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If you are contacted about your personal information regarding financial aid and you are in doubt, don't answer any questions! Hang up and call our office directly at 979.845.3236 or email us at financialaid@tamu.edu.
 

“What is a mutual fund?” Sam Rogers asked his financial literacy class.

Tessa Sabin, an 11th grader at Riverton High School, offered a guess: “Isn’t it where you invest in something that’s invested in multiple things? So that if one of them tanks, it doesn’t affect you overall because your investment is spread around.”

Rogers throws a lollipop to her for answering correctly. This kind of question is normal in Utah high schools, where financial literacy is a core requirement to graduate. Five states in the U.S. earn an A grade from Champlain College’s Center for Financial Literacy when it comes to teaching personal finance in high school, but only Utah has gotten an A+.

To view the full article, visit https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-state-gets-teaching-students-money-161046576.html.

"The scholarship provided to me by The Association of Former Students through your generous support has not only been an immense gift for me, but for my family as well. When I first received word of the scholarship, it gave me hope that achieving a college education was a possibility. You have provided me with the opportunity to achieve my dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer in hopes of providing a better future for my current and future family. I hope to one day be able to give back to the university that has given so much to me. Thank you so much."

-Jose Godoy '19

To view the full article, visit https://www.aggienetwork.com/spotlight/.

Millennials have to endure many stereotypes. They are often labeled lazy, entitled and even narcissistic.

Zach Swartz, an older millennial himself and portfolio manager with BKD Wealth Advisors in Springfield, Missouri, isn't sure the generation really deserves to be singled out in that way. "Sometimes millennials can be painted as very different from other generations when they're not," he says.

Case in point: the money management mistakes commonly made by millennials. The following six mistakes aren't so different from the financial gaffes made by older adults.

To view the full article, visit https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/2018-03-02/6-money-management-mistakes-millennials-often-make

"Jamie McKnight, 35, a mother of two, filed her federal tax return in late January, expecting to get a roughly $9,700 refund that would help her pay for rent, health care expenses and other bills," USA Today reports. "What the Kingston, N.Y., resident didn't anticipate was that nothing would show up in her bank account."

"McKnight soon discovered that the government had seized the money to apply to her overdue student loans, which she said total roughly $20,000. She says she didn't know the loans were in default, or that the feds could repay the debt with her refund.

'I waited for it to hit my account, and nothing happened,' she said. 'It's frustrating because this was supposed to be our safety net.'

To view the full article, visit https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/14941/Tax_Refund_Got_You_Excited_Don_t_Count_On_it_If_Your_Student_Loans_Are_in_Default

Students preparing to begin college and take more control over their personal finances in many cases lack the skills and knowledge to make responsible financial decisions and repay their student loans, according to a new survey from EverFi.

The survey collected data from a nationally representative sample of more than 100,000 incoming college students — most from four-year institutions — in more than 410 institutions across the country. Overall, the survey found that most respondents struggled to answer basic financial literacy questions, and on average only answered two of six questions correctly.

To view the full article, visit https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/14855/Survey_Incoming_College_Students_Struggle_With_Basic_Financial_Literacy.

It’s truly an honor to stand by your friend’s side as she exchanges vows with her beloved and takes her first steps toward marital bliss. If only those precious moments could make up for the exorbitant costs that come with being a part of her special day.

Members of the wedding party spend an average of $728 on gifts, travel and attire for the wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party and shower, according to a new Bankrate report.

The average price varies depending on where you live. Northeastern wedding party members should be prepared to shell out even more than that, with an average all-in cost of $1,070 to participate in all three events.

While those figures may be eye-boggling, it’s actually an extremely conservative estimate.

To view the full article, visit https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-americans-spend-attend-wedding-100053961.html.

 Almost time to start paying back your student loans?  Contrary to popular belief, your student loan payments don’t have to stop you from living your life. You just have to weigh your options and find a strategy that works within your budget. Here are some steps to get you started.

To view the full article, visit https://blog.ed.gov/2016/04/5-must-dos-before-repaying-your-student-loans/?sf86459059=1

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, is one of the most important steps students and their families can take to pay for college.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Education awards around $150 billion in financial aid annually to help students pay for their education at 6,000 colleges, universities and career schools. This aid comes in the form of grants, student loans and work-study funds. In other words, funds can be awarded, such as with a grant; borrowed; or earned through work experience.

While the Department of Education has streamlined the FAFSA process over the last two decades, students and parents often have questions about the form. Here's what to know about the FAFSA.

To view the full article, visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/completing-the-fafsa

Managing your money during a semester abroad is no easy feat.

After a summer internship at CNBC writing about personal finance, I left for a semester abroad armed with plenty of information to better manage my money. But now that I've been in Spain for a few months, I've found there's a lot I didn't know.

Here are six key lessons I've learned about how to manage money while studying abroad.

To view the full article, visit https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/09/6-tricks-to-spend-wisely-during-a-semester-abroad.html.