American High School Curriculum by Ali

American High School Curriculum by Ali - August 2015 Scholarship Essay

How do we as a logical society allow so much misinformation surround personal finance? The most critical time to be teaching personal finance is in high school. If I had control over the curriculum, it would be just as mandatory as art, history, or science. We ask high school students who are graduating to make major financial decisions when choosing where to go to college, but yet these same students had to ask to use the bathroom months prior?

I am fearful over our nation's debt and the level of student debt that has accumulated in the United States. We are not a nation of savers; we are a nation of borrowers and spenders, and it is extremely detrimental to every single individual living in the United States. We need to teach personal finance to promote good financial habits. We need to teach our students what a credit score is and how it can effect major milestones in their lives if they are not careful to maintain it. We need to give everyone a savings account as soon as they enter high school and encourage smart fiscal habits to make them into smarter adults.

Personal finance is a subject that can't and should not be left for students to figure out on their own.