Some campuses have a lively black market for backpacks, books, clothing, bikes and computers. Students should lock their bikes at all times and keep a combination lock on their lockers. Dorm rooms are another easy target. Remind students to lock their doors when they leave or when they're alone on the floor. Taking Credit At 18, your child is legally an adult.
Credit is easily available on campus.
The average college student has twice as many credit cards as the population as a whole. Credit cards are a huge temptation for a student on a tight budget, so the time to talk about using credit responsibly is before the semester starts. Stress that credit cards should be used for convenience only, not for luxuries, and warn against charging extravagant purchases. College students pay little attention to details like APR and may end up in financial quicksand before they know it. A good alternative for a student learning to handle credit is a secured bankcard.