CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS

• Make learning financial literacy skills a key college success skill. Financial literacy is a specialized form of information literacy.
• Create a budget and then live on it. Remember that it’s your budget, tailor-made by and for you.
• Act on some of the suggestions offered in this chapter for cutting your costs. For most college students, cutting costs is even more important than increasing their income.
• Learn as much as you can about the different types of financial aid. Find out what is offered to U.S. college students and by your particular college, even though the term has already started. It’s never too late to take advantage of these opportunities.
• Carefully consider the pros and cons of working while in college. If you do work, consider how much and where. Realize that students who borrow money and attend college full-time are more likely to attain their degrees than those who use a different strategy.
• Remember that you will finish college with two key numbers: your GPA and your credit score. College is therefore a time to learn how to use credit wisely. Potential employers will be checking your transcripts and your credit reports!
• Learn the strategies in this chapter for wise credit card management to stay out of this trap. Credit card companies troll for bait on college campuses; you do not want to be that bait.
• Take advantage of help offered on your campus to learn financial management skills. You can’t help it if you didn’t learn these skills before; you may not have had any money to manage!