Scott Gamm (BS '14)
“Money management is a key part of the college experience,” Stern freshman Scott Gamm explains. “Surprisingly, only 24 states require high school students to take personal finance classes, so most incoming college freshmen haven’t yet learned much about what is arguably the most important subject. I created HelpSaveMyDollars.com to act as the personal finance course that didn’t exist in high school.”
Class of 2014
Scott says the idea for the site grew naturally out of his interest in money issues combined with the recent economic downturn. “I started watching financial TV and reading personal finance books when I was 12, and the onset of the recession only underscored the importance of learning about economics early on. The more informed we are about money in our youth, the less likely we are to make mistakes into adulthood.” Scott launched HelpSaveMyDollars.com in the summer of 2009, and since then the response has been overwhelmingly positive both from teens and adults. He has appeared on NBC’s Today, ABC News, MSNBC, and FOX Business Network (among other shows) and has contributed to articles in print and online publications including Newsday, USA TODAY, and the Huffington Post discussing ways students can build credit, spend less on textbooks, and use coupons to save cash.
While he may already be a finance guru, Scott knows there’s always more to learn. “I’ve long dreamed of studying finance at Stern and I feel lucky to be surrounded by such talented faculty and students. Being part of the Stern community is exceptional, and through experiences like the Cohort Program I’ve already learned a great deal about leadership and how to network in the business world. In addition, being only blocks from Wall Street affords tons of unique opportunities and real-world learning experiences.” Over the next four years, Scott plans to focus his studies on finance and business journalism as well as continue to grow HelpSaveMyDollars.com. “I’m fascinated by the economy and how money plays such a large role in virtually everyone’s life. If we educate ourselves now, we’ll be wiser about our finances in the long run.”
While he may already be a finance guru, Scott knows there’s always more to learn. “I’ve long dreamed of studying finance at Stern and I feel lucky to be surrounded by such talented faculty and students. Being part of the Stern community is exceptional, and through experiences like the Cohort Program I’ve already learned a great deal about leadership and how to network in the business world. In addition, being only blocks from Wall Street affords tons of unique opportunities and real-world learning experiences.” Over the next four years, Scott plans to focus his studies on finance and business journalism as well as continue to grow HelpSaveMyDollars.com. “I’m fascinated by the economy and how money plays such a large role in virtually everyone’s life. If we educate ourselves now, we’ll be wiser about our finances in the long run.”