Many college students own credit cards, and half of them have serious credit card debt. Credit scores, missed payments and interest rates can be financially devastating. There are a few factors that contribute to college students having credit card debt, such as college students actually paying for tuition, school supplies, and textbooks. Jill M. Norvilitis and Philip Santa Maria point out that “no matter what type of paper individuals use, the reasons are particularly understandable; for university students, credit cards are the only way to pay for their studies”. The Card Act helps guide students on campus, informing them about card agreements and preparing them to gain financial experience. Some people agree that college students apply for a credit card at a young age and fall into debt early. Although college is a place where teenagers come to gain information and skills for work or to get into debt; Should college students have a credit card? Without a doubt, when a teenager graduates from high school they go to college to get their degree, but sometimes after graduation they receive their degree and also credit card debt. Mary Ludlum and Brittany Christine Smith stated that “campus credit can only be described as a plague” (Ludlum). There is no doubt that students go to college to gain skills, to socialize, but also because some jobs require a college degree. The TERI study reports that: 19% of students charged tuition and fees, but a third of those with balances greater than $1,000 charged tuition. If the balance is not paid in full, it is, in essence, an 18% loan. Charging tuition, then, may be part of a growing pattern for some students in financial difficulty (Norvili...... center of document ...... Cited Hawkins, Jim. "The Card Act on Campus." Washington & Lee Law Review 69.3 (2012): 1471-1534 Web. November 15, 2013. Kimbro, Dennis. It Can Affect Your Future!” College Web. December 3, 2013. Leclerc, Kristi. “Influential Factors That Contribute to College student spending habits and credit card debt." Sociology Journal (2012): 149-156. Ebsco host. Web December 1, 2013. Ludlum, Mary and Brittany Christine Smith. "The Credit Card Plague on Campus of the American College: A Survey." Mustang Journal of Law & Legal Studies 1 (2010): 72-76 Web EBSCO M. and Phillip Santa Maria. "Credit Card Debt on College Campuses: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions" College Student Journal 36.3 (2002): 356. Academic research completed November 15. 2013.