Financial Education for College Students

Abstract

The financial decisions that college students make during college have an important influence on their quality of life both during and after college. While there is general agreement that many students are not prepared for the decisions they will face, there is less agreement about whether financial education should be general and comprehensive or targeted and need-specific, what constitutes financially literate students and how to assess their literacy, and effective ways to deliver financial education. This chapter discusses previous research in each of these areas, describes the results of a survey on these topics, and concludes with directions for the future.