Financial Awareness and Consumer Training for Students (FACTS)

Did You Know

Did you know that:

• 75% of students are not ready to deal with the financial challenges ahead of them?
• 62% of final year students have 4 credit cards or more?
• Many students are accumulating debt at a record pace—final year students carry an average of $4,100 in credit card debt alone?
  

Students need a good financial education in order to make informed personal finance decisions and use credit wisely. That's why HESC has created the Financial Awareness and Consumer Training for Students (FACTS) program, an online, instructor-led program.

FACTS will help Financial Aid Administrators and High School Counselors with their efforts to increase student awareness of the dangers of accumulating too much debt and the benefits of saving. FACTS will give students a basic understanding of finance and credit. It may even help to reduce a college's loan default rate.

The FACTS Program

FACTS is a customizable financial literacy curriculum for students. It is presented as modules, each targeted toward a different age level or concentration. The presentations are rich in content yet easy to understand. Created using straightforward language, they cover practical topics such as:

• How to Manage Credit
• The Use of Credit Cards vs. Debit Cards
• Spending Plans
• Personal Financial Management Skills
• Identity Protection
  
  

Customized To Your Students Needs

FACTS modules are downloadable at any time.

FACTS Modules
Module Title	Target Audience
Module 1: Smart Start	Younger, perhaps first time college students
Module 2: Understanding Credit and Credit Cards	Older or graduate students
Module 3: Identity Protection	All students
Module 4: Money Wise ... Your Financial 411	High school students

Once downloaded, the modules can be delivered at your convenience. You decide on the best venue for your students, i.e., at workshops, assemblies, orientations, entrance or exit counseling sessions, and/or as part of a residential life program. Schools can present modules using the detailed speaker notes and useful handouts, or a HESC professional can present for you.

Additional Resources to Call Upon When Helping Students Manage Their Finances

Mapping Your Future Mapping Your Future's Financial Fitness Tools link you to a wealth of financial literacy resources.

We’re Here to Support You

HESC strives to provide superior service to your college and your students. HESC trainers are ready to present FACTS at your high school or college campus. For more information on financial literacy for college students, call Mary Turner at 518-474-4898 or e-mail mturner@hesc.org. For more information on financial literacy for high school students, call Pam Jerome at 518-402-3521 or e-mail pjerome@hesc.org.

Give your students the FACTS. Help them build a better financial future.