Why is Economics only taught for one semester? by Sandra

Why is Economics only taught for one semester? by Sandra - November 2021 Scholarship Essay

“Only 32% of 18-year-olds said they managed most or all of their finances without help...”(https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/financial-independence-report/#key-finding-2) “Economics is the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services or the material welfare of humankind.” (dictionary.com) In my high school, during senior year, (for social studies) we are taught Economics one semester and US Government the second semester and vice versa. While we are taught the Economics of the United States, I think the school should split the semesters and teach the students more about how to manage the student’s own personal economics while still teaching them about the Economics of the US.
After high school, most high students don’t know how to budget or even manage their money so these students rely on their parents to help out. Having learned this while still being in high school will definitely bring that percentage down. The students learn everything about how the US managed its finances throughout history that they’ve never thought about learning how to manage their own finances after they have to move out of mommy and daddy’s place. Going into the real world is terrifying especially without their parents holding their hand through it all. “A full 70% of the early adults in the Merrill Lynch Age Wave survey said they’ve received financial support from their parents in the past year and 58% said they couldn’t afford their current lifestyles without it.” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2019/04/18/how-young-adults-feel-about-financial-independence-from-their-parents/?sh=33bef8b762b0) At least learning how to manage their money going into the real world would assure they’ll survive out there.
Teaching students how to manage their own economics will also decrease the risk of those students receiving debt the years after they’ve graduated high school. The first years after getting out of high school, especially, are some of the most expensive years of a person’s life. The student has to think if they want to attend a college or university and a college/university can become extremely expensive even if the student chooses not to finish the college they’ve asked their parents to pay for. But if they do choose to go to college and if they choose a college out of their home state, they have to think about where they’re going to stay and how they’ll pay the bills without their parents. So learning about how to manage finances would surely benefit a student’s life as they start becoming a young adult.
In conclusion, I think that schools should focus more on teaching their students about how to manage their own personal economics. I believe this because studies show that many high school graduates end up obtaining debt or become very dependent on their parent’s money until their late 20’s. And the students can take those teachings with them until they’ve become so capable of controlling their finances that they don’t need to call mommy and/or daddy to ask for help anymore.