PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Going to college can be a culture shock in many ways, including financially. After all, nearly half of college students say they feel unprepared to manage their own money, according to new data from EVERFI.
Jennifer Finetti, director of outreach and advocacy with ScholarshipOwl, joined FOX43 on April 13 to discuss how to get kids financially ready for college.
As Finetti notes, most college students come out of school with some form of debt, and many people do not have savings.
"I think the most important thing to do, as a parent, is to...have an internal discussion with your family about what is reasonably affordable for you," Finetti said. "I think students, and sometimes parents, can have stars in their eyes when telling their children, 'hey, if you work hard, wherever you get in, we'll send you,' and then they sometimes regret that because that's often not the reality."
Finetti advises incoming college students to apply to as many scholarships as they can before heading to college and making sure to get a summer job prior to starting school.
To watch the full interview with Finetti, check out the clip above.