INDIANAPOLIS, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Funds surveys of students who had received personal finance education through their college or university disclose that nine of 10 respondents changed how they manage their personal finances and college life.

Among the 1,522 students who responded to the quarterly surveys, 90 percent reported changing at least one financial or college success behavior after completing lessons of USA Funds Life Skills, an online financial literacy and student success curriculum for college students. Of those students reporting changes in their personal finance behaviors, the respondents reported making an average of 10 behavioral changes.

The five behavioral changes most frequently cited by the survey respondents along with the number of respondents citing each change are as follows:

USA Funds invited all students who had completed at least one USA Funds Life Skills lesson between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2011, to complete an online survey. Respondents could choose from a list of 25 possible personal finance behavior change statements, including topics related to managing school life and student loans, managing student finances and managing personal life issues.

"These results indicate that regular exposure to personal finance education can help college students adopt habits that promote completion of their college programs, as well as sound spending and saving practices and wiser use of credit," said Denise B. Feser, USA Funds senior vice president, School and Student Services.

In addition to quarterly follow-up surveys, USA Funds assesses the impact of USA Funds Life Skills lessons in the following ways:

USA Funds Life Skills is a Web-based financial literacy and student success program designed to help students learn to manage their money and time wisely while in school and after graduation. The curriculum includes 34 lessons that cover a range of topics, including paying for college, managing student loans, managing money and credit, living on a budget, setting goals, preparing for graduation and balancing school and personal life.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Funds is a nonprofit corporation that works to enhance postsecondary education preparedness, access and success by providing and supporting financial and other valued services. For more information about USA Funds, visit http://www.usafunds.org.

Continue reading here:
College students report changes in money management and college success behaviors