Thank you for enrolling in Financial Fundamentals for Students, an investment in your financial wellness.
This course was developed by renowned financial expert, Peter Bielagus, of Wealth Educators International, LLC, in partnership with the National Center for Student Life.
After completing Financial Fundamentals for Students you will:
Be empowered to manage your money with confidence
Make decisions about your finances based on future goals
Be a responsible steward of your financial resources
Avoid common mistakes people make with their money
Here are some tips for making the most of this course:
Try to go in order. If there is a lesson that can meet an urgent need, then go ahead and watch that first. (For instance, if you want to buy a car next week, feel free to skip right to that lesson.) But the lessons are meant to be watched in order.
Make a schedule. The course includes three and a half hours of video, each lesson is about 8 minutes of video and another 8-10 minutes of action items. Some action items, such as doing a budget will take longer, while others may not apply to you and can be skipped. The bonus unit has approximately 60 minutes of video in 8-minute segments. The course can be completed in 6-8 hours; the bonus unit can be completed in approximately 2 hours. We suggest you spend about 10-20 minutes per day.
Use the Student Guide. Immediately following this Introduction page, the Student Guide summarizes each lesson, gives you review questions, action assignments, suggested activities, fun facts, and an area to take notes. It’s through these items that you’ll really delve into your personal financial life and work towards creating abundance in your life and in the world.
Review it, even if you know it. For some, certain parts of this course will be a review. Some of it may even seem quite basic. But remember this: you can benefit the MOST from the basic stuff. If you are not a US citizen, ask how this might apply in your country. About 80% of personal finance is the same, no matter how old you are, how much money you have, or what country you are from. But certain things, like websites and tax laws, are different. If you are not a US Citizen, don’t think, “This doesn’t apply to me.” Instead ask yourself, “How does this work in my country?”
Be sure to do the activities. You may come across a video that covers a topic you have already heard. But have you TAKEN ACTION on that topic? Have you shopped your car insurance for a better deal? Looked into disability insurance? Suggested Activities can be located in the Student Guide.
Don’t give up. This course is meant to be flexible. What works for you? 20 minutes a day? One hour every week? One video per week for a whole year? Set up a schedule that you know you will stick to. If, for whatever reason, you drift away from the course, come back to it as quickly as you can. Take small steps. You’ll get there!
Earn your certificate! Take the quiz after each lesson to practice, and then the final exam in order to get your Financial Fundamentals for Students course completion certificate. A score of 80% or higher is required to receive the certificate. You may take the final exam up to three times.