Editing #youthspeak on Student Debt Makes Me Feel Old

A few months ago, our President and Publisher Stephanie Eidelman wrote a piece for Forbes about the importance of teaching kids about credit and consumer finance. Good news, boss: It’s happening! And I got to witness it firsthand.

Not that I use social media to procrastinate at work, but I just happened to be on Facebook Wednesday afternoon when my youngest sister (the tall one in the story photo) sent me a message asking for help on a homework assignment. She’s studying journalism at Indiana University, and as a fellow J-school survivor I felt obligated to help (so one day she’ll grow up to be just like me!).

As it turns out, she had written an article about a guest lecture on – you guessed it – credit cards and student debt! The talking points read like my morning Google alerts: Students should focus on paying off loans with the highest interest rate. Using a credit card wisely, and not falling into debt, helps create your all-important credit score. Etc.

The whole thing felt oddly meta and instantly aging. It just goes to show that even the YOUTHS are getting smarter about debt. If you had asked me as a college student to write an article about the exact same lecture, I would have thought every piece of information and jargon was in another language. Now, my 20-year old sister (who, true story, I called a nine-year old every chance I got until she went to college) is acing these concepts.

So what’s stopping industry professionals from doing the same? Our ARM Industry Primer is a great starting point for understanding key ARM concepts like regulation and compliance, the significance of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, brand management and the creditor/collection agency relationship. If you’re specifically looking for insight on student debt, our newly-updated CFPB’s Advice to the Consumer includes all of the CFPB’s answers to student loan debt questions; collectors can use that to review compliance programs, and make sure training, operational, and on-going audit procedures address all relevant matters.

How have you seen college kids and young adults learning about debt? Am I over-reacting to this age gap? Is that a wrinkle on my forehead?!?