Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/24/2014 -- Best-selling author Sharon Lechter and Pay Your Family First have teamed with iGrad to develop a college-level financial literacy curriculum which utilizes the increasingly popular "flipped classroom" model.

Written by Lechter and Angela Totman, a Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator, the Your Financial Mastery books are being released at a time when students and recent graduates need financial literacy education most.

Student loan debt has more than doubled since 2007, and it is estimated at about $1 trillion by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – second only to mortgages as the largest form of consumer debt. The average debt among 2012 college graduates was nearly $30,000, and the CFPB states that this increased student loan debt has created a "domino effect" which is preventing young adults from buying homes, starting businesses, and moving out of their parent's homes.

According to Lechter, member of the first President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy and founder of Pay Your Family First, "The Your Financial Mastery program empowers students to become masters of their money rather than slaves to it-- by addressing entrepreneurship, real estate investing, asset protection and charitable giving along with more traditional topics such as banking, budgeting, investing, insurance and estate planning. Money management is a life skill that is critical for the success of everyone and should be a requirement for every student."

Your Financial Mastery employs the groundbreaking "flipped classroom" format, which empowers student learning by leveraging online video lectures, practical examples and instructor-led activities and discussions. The result is a significantly higher level of interaction and participant education, which is imperative for the behavioral changes needed to achieve the core competencies of financial literacy.

"Many educators tell us that they are uncomfortable teaching this particular topic, so we wanted to come up with something that helps the instructor as much as it helps the student," says Kris Alban, iGrad vice president. "The collaboration between iGrad and Pay Your Family First has produced an outstanding financial literacy course packed with engaging discussions and interactive exercises."

By implementing the Your Financial Mastery curriculum, colleges can demonstrate their commitment to preparing and graduating students who are financially responsible and prepared for financial success.

About Sharon Lechter
Sharon Lechter is an author, international speaker, CPA, CGMA, and philanthropist and the founder and CEO of Pay Your Family First. Lechter coauthored the international blockbuster Rich Dad Poor Dad, as well as fourteen other books in the Rich Dad Series and has released the bestselling titles, Three Feet From Gold, Outwitting the Devil and Think and Grow Rich for Women in cooperation with the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

About iGrad
Grad is privileged to partner with over 600 schools across the country to provide an industry-leading, customizable platform, which connects over 1.2 million students, as well as alumni and staff, with the tools needed to succeed in the real world of personal finance. iGrad is the only organization to offer a customizable adaptive learning financial education platform with optional video-based student loan entrance and exit counseling. iGrad's recent accolades include:

- 2013 Outstanding Consumer Information Award, AFCPE
- Best Product of 2013, University Business magazine
- 2013 Education Program of the Year, Institute for Financial Literacy

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/04/2014 -- iGrad, a leader in online financial literacy programs, announced today that noted student debt management expert Todd Woodlee has joined the company as associate vice president of school relations.

Woodlee is a former vice president for business development at Inceptia, a division of National Student Loan Program (NSLP).

"Todd is widely respected as a thought leader in the field of student finance and debt management, and he adds to iGrad's outstanding expertise by bringing more than two decades of public and private sector experience in student finance education," says iGrad CEO Rob LaBreche.

During his time at Inceptia, Woodlee steered the creation of the nation's first personal financial management certification program for high school and college administrators.

His experience includes seven years with Citibank, where he worked closely with the financial aid community. He also helped develop financial planning and education debt management programs for medical students.

"I've always had high respect for iGrad's work in financial literacy, and I look forward to helping college administrators across the country implement the latest iGrad techniques and programs to help students effectively manage their finances and education debt," Woodlee says.

About iGrad
Used by more than 600 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and video-based student loan entrance and exit counseling. iGrad's recent accolades include:

- 2013 Outstanding Consumer Information Award, AFCPE
- Best Product of 2013, University Business magazine
- 2013 Education Program of the Year, the Institute for Financial Literacy

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/26/2014 -- Preliminary results from the 2013-14 iGrad Financial Literacy Survey indicate that college financial literacy programs involving multiple administrative departments are more than twice as likely to achieve a substantial amount of usage.

Of the current survey respondents:

- 79% said that their financial aid department is responsible for a school's financial literacy initiatives, however many employ financial literacy task forces comprised of administrators from multiple departments

- Of the schools with a task force, more than half (54 percent) reported that their financial literacy program is used by more than 30 percent of students

- Schools without such a task force were less than half as likely (22 percent) to achieve a usage rate of at least 30%

"The initial findings in our industry-leading survey show schools are embracing the idea of helping students understand how they can manage expenses while in college and after they graduate," says Kris Alban, vice president of iGrad, a leader in financial literacy education.

The average debt for four-year college graduates is approaching $27,000. Schools risk losing federal financial aid eligibility if their student loan default rate reaches 25 percent for three consecutive years or 40 percent for one year.

With the two-year default rate reaching 10%- and is up for the sixth consecutive year- iGrad wants to provide every possible resource for administrators and students.

Final results of the survey will define current financial literacy best practices and statistics, as well as the biggest opportunities for improvement.

In order to receive the full results, college administrators must participate in the survey. The online survey is open to higher education administrators through March 31st.

About iGrad
Used by more than 600 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and video-based student loan entrance and exit counseling. iGrad's recent accolades include:

- 2013 Outstanding Consumer Information Award, AFCPE
- Best Product of 2013, University Business magazine
- 2013 Education Program of the Year, the Institute for Financial Literacy

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/16/2014 -- For the second consecutive year, iGrad's Financial Literacy Platform is a "Top Product" in the University Business Readers' Choice survey.

The prestigious award recognizes the most innovative products in higher education.

Among those who nominated iGrad was Kathi Tavares, Director of Billing and Collections at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI.

Tavares said: "With the use of iGrad, we are able to educate our students on over-borrowing, default, credit card debt, and the advantages of building a good credit history. We are able to reach our students in the early stages of acceptance, and are able to offer this product to our alumni. This has been a great product, and has enhanced our efforts to educate our students."

The most recent award caps an ambitious year in which iGrad was named Education Program of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy and received the Outstanding Consumer Information Award from the Association for Financial Counseling, Planning and Education.

"We're grateful to be honored for a second consecutive year," says iGrad Vice President Kris Alban. "The University Business award affirms our commitment to serve administrators and students at a time when financing secondary education is becoming more challenging."

The iGrad online literacy platform is an interactive experience that employs adaptive learning to help students sharpen their knowledge about education costs, living expenses and financial planning beyond college. The application includes optional federal student loan entrance and exit counseling, and leverages articles, videos, games, and interactive modules.

The Top Products winners were selected by the editors of University Business from hundreds of reader-submitted nominations, based on the number of nominations and the nominator's testimony about the product.

About iGrad
Used by more than 500 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and video-based federal student loan entrance and exit counseling.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Financial Literacy Survey to Include Over 900 Schools

San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/03/2013 -- With federal student loan defaults reaching levels not seen in two decades, iGrad, a leading online financial literacy resource, is asking college and university financial aid leaders what their students know about personal finance.

"Our 2013 Annual Financial Literacy Survey will identify what is currently being done to improve financial literacy education, as well as the biggest opportunities for improvement" says iGrad Vice President Kris Alban.

Among the information the survey will collect:
- How financial literacy education affects student loan borrowing, repayment and retention.
- Whether administrators believe undergraduates should be required to take financial literacy courses.
- What types of financial literacy counseling are provided, and how often.

"With the two-year default rate reaching 10 percent – and it is up for the sixth consecutive year - iGrad wants to provide every possible resource for administrators and students," says Alban.

"Student defaults can ruin credit history, but the consequence for schools can be much worse. Ultimately, the institution's reputation is at stake, along with the financial future of its students," Alban adds. About 57 percent of four-year college graduates have debt, with the national average approaching $27,000. Add credit cards, car loans and housing expenses and that burden on new grads can approach $50,000. That debt level, combined with a soft job market and depressed starting salaries in many industries, often leads to student default, which impacts the national economy because graduates can't qualify for car loans or mortgages.

In the bleakest scenario, loan defaults can have a devastating on schools. Institutions stand to lose federal financial aid eligibility if their student loan default rate reaches 25 percent for three consecutive years or 40 percent for one year.

About iGrad
Used by more than 500 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and student loan entrance and exit counseling. iGrad was named Best Product of 2012 by University Business magazine and recognized as 2013 Education Program of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Prestigious Award Given For Achievements in Financial Literacy Education

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/20/2013 -- iGrad, a leader in online financial literacy education for students, has received the prestigious Outstanding Consumer Information Award for 2013 from the Association for Financial Counseling, Planning and Education.

The annual award is given to a company or agency that displays scope, timeliness and scholarship in its approach to financial literacy, and provides information useful to "those working in the field of financial counseling and planning," according to AFCPE.

"We're humbly grateful to receive this kind of outstanding acknowledgement from an agency committed to helping students make sound financial decisions," says iGrad Vice President Kris Alban. "The entire iGrad team – from our talented writers to our video producers to the school administrators who help define our growth– is committed to providing the best instruction and resources for students planning their financial future."

With features such as video-based entrance and exit student loan counseling, iGrad has developed an informative and interactive approach for students to truly understand student loan debt as they apply for financial aid. Additionally, the online financial literacy site provides personal finance information and news that is updated daily for students and school administrators alike, validating the significance of iGrad's contribution to higher education.

The AFCPE award continues a substantial run of peer recognition for iGrad that includes being named 2013 Education Program of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy and Best Product of 2012 by University Business.

iGrad Director of Business Development Holly Zaglaniczny will receive the award Nov. 22 at the AFCPE conference in Greenville, S. C.

About iGrad
Used by more than 500 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and student loan entrance and exit counseling.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

A free iGrad tutorial video about financing college and graduate school has been recognized by TED.com, a global promoter of innovative ideas, and mounted on the TED website.

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/13/2013 -- A free iGrad video tutorial about financing college and graduate school has been recognized by TED.com, a global promoter of innovative ideas, and mounted on the TED website.

"This is an exceptional lesson that was carefully selected by TED-Ed staff," says TED-Ed Director Logan Smalley of the financial aid tutorial produced by iGrad, a leading financial literacy educator.

The free video is a detailed explanation of the complicated Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA process. It is one of more than 100 guides to financial literacy produced by iGrad, which provides financial education and student loan counseling for more than 1 million students through its technology-driven Financial Literacy Platform.

The video is recommended on TED.com as a "flip," allowing educators and financial aid professionals to download and customize the information for student assignments, add context and assign questions.

"To have a worldwide leader in forward thinking such as TED affirm our work is humbling and gratifying," says iGrad Vice President Kris Alban. "We are dedicated to helping students find the best options for financing their education without hampering their future financial independence, and to assisting post-secondary institution administrators by relieving some of the financial counseling burden through our tutorials."

A student at a four-year institution will average nearly $27,000 in school debt by graduation. Add credit cards, car loans and possibly housing, and that obligation could eclipse $50,000.

"Now, more than ever, education is a requirement for success. And so is financial literacy," says Alban, whose company was awarded Best Product of 2012 by University Business magazine and 2013 Education Program of the Year by the Institute for Financial Literacy. "Helping students finance the present and plan for the future is our primary mission."

About iGrad
Used by more than 500 institutions and 1.2 million students, iGrad is the only online community providing a comprehensive and customized financial literacy program featuring career assistance for students and graduates, user-specific financial education courses, and student loan entrance and exit counseling.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The financial literacy organization is now serving over 400 colleges, over 1 million students, and over 20,000 interactive modules per month.

Cardiff by the Sea, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/04/2013 -- San Diego educator iGrad now administers financial education and student loan counseling for over one million students through its technology-driven Financial Literacy Platform. iGrad reached the milestone in just four years after the organization's inception, seeing its program grow at an extraordinary rate. Financial literacy modules, which are a major component of the Platform, are currently being completed at a rate of over 20,000 modules per month.

"Seeing iGrad start from humble beginnings and grow into something that is becoming a staple for college students everywhere is wonderful," said iGrad CEO Rob LaBreche. "This is a testament to the need and desire of students for quality financial literacy education, and educating students is what we do best. Ultimately, the ability to help this many current students as well as the future students to come is why iGrad exists."

About iGrad
iGrad is the only online community that features career assistance for college students and recent graduates, financial education courses that can be tailor-made to users' needs and student loan entrance and exit counseling. The Financial Literacy Platform is customized for each school partner, and is continuously updated and improved. The Platform consists of many different types of media, including articles, videos, and course modules that are tried and tested, along with information and recommendations from numerous financial industry experts.

Today, iGrad's Financial Literacy Platform is used by over 400 colleges, and has additional institutions adding it to their curriculum every semester.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm