CPAs invade campus: for financial cram sessions: As a group, American college students spend more than $19 billion each year--that's more money than the national debt of some countries. How are they spending so much? The answer is simple: credit cards.

To confront this trend, members of The Ohio Society are working to educate college students about the dangers associated with credit card debt, and provide tools for good financial management.

Through Financial Fitness Ohio College Days, CPA volunteers visited 10 colleges this spring, reaching out to nearly 800 students across the state. They handed out resources and offered guidance on crucial financial topics, such as how to start a budget and how to obtain a free copy of their credit report.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Students who visited the booth took a pop quiz on personal finance, answering questions such as, "Credit card companies must give you 60 days notice before raising your interest rate. True or False?" (The answer is False, they are only required to give 15 days notice.) Volunteers then graded each quiz, discussed the answers with students, and provided them with Financial Fitness resources.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

To learn more about Financial Fitness Ohio College Days or to volunteer for an event in your area, contact Melanie Sonderman at msonderman@ohio-cpa.com or 800.686.2727, ext. 953.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]