Decision Partners Releases Financial Literacy 101 Update
Boston, September 23, 2008 - Decision Partners today announced the release of Financial Literacy 101 Version 3. Building on the success of Financial Literacy 101, a complete financial literacy course for students, the revised course adds several important updates for both students and universities.
For students:
- A new course path for those considered "independent" for financial aid purposes.
- Personalized financial recommendations based on each student's unique survey responses. Topics include coping with financial stress, work/school balance, number of credit cards, spending habits, and involving parents in financial decisions (dependent students only).
- New content on avoiding bank fees and on "alternative banking" practices including check cashing and payday loan services that increasingly target students.
- Financial goal-setting is integrated into relevant course modules - each participant will have completed personal short and long-term goals by the end of the course.
- Budget calculator exercise figures are now saved to each student's My Money page for budget-to-actual comparisons with actual receipts. Calculations are provided for the budget as a whole and for each line item.
- Support for hearing impaired students (beta test phase).
For universities:
- Course administrators have the option of requiring a student id number for easier longitudinal tracking and integration with enterprise systems.
- Schools with in-person financial counseling capabilities have the option of providing contact information for on campus resources for students seeking extra financial help.
"This update highlights our commitment to providing the most relevant, engaging experience available," said Austin Jackson, CEO of Decision Partners. "One-size-fits-all financial literacy education programs are simply not likely to motivate the behavior changes that will lead to more responsible financial decision making. Our unique course platform is based on cognitive-behavioral skills training techniques that have been proven effective in a variety of prevention contexts. We encourage campus decision makers to spend an hour with our course and to compare it with any other solution available."
The updated course is now live for all university customers at www.financialliteracy101.org.
Financial Literacy 101 is an interactive, multimedia experience that offers more than brochures, one-time lectures or simple web pages. It is a complete turnkey education solution that allows schools to provide critical financial education programs to entire populations of students, while also customizing the experience to each individual student. In addition, the surveys taken at the beginning and end of the course yield a comprehensive set of data offering insight into the financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of students on each campus. The course is currently used in a variety of contexts including University 101 courses, TRIO/Student Support Services programs, first-year orientation, Satisfactory Academic Progress interventions, and as a general student resource.
To learn more about bringing one of our services to your organization, please contact us.