The Minnesota Council on Economic Education (MCEE) is now accepting applications for the ninth annual College Dollars & Sense: Personal Finance for Life After High School, a personal finance-based college-readiness program for high school students. College Dollars & Sense is a free week-long program held virtually via Zoom with participating students receiving a $100 stipend.
The 2022 program has two virtual program options:
- June 20 – 24 (9:00 am – 12:00pm)
- June 27 – July 1 (9:00 am – 12:00pm)
- *Southern MN Only (below the red line): z.umn.edu/CDSmap
Applications are due by April 22, 2021 – 60 students accepted for each of the two offerings.
Please share this flyer & paper or online (preferred) application with teachers and students. More information & our FAQ document can be found on our website at z.umn.edu/MCEE-CDS.
The program is open to all Minnesotan students currently in grades 9-11, though we prioritize students who are first-generation college students, students of color, students who are or children of parents/guardians who are immigrants &/or refugees, or students who qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Topics Covered:
- Day 1: Intro (Opportunity cost, scarcity, decision making), Price of Independence (live presentation)
- Day 2: College: Choosing the right school (types of schools, decision making- PACED), Paying for school, Student Panel, & Financial Aid Speaker
- Day 3: Saving and Investing (Types of banks, savings vehicles, compound interest) Identity Theft/Online Banking Speaker, & Credit Speaker
- Day 4: Credit and loans (credit score, 3 C’s, decision making) Saving & Investing Speaker
- Day 5: Personal plan- My Life Plan presentation in small groups, Exit survey
Types of panels/guest speakers/volunteers:
- Investment Specialist
- University of MN Financial Aid Specialist
- Credit & Loans Specialist
- College Student Panel
Types of breakout group activities, especially the “life plan” project
- Occupation Ranking Activity: How learning more leads to earning more (human capital, education vs wage graph, education vs unemployment graph, networking, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the fastest-growing jobs will require an associates degree or higher)
- Saving & Investing: How can you start to save money today? What could be manageable? Is it possible for you to start to invest money? How could you do that?
- Estimating credit score
- Action Plans
When students apply, they will be asked to answer a few short questions (current activities involved in, why is college important to them, etc.), provide two references, and need to list the name and contact information for a teacher or administrator at their school who agrees to be a contact for the application. This teacher/administrator will be included in all communications sent to the student and family to help ensure that students are receiving information. We may also call on this teacher/administrator to help us get accepted students to confirm their attendance.
If you have any questions, please call or email. Thank you for sharing this program with your teachers and students.
Sincerely,
Angela Zappa
Communications & Program Director
Minnesota Council on Economic Education
(612) 624-5707
[email protected]
