to help you improve your financial
well-being. Financial well-being means how much your financial situation and money
choices provide you with security and freedom of choice. We developed a questionnaire and a scoring method as a tool that can help you take stock of your financial well-being.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides tools that you can use to see where
you stand financially. The ultimate goal of our work is to help you improve your financial
well-being. Financial well-being means how much your financial situation and money
choices provide you with security and freedom of choice. We developed a questionnaire and a scoring method as a tool that can help you take stock of your financial well-being.
Money Basics to Help you Manage
