Why Financial Literacy for Teenagers Fails — and What a Lifelong Money Psychology System Would Look Like Instead

Financial literacy for teenagers fails because the brain isn’t ready, the knowledge decays before it’s needed, and shame fills the gap when it doesn’t work. A 2014 meta-analysis of 201 studies found financial literacy education explains only 0.1% of behavioral variance. The right intervention is a lifelong, just-in-time delivery system built around psychological self-awareness.

American Student Assistance Review: Is It Legit?

Quick Answer: American Student Assistance (ASA) is a legitimate Boston-based nonprofit that focuses on early financial education and career planning to prevent student debt rather than manage it after the fact. The organization pivoted from loan servicing in 2013 to help students make smarter education and financial decisions before borrowing begins.What if American Student Assistance …

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Are Foreign Medical Schools Legit or a Scam?

Quick Answer: Foreign medical schools vary widely in legitimacy, but some engage in deceptive practices like St. James School of Medicine, which falsely claimed a 93% licensing exam pass rate when it was actually 35%. The FTC settlement of $1.2 million among 1,300+ students resulted in minimal compensation of approximately $620 per student.Last spring, the …

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Caribbean Medical School Complaints: Student Refunds

Quick Answer: The FTC is distributing over $830,300 in refunds to 1,376 Saint James School of Medicine students who were misled about success rates between 2016-2021. The Caribbean medical school falsely advertised high test pass rates when the actual rate was only 35 percent and claimed residency match rates equal to US schools despite being …

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Flagship Universities Are Enrolling More Out-of-State Students: That May Be A Good Thing

Quick Answer: Public flagship universities have increased out-of-state student enrollment by 55 percent between 2002 and 2022, primarily to generate higher tuition revenue from non-residents. While this trend helps universities financially during declining overall enrollment, it may push in-state students to less prestigious regional schools and increase student debt levels. Aaron Klein, writing for Brookings Mountain …

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Small College Degrees: Are They Worth It?

Quick Answer: Small college degrees from schools with fewer than 1,000 students may not be worth the investment due to precarious financial positions and closure risks. These “micro colleges” increased from 395 to 435 between 2010-2020, primarily due to shrinking enrollments rather than new institutions being founded.The Bottle Rockets, whose music has been compared to Woodie …

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College: When It Helps and When It Hurts

Quick Answer: College can help career prospects when chosen strategically, but hurts financially when students attend struggling institutions. Small nonprofit colleges discount tuition over 50% due to declining enrollment, and many religiously-affiliated schools with under 1,000 students risk closure while surviving primarily on federal student loan money.“It’s good to be shifty in a new country,” …

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College Grads Wildly Overestimate Starting Salaries

Quick Answer: College graduates drastically overestimate their starting salaries, expecting an average of $103,880 but actually earning $55,260 according to a recent study. This miscalculation leads to poor financial planning as students also underestimate living expenses while facing student loan debt.A recent study of college students preparing to graduate found that students suck at trying …

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Student Loans for Rent: What It Means for You

Quick Answer: Students can use federal loan funds for rent and living expenses, with luxury student apartments now costing $1,100+ monthly compared to traditional dorms. While loan money covers housing costs, borrowers should consider the long-term debt implications of choosing expensive accommodations over basic options.When I was a child, my parents were poor. That was …

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