Free Online Video Series: Paying for College

​A new resource is now available for students who want to avoid the debt traps. Easy to follow videos help students get best return on their college investment! 

With student loan debt topping more than a trillion dollars, a free resource is now available for students who want to avoid the debt traps that have become all too common in recent years.
 
The online video series Paying for College SD https://payingforcollegesd.org/ teaches students and their families how to carefully consider their education options and make informed decisions about how to pay for college. While the videos were developed for students in South Dakota, there is a great deal of valuable information for students and parents in any state. 
 
Easy-to-follow videos, narrated by Black Hills TV host, Anya Mueller, are designed to help students get the best return on their college investment and avoid costly mistakes. The videos include tips about budgeting, financial aid and student loan basics, and advice from South Dakota college students and graduates, as well as higher education professionals from across the state.
 
There is also a turn-key article with graphics that you can use in your credit union newsletter, which you can download here.
 
The video series was produced in partnership with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Black Hills, South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center, and Career Learning Center of the Black Hills, a division of BHSSC Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, and is supported by a grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation.
 
Bonnie Spain, Executive Director of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Black Hills, was the scriptwriter for the video series and drew on her expertise and years of experience assisting individuals struggling with debt. Spain says, “College is a long-term investment and, as with any investment, requires planning and research. There are ways to get an education without incurring too much debt.”
 
Career Learning Center of the Black Hills Executive Director, Gloria Pluimer, says “I am confident students and families alike will benefit from this valuable resource. The information provided in these videos will have an impact on the financial choices one makes entering college, during college, and well into the future.”
 
This series fits nicely with the credit union mission of “Financial Well-Being for All.” Financial wellness is at the heart of credit unions’ focus within our communities and deeply embedded into our structure. Be sure to visit the Dakota Credit Union Association website for more resources to promote financial wellness.