Overview
Financial literacy is the ability to manage your financial resources effectively and responsibly.
What can you do to be financially literate?
- Learn how to create a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly budget
- Track your spending habits
- Learn the difference between something you “need” and something you “want” to prevent overspending
- Learn techniques to pay off debt
- Open a savings account
- Build and establish credit
- Start planning for retirement by researching different types of retirement accounts and any associated risk
Financial Literacy in Paying for College
- Visit CFNC.org. The site can give you tips on how to “plan, apply, and pay for college”. For those thinking about their children’s education, the site also has information on the NC 529 college savings plan.
- Start thinking about budgeting for college. It’s never too early to start. See our tuition and fees information to find the cost of classes and, if you are in an associate program that typically takes two years at full-time status (12+ credit hours), you can see the potential cost for your degree.
- The current booklist can help you estimate the total cost of books for your program. By looking at your program checklist, you can see the courses that you can take in your program and then you can find the books necessary for those courses on the booklist.
- The Net Price Calculator shows potential miscellaneous expenditures based on your living situation and income level that could add to the cost of attendance. If you add the potential full-time tuition and fees costs, book costs, and other miscellaneous costs for the program, you have an estimate of your school expenditures. This estimate means you can start saving with a large enough goal to meet your possible expenses.
- Financial aid is also an option to help you pay for college. To determine your eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid (scholarships), you will need to visit fafsa.gov and complete the FAFSA.
- The Educational Credit Management Corporation provides students information regarding basic student loans, default prevention, resolving default, bankruptcy, and loan forgiveness programs.
General Information
- Student debt is a part of your credit score and any default status will be reported to the credit bureaus. Though we do not offer student loans on this campus, you may have debt from other schools that could impact your ability to receive financial aid here.
- Visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to obtain information on prior loans from previously attended institutions.
Additional Online Resources
Sampson Community College strives to provide information and guidance to students to help them understand how to manage debts of all kinds and repay loans. This information meets requirements from SACSCOC Principle 12.6.
Sampson Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the associate degree. Sampson Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Sampson Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (sacscoc.org).