Read Here to Learn More about a High School Financial Planning Program

To spark interest among a youthful audience about attending financial planning programs, it’s necessary to come up with content that speaks to their unique situations. Therefore, consider first what money decisions high school students will need to make within the next couple of years. When a high school financial planning program addresses how to make those decisions, kids will be much more interested to take the course, and you’ll be that much better able to teach those teens about money.

The first thing that comes to mind is buying a car. Once students turn 16, they are probably eligible to apply for some type of driver’s license. At that time many of them will be considering getting a vehicle to drive. For that reason, knowing the basics of auto loans, budget creation, expense identification, and price negotiation will be of major benefit to these youth. A good personal finance class for high school teens might discuss these topics.

Another topic that will spur interest in financial planning programs among teens is moving out of house and setting out on their own. Whether they plan to buy, rent, or share, young people need a checklist of steps to follow when they go independent. Setting financial goals and putting a budget in place should definitely be on that list. Further checklist items should include all living expenses such as gas/electric, phone/Internet, garbage collection, furniture, appliances, and insurance.

The last important subject to cover in financial literacy courses for high school-aged youth is college planning. High school seniors will be deciding which income sources to pursue after graduation, and many will be considering higher education. They’ll find information on funding streams to pay for college and how to build college budget and career plans most beneficial.

When you embark on a journey to create financial literacy programs for high school students, you should review the factors that have impact on their current financial knowledge and habits. These features comprise their financial backgrounds, sentiments, behaviors, education, and systems.

Background: any high school financial planning program should look at the demographics and socioeconomic status of the audience. Although a given group of high school students will probably have a mixture of SES and demographic characteristics, they also may share commonalities that will help guide the programming.

Sentiment: financial sentiment refers to the emotional relationships people have with personal finances. Money elicits a range of feelings in individuals, and it’s important to know what those feelings are so you can develop financial planning programs that address them.

Behavior: high school students probably already have a set of behavioral habits related to how they use money. They gather their behavior modeling from peers, parents, commercials, and their environment. Financial literacy programs for high school students should focus on modifying any negative patterns of behavior that the group exhibits.

Education: most kids have not been given a top-quality financial education. Evidence shows that adolescents rarely receive proper financial guidance as they mature, either from their parents or through the public school system. For games and fun activities that teach kids money lessons, look at the MyMoney.gov website.

Systems: care must be taken to ensure that students leave high school adequately prepared to meet the challenges of independent life. That includes having financial and support systems in place. A simple mistake with credit can haunt people for seven years or longer, so systematizing one’s finances is essential.