A Book Every High School Student Should Read. by Kylie

A Book Every High School Student Should Read. by Kylie - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

I think all high school students should read “The Everything Money Book: Learn How to Manage, Budget, Save, and Invest Your Money So There's Plenty Left over”. I chose this book because it is something that everyone needs going into their adult life. I do not think it is taught or even discussed well enough in high school. I personally could have benefitted from it in high school.

I do not think young adults today are taught to manage their finances very well if at all before they actually need the skills of doing so. I think that if managing your money is taught in high school then there probably wouldn’t be so many people out there with ruined credit, repossessions and foreclosures on their house. I also believe that it would be beneficial to go into college with some knowledge of managing your money, college students might take college a little more seriously rather than partying through and hoping to depend on their parents.

I had parents that were horrible with money. We lived paycheck to paycheck and struggled with money every month. I sadly learned those behaviors and it really hurt me when I was starting out on my own. I wish I knew then what I know now and I probably wouldn’t be so financially devastated trying to go back to school. I graduated high school, skipped college, racked up debt through credit cards and car loans that I had no idea about. I have been left trying to clean up my credit, return to college as a mom of two children.

I will be teaching my children how to handle their finances, budget their money and understand what they can and cannot afford. I do not want to rely on the school system to teach them these things as they were not taught to me in school. I want better for my children that what I had, I want them to learn the tools of life and success over how to party, blow money and rely on mom and dad to pay their bills. My children will be given the tools to be financially and morally successful.