Financial Literacy

Games

    

 

Key Elements

Why Go to College?

The infographic below outlines the average earnings and unemployment rates of individuals with different levels of eduation.

Budgeting

Budgeting will play an important role in your educational and financial success, and Mint.com is a great budgeting tool.

Budget calculators are a helpful way to plan and organize your finances. Check out this budget calculator from Federal Student Aid.

Credit

It's a good idea to be aware of your credit status. The following websites are trustworthy and can provide you with free credit reports:

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
http://www.creditkarma.com/

Key Terms

Understanding the financial terms you may come across will prevent confusion about your financial aid. Check out this glossary of terms, provided by Federal Student Aid.

Loans

Repayment of Federal Loans

It is important to fully understand the repayment of your Federal Loans. The video below illustrates what to expect during repayment as well as some of the Repayment Plans that may be available to you.

The following calculators can help you estimate your federal student loan monthly payment amounts under the Income-Contingent Repayment Plan and the Income-Based Repayment Plan:

http://uh.edu/financial/undergraduate/faq/index.php?tant
http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/understand/plans/income-based/calculator

The following calculator can help you decide how much aid to borrow based on your expected salary:

http://mappingyourfuture.org/paying/debtwizard/

How much do I owe?

Additional Information

How to fill out the FAFSA

 Types of Federal Student Aid
 

Career Search

Having a career in mind can help you stay motivated throughout college. This site allows you to browse possible career paths.

Project your Salary

Knowing the expected salary in your chosen career will help you plan your future. This site has information on the expected salaries of different jobs in different parts of the country.