Cool project. I teach high school seniors, so you're teaching "my kids" -- but you're only getting the best of them. I strongly suggest that you don't just lecture the whole time; you'll lose them. Create little games for them. Give them some information, then break them into groups and have them work through simulations. Include videos. Throw candy at those who give right answers, and you'll see your participation increase. In other words, vary your instruction. Here's what I'd include in the lessons:
- I'd start with time management. If I had to name ONE THING that my high school seniors "don't get" it'd be time management. They weedle away hours on nothing, they underestimate how much time something will take, and when they do sit down to work at something, they aren't particularly efficient in their work habits. It's true of even my best students: A project I could knock out in 30 minutes takes them 2-3 class days. I'd suggest some sort of weekly planner that would include their classes, time they intend to study, and their other goals (part time job, time spent working out, whatever). I really think that kids who master time management are going to "get" everything too -- probably because it's tied into self-discipline.
- Have them make a four-year plan for themselves. This is something else that college kids "don't get". In high school their counselors helped them with their schedules, so they definitely took an English and a math every year, and they progressed towards graduation. They need to understand that in college they're allowed to take a whole year of art, choir, and -- oh, fill in something else easy -- and no one will stop them from making that choice -- but at the end of that year, they won't have progressed much towards graduation. They need to understand that a plan increases their chances of graduating on time.
- Be sure they understand that their college offers TONS of helpful resources, but they have to seek them out themselves. Most colleges have a writing resource center, math help sessions, computer-fixing centers, counseling centers. My own daughter got sick her first week of school (this is not uncommon), and although I'd made sure she understood that Health Services was there for her, she called me and asked if her symptoms were "bad enough to bother them". Emphasize that reading the things the university sends can be very helpful; for example, my daughter gets an email from Food Services every month -- and it includes coupons! Good coupons, for example, Buy a bowl of soup and get a free grilled cheese; Get a 12-inch sub or burrito for the price of a 6-inch; Buy any meal and get a free apple. She could print as many of these coupons as she wanted, and they helped stretch her meal plan dollar. But MANY STUDENTS just ignore the university's various "helps".
- Someone above mentioned stress relief. Yes, include something on healthy ways to manage stress. Every year that I teach, the kids whine more and more about their stressful lives.
When it comes to money, I think you should divide the topic into two sections: Managing your money now in college and long-term financial planning.
- The first item in managing your money now, of course, should be avoiding debt. I'm amazed at how many students just don't seem to try to avoid debt at all -- I mean, at least half the college students I know personally don't even work in the summer. You could make this into a cute exercise: This group borrows/works in summer AND school year ... next group borrows/works in the summer only ... that group borrows/doesn't work ... how much difference does it make in their total repayment?
- This seems crystal-clear obvious to you and me, but have them look at their resources ...and how many weeks are in a semester ... and figure out a "ceiling" for spending. I say "resources" because I'm thinking of my oldest daughter's college meal plan. They don't get X number of meals per week; rather, they have X amount of money (and the university tells us how much we must put in), and they can spend it in the various food service venues around campus -- in college terms, it's called a Declining Balance Meal Plan. My girl was smart enough to divide X by 14 weeks and write a dollar figure on each Friday's calendar. She figured that as long as she still had MORE than that amount on Friday, she wouldn't run out of money at the end of the semester. However, she says that MOST of the boys on her hall ran out of money around Thanksgiving, and some of them didn't have access to more meal plan money. This could've been avoided with a little better planning.
- I'd give a nod to the idea of saving for the long-term and retiring, but I don't see this crew really buying into it -- even with the idea of retiring after only a decade or two of work. It's hard to be worked up for college, to dedicate yourself to four years of study for a career ... and at the same time think about leaving that career. Oh, talk about saving from that very first professional paycheck; talk about how continuing to live as a student will allow you to get a good financial start; but I think your best bet for this topic is to send home "additional reading" for the few who are able to think that far ahead.
- Consider a follow-up group on social media, a group that'll allow them to ask you questions and find support as they begin that toughest year in college.