Salt, created by American Student Assistance, aims to improve financial education for students by encouraging them to borrow less, borrow wisely, and repay successfully. The program recognizes diverse student backgrounds and financial responsibilities, emphasizing community engagement and gamification to enhance learning. Launched in 2013, Salt provides free resources to help users manage their student loans and financial literacy.

1. GAME CHANGING
FINANCIAL
EDUCATION –
THE STORY OF SALT

2. SALT STORYTELLERS
• Sue Burton
• Jennifer Scott
• Kathleen Burns Kingsbury
• Michal Pasternak
2 SALT CREATED BY AMERICAN STUDENT ASSISTANCE

3. THE ASA MISSION
To assist students and parents in successfully
completing a program of higher education financing
and repayment.
3 SALT CREATED BY AMERICAN STUDENT ASSISTANCE

4. THE GAME WE’RE OUT
TO CHANGE
• $1,000,000,000,000
• 600%
• 1>13
• 50%
4

5. WE HELP STUDENTS
AND ALUMS
• Borrow less
• Borrow wisely
• Repay successfully
5

6. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “TYPICAL COLLEGE STUDENT”
Many members are taking a less traditional path to getting their degree, with some starting a family before
pursuing their degree, and others living with parents to ease their financial burden.
More
students
are
taking
on
full
Only
25%
of
students
plan
to
live
on
a
college
campus
responsibility
for
their
debt:
during
the
upcoming
school
year,
while
another
25%
say
they
will
be
living
with
a
parent
or
guardian.
45%
of
members
are
100%
responsible
for
their
student
loans.
41%
of
members
are
first
genera?on
college
students.
44%
of
recent
graduates
67%
of
current
students
plan
on
working
at
least
one
job
have
a
full
?me
job.
while
they
a>end
classes
during
the
upcoming
school
year.
6

7. JENNIFER SCOTT,
STUDENT

9. KATHLEEN BURNS
KINGSBURY,
FINANCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
EXPERT

10. CHANGING FINANCIAL HABITS
10

11. THE SALT GENERATION
• How users think
• How users learn
• What is the user’s life stage
11

12. MICHAL PASTERNAK,
USER EXPERIENCE

13. USER RESEARCH

14. AVOIDING THE ISSUE

15. MAGICAL THINKING

16. MEET
TYLER.
21, Senior
$72,000 of student loan debt
“I'll have a lot of debt
when my I have to pay
back my loans.
But that's not for a while.”

17. MEET
KENDRA.
20, Junior
$5,000 of student loan debt
“I'm good at finding the
information I need, but
I'm not always sure I
can trust it.”

21. OUTCOMES

22. OUTCOMES Measurement
Outcomes MEASUREMENT
Measured implicitly and explicitly through the use of market research
surveys, site statistical tracking, and gamification tools.
Behavior Change Knowledge
Awareness Competency
Attitude Change Mastery
22

23. MEANINGFUL GAMIFICATION
SALT will use game mechanics in a meaningful
way to enhance engagement throughout the
cycle of Adult Learning Theory.
Putting
Event Needing Seeking Discussion and
Learning Into
Education Education Reflection
Practice
23

24. DISCUSSION IS CRITICAL TO
LEARNING & RETENTION
• Cultivate a Community of
Experts
Experts
Teach
• Ongoing Peer 2 Peer Sharing
Reinforces
Users
“Do”
to
Peer
2
Peer/Share
Reinforce
• Users who increase in
contributions rise in rank
Quizzes/Games
Reinforce
&
Add
• Community Drives Utilization
Fun
of Key Content and Tools
24

25. SALT 360 EXPERIENCE
25

26. THANK YOU
SALT, bringing free financial
education nationwide in 2013.
www.saltmoney.org