Credit Practices and Financial Education Needs of Midwest College Students

Abstract

College students are facing a number of financial challenges, including rising college costs and subsequent escalation in student borrowing to finance their education. Financial aid has not kept pace with rising college costs, and fewer parents are helping to cover these costs, because they overextended themselves with debt during the 1990s. The end result is that an increasing number of students are turning to credit card debt to help finance their education. The growth in credit card usage among college students has generated concern that students' credit card behavior is putting them at greater risk for high debt levels and misuse and/or mismanagement of credit after graduation. The main objectives of this report are to 1) provide greater insight into the credit practices and financial education needs of Midwest college students and 2) to identify ways in which campus administrators and financial professionals can help students better manage their credit and avoid future misuse of credit down the road.

Keywords: Credit cards, credit debt, financial aid, financial literacy, college costs