Financial problems are a vital issue for everyone, especially students.

Most students
have to struggle to make ends meet as they come from underprivileged families. Thus,
students have to make difficult decisions whether to spend money on food or other essential
needs; and others have to go through health issues that took a toll on their financial situations
(Perman, 2019).

Students’ academic gain and learning performance is affected by numerous factors

including gender, age, teaching faculty, guardian’s social economic status, residential area of
students, medium of instructions in schools and daily study hour. Many researchers
conducted detailed studies about the factors contributing student performance at different
study levels. Graetz (2019) suggested that “A student’s educational success contingent
heavily on social status of student’s parents/ guardians in the society. The academic
performance of the students plays a vital role in achieving success in the near future

The issue of financial literacy is not limited to Criminology students and Philippine institutions.
Financial literacy has gained global recognition and is now considered an essential life skill (OECD, 2020,
p. 15). According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a 2018 study about
financial literacy involving students (age 15) found that 16% were below the proficient level of financial
literacy, 22% demonstrated a basic level of financial literacy, and only 12% successfully demonstrated the
highest level of financial literacy (OECD, 2020, p. 30). This lack of financial literacy in middle and high
school levels becomes evident once students reach college and have to navigate life's financial issues on
their own.

Undergraduate students seek financial independence but are unaware of how to do simple tasks such
as balance a checkbook, pay bills, understand investment strategies, or how interest works on loans (Lin,
Bumcrot, Ulicny, et al., 2019). The missions and visions of higher education institutions are to prepare
students for life after college ( Philippine Financial Literacy and Education Commission, 2019).

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This study will present survey-based research, methodologies, findings, and suggestions. Data from
one private four-year university in the Midwest of the United States was collected and evaluated.The data
was collected using existing instrumentation that has been verified for reliability and validity. This study's
sample consisted of undergraduate students enrolled in seven sections of Quantitative reasoning in a variety
of modes. This study's participants reflected on their knowledge. about financial literacy before and after
completing a course summative finance project, which is an important part of the course assessment as part
of their general education curriculum. The financing project involves five evaluations of the students'
capacity to apply mathematical principles in their post-college lives.Participation in the study was
anonymous and voluntary.