Possibly, but according to a recent independent national study, more than 50 percent of millennials were judged to be financially illiterate. Only 11 percent showed a high proficiency by scoring more than 75% on a basic test. The problem with personal finance is that by the time you realize your child doesn’t have the necessary skills, it might be too late to fix it.

There is a lot of information available online, but watching a video is not the same thing as in-person learning. Participants in My Money Camp learn and retain information because our curriculum is hands- on, in-person, interactive and fun.

Yes. High school economics classes focus mostly on macro-economics, defined as “the study of the behavior of an economy as a whole, including its structure, performance, and decision-making.” My Money Camp will teach your student about four areas of personal finance: making money; spending money; saving and investing; and credit and debt.

No, a big strength of My Money Camp is our teachers are actual teachers. We hire instructors who have experience teaching personal finance to high school students. Our teachers are not only knowledgeable in personal finance but are engaging. They teach youngsters for a living, and they enjoy it. Watching a video about budgeting or credit cards is not the same as hands-on experience.

Students are grouped with others of similar age. We offer sessions for both middle schoolers and high school and college. Personal finance is not like math or athletics. Because most teens haven’t been exposed to this material, My Money Camp is just as valuable for a college freshman as it is for a 7 th grader.

For a number of reasons, most importantly we don’t want the students to feel like they are in Summer School. The hotel conference room makes campers feel more relaxed and more business-like, and it gives us the space and accessories we need to provide the best experience. Plus, most school districts don’t air condition the school in the summer and charge very high rental fees to outside groups. We pass that cost-savings on to you.

The camp is 12 hours in person, but we provide an additional eight hours plus of activities that can be done at home. This is not “homework” that needs to be completed at night in preparation for class. These are supplemental activities that can be done in the student’s own time, covering important topics that can’t be included in a 12-hour class. These activities are sent home via email, allowing interested parents to be involved if they wish.

Check out our “See a Camp in Action” video. It includes interviews with several students who admit they came to camp because their parents insisted, but once there they enjoyed it, and when finished they were glad they went.

Yes it is. My Money Camp’s founder has been running teenage camps on a national level for decades, and we know how to do it efficiently. Plus, we aren’t in this for personal riches; we want to help make the next generation more financially literate than any before. Consequently, we’ve made it affordable for everyone.

Class sizes are capped at 30 students. This isn’t a sit-in-a-chair lecture series. Students are at tables and participate in interactive activities and games each day in order to hold their interest and increase retention of the material.

Yes, My Money Camp uses a “register now pay later” process. Don’t wait too long, because class sizes are limited. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email and an invoice. If you change your mind before payment is due, your registration will be deleted without obligation.

No, My Money Camp is not a stock market trading class. My Money Camp focuses on career choices, paychecks, taxes, budgeting, inflation, saving for short-term goals and retirement, how to use credit credit properly, and avoiding a life-altering debt trap.

No, My Money Camp instructors are not licensed financial advisors and we are not affiliated with any investment company. We teach students the benefits of investing for their future, historical returns, how the stock market moves up and down, and differences between various types of retirement accounts. We show teens the advantages of investing for their futures; we do not advise them on specific investment choices.

No, a computer is not required. A smartphone or tablet will allow the student to easily participate in all activities. If your student does not have access to his or her own phone, it’s still not a problem, as many activities will be done in the group or with a partner.

We love the fact that schools are teaching and even requiring students to take personal finance in many states; however, we also know that some students don't thrive in the traditional classroom setting, nor do all school programs have proven track records of success as many are relatively new. Have your student take the financial literacy quiz on our homepage to find out just how money savvy they are right now. The camp builds an amazing foundation for those students that have not yet had formal instruction in personal finance, especially for those not old enough to take the course yet at their school--consider this camp their head start. For students that already took a course, assess their skills with our quiz and decide with them if they are truly ready to handle their own financial matters.