Financial Fridays: College Money Matters

Using the “self-directed” format that today’s generation of internet users have come to rely on, collegemoneymatters.org takes users through such essential financial literacy topics as:

• How student loans work
• Calculating the costs of college
• How diversifying your college choices leads to better affordability
• Determining a “safe” amount to borrow
• Lowering your costs through scholarships and grants

And many other subjects that directly address the major financial question facing every student aiming to go to college: “What will it cost, and how much can I afford?”

To ensure objectivity, our site accepts no advertisements from financial institutions who could profit from their users, nor does it sell its client list. That way, the content is not influenced by powerful players in the student loan industry. In addition, collegemoneymatters.org is available in English and Spanish, and features accessibility software to reach as many students as possible.

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College Money Matters is continually adding new content to the site, and we are currently receiving over 10,000 visitors per month. Perhaps more important, our users select an average of 6 pages per visit, and the bounce rate is a miniscule 0.78%. In other words, students are staying – and learning.

We also offer a number of resources for teachers and counselors to support the lessons being communicated on the website, including:

• Timely Topics – a set of scheduled announcements that align with important dates in the college and loan application calendar. They feature brightly colored .pdfs that can be printed out and placed in classrooms, office and hallways, and each contains a QR code which students can scan to take them right to a well-timed college-related topic.
• The College Money Matters Newsletter – a periodic email that delivers insights and guidelines on how to make more informed decisions about applying, choosing and paying for college.
• College Crossroads ­– An interactive game where players get to choose their own path to paying for college and see the benefits or consequences of their decisions.