high school – Carol H Cox

January 31, 2018March 1, 2018

On the Front Line for Teen Literacy

By Carol H Cox

Public school systems that offer personal finance courses are still the exception, and not the rule. The 2016 Council for Economic Education Survey of the States found that only 17 states required high schools students to complete a course on personal finance. State public educational systems are huge bureaucracies that take a long time and a lot of energy to change course. We can’t solely depend on public education to provide the personal finance training that our children need to prepare them for post-high school life. We parents need to fill this void. Continue reading “On the Front Line for Teen Literacy”

October 4, 2016January 31, 2018

Personal Finance Tips Before Heading to College

By Carol H Cox

At this time of year, the attention of many high school seniors’ becomes focused on transforming into college freshmen. It’s a thrilling time for young adults as they experience increasing independence, emotional untethering, and face new challenges. But before they “cut the cord” there are a few personal finance basics they should know.

Having a checking account with an ATM/debit card attached can make handling student finances easier.

Ideally, with the help of a parent, college-bound teens will have opened a checking account sometime during their junior or senior year of high school. Checking accounts are a convenient and easy way to store and access money. And most student checking accounts are free until the accountholder graduates from college. There will be many expenses in college that aren’t included with the payment of tuition, room and board, and fees, whether it be books, class supplies, toiletries, meals off campus, transportation costs, or other things. Using an ATM/debit card or writing checks can be an efficient way to handle these costs.

Continue reading “Personal Finance Tips Before Heading to College”

June 22, 2016February 7, 2018

Checklist for Applying to College

By Carol H Cox

Not long ago, I attended my daughter’s high school College Information Night. It had been over 7 years since I’d been to one of these. At first, I was going to skip it, but then I reconsidered how things may have changed in the college admission process. I was glad I went. I learned a lot, and I thought I’d pass some information on to you all.

Below, I’ve shared some web links, resources, and thoughts regarding the college application process that might be helpful to Junior and Senior high school students and their families. The timing listed below is approximate. Depending on where you are applying to college, the dates may be quite different, and if students are applying early action or early decision to college the timing will be earlier. Hopefully, this list will get you thinking about what’s coming up on the horizon.

Continue reading “Checklist for Applying to College”