Video: Professors Talk to MSU Students About Monitoring Their Credit

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Think first. Swipe later. It sounds so simple. George Mason professor Todd Zywicki says understanding the basics of credit will save your financial future.

“As citizens I think it’s important for people to understand consumer credit because we’ve taken such an interventionist approach since the financial crisis,” said Zywicki.

As a society that spends more than it makes, the professor drove home the principles of consumer credit at a round-table discussion with Mississippi State business students.

“It’s something that’s different and outside their normal curriculum and a very hot topic in Washington and a very important aspect of their financial lives moving forward,” said MSU Finance Professor Tom Miller.

According to consolidatecredit.org, 78% of college students have at least one credit card. 35 out of the nations top 50 credit card companies now compete in the college market.

” I think what students do enjoy though is they have a limit to credit card limits. So they can’t really run up much of a balance because credit card companies know that jeez i’m not going to land them a whole lot of money. But, they do get to practice paying off their credit card debts,” said Miller.

Graduate student Bryan Farrell says it’s also important that students pay attention to which cards they choose.

“They need to know the options that are available to them. Cause there is a huge competition within the credit card market so they don’t need to just accept the first rate that’s thrown to them. They need to do their own research when applying for a credit card or taking on that responsibility,” said Farrell.

The college of business teamed up with the finance and economics department to host Friday’s discussion. Officials also held a program examining the new Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.