Student to student: Sharing need-to-know info about money management
By now you’ve surely heard about K-State’s award-winning peer counseling program from Powercat Financial. Located in the K-State Student Union, the team works to ensure that as students pursue an education, they also establish a strong financial foundation for a secure start in life.
Powercat Financial’s peer counselors are trained students who are studying for careers in financial services. They help students craft education financial plans, which sounds about as fun as a trip to the dentist but can effectively prevent poor decisions that carry lasting consequences.
Most importantly, Powercat Financial counselors know what it’s like to be a student. Here are five facts Peer Counselor Andrew Schwinn, a senior in economics, thinks every K-State student should know about this free service.
Peer-recommended pointers
- It’s personalized for you.“Everyone is coming from a different place and working toward their own outcomes here at K-State. Your curriculum, activities, expenses and income are all unique to you, so we don’t feed everyone the same one-size-fits-all advice.”
- You don’t have to come armed with a detailed spreadsheet containing all your financial info. “Gather your account information beforehand if you can, but even if you just bring yourself, we’ll be able to help. We have super helpful formulas that let us add your college, credit hours, classes, etc., and they automatically calculates your tuition and fees. If you have questions about any financial aid you may have, we can help with that, too.”
- It’s helpful at any point in your academic journey. “A wide variety of students come in. I recently met with a junior, and the one before that was a graduate student. We see lots of prospective students and freshmen who are wondering how to pay for college in general, but anyone with financial questions or problems is free to come in.”
- It’s not just for students who are paying their own way. “We often do Zoom calls with the student and their parents, so we can help clear up which expenses the parents will cover and which will be the student’s responsibility.”
- They can connect you with resources that help you implement your plan and manage day-to-day expenses. “I’ve been able to point students in the direction of available scholarships that, even if it won’t cover their entire tuition, will help them feel better about where they are and know there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We help students budget and make sure they know about the many resources we have on campus, like Cats’ Cupboard for when food supplies run low.”
Because money matters are a top source of stress for today’s students, Andrew wants students to know K-State is dedicated to helping them get their finances in order.
“We want students to leave our meeting with a clearer understanding of their situation than they came with and an actionable plan to meet their goals,” he said.
Learn more about how peer counseling works.
