The Class Not Enough Schools Have by Alison

The Class Not Enough Schools Have by Alison - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

Some of the classes students are required to take don't ever become applicable in the future. Classes like history and certain math classes only benefit those going into a related field. However, there are many classes that could be much more beneficial to students. One of these is a financial literacy class. It would provide students with the knowledge to make better financial decisions and help prepare them to plan for their future.
In a financial literacy class, students learn the basic principles of budgeting, saving, debt, investing, and general money management. From this class, one would gain the confidence to use money in a wiser manner. A lot of young people also find themselves heavily relying on others for financial advice. A class of such would also give students the opportunity to be more financially independent. About 80% of U.S. citizens take on some form of debt. The lack of smart decisions one makes along the way greatly contributes to increased debt such as obtaining a loan with a high-interest rate. Poor spending habits and decisions also lead to money problems. From there, the odds of developing health issues increase. Anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure are all resulting disorders of debt. A lack of intelligent decisions stems from the fact that students today aren't as well equipped for their future as they should be. Many young people don't understand the importance of being financially literate. Imagine the impact a mandatory class in which students learn basic principles about finance would have on the debt individuals carry for the rest of their lives. Having debt has become normalized in society, so few tackle the root causes of it. The first step toward doing so is to implement a financial literacy class in schools.
Recent studies have found that over half of college students in the United States don't feel they are well-prepared for their future careers. People's fear surrounding this issue continues to grow each year; not everyone has a figure in their life to guide them through adulthood. Thus, why we need more classes that develop life skills. The skills someone develops from a financial literacy class will increase their chances of being successful. When basic finance isn't taught in schools, young adults suffer. In order for our future generations to become successful, they need to be equipped with the basic knowledge of how to budget and save money.
Too many young adults ruin their future from poor spending and saving habits. With an understanding of how to manage money, fewer of them will end up in major debt and can be financially stable. Not enough schools provide students with a financial literacy class. However, rather than focusing on why there isn't one, we should focus on how we can implement it in schools.