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An Analysis of Personal Financial Literacy Among College Students

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Haiyang Chen at Marshall University
Haiyang Chen
Ronald P. Volpe
Ronald P. Volpe
Ronald P. Volpe
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This study surveys 924 college students to examine their personal financial literacy; the relationship between the literacy and students' characteristics; and impact of the literacy on students' opinions and decisions. Results show that participants answer about 53% of questions correctly. Non-business majors, women, students in the lower class ranks, under age 30, and with little work experience have lower levels of knowledge. Less knowledgeable students tend to hold wrong opinions and make incorrect decisions. It is concluded that college students are not knowledgeable about personal finance. The low level of knowledge will limit their ability to make informed decisions.
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