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The Convenience of Credit Cards Essay

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Credit cards can be invaluable tools for college students. Using a credit card is more convenient than cash, and may help a young adult build credit that will be useful throughout his adult life. However, before a student applies for a credit card, he needs to know how credit works and the consequences associated with the misuse of a credit card. Credit can be very helpful, but may also be dangerous if one does not use it properly. Many students apply for a credit card as a way to have extra spending money, without realizing that the money has to be repaid. Students should have an income in order to repay their credit card purchases. Unfortunately, many students do not pay off their cards, and therefore incur large amounts of debt. …show more content…

The alumni association of the University of Michigan has a similar contract with Bank of America for $25.5 million over 11 years (Glater). Michigan State receives, in addition to their yearly amount, royalties for each student account opened and higher amounts if the student accounts hold a balance (Glater). The financial pressure theoretically kills any incentive the university may have to encourage financial responsibility. Many credit card companies believe that college students are naïve enough to fall for gimmicks and giveaways, and so far they have been widely successful. Sometimes, all it takes to get a college student to fill out a credit card application is to offer him a free sandwich or a Frisbee. This is a very small price to pay to appeal towards such a large, untapped market. Although young adults are usually perceived as a high-risk demographic, many college students keep their first credit cards throughout their lives, and in turn are profitable for the credit card companies in the long run (Dickler). A lack of financial education is likely a major cause for significant credit card debt. According to SallieMae, students who have discussed credit with their parents are more likely to be responsible with their credit usage, and therefore are less likely to be surprised by their monthly bill. Students may also be becoming desensitized to debt. Many college students are borrowing tens of thousands of dollars to pay for

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