by Deborah Lawwill

Created on: July 10, 2009

Credit card companies should not be targeting college students, at least not younger college students. I don't feel it is appropriate to target a group that would not be able to afford to have them, for the most part. Contrary to popular American stereotypes, not all college students are kids in their young 20's who's parents are paying for their college and live at home and party all the time.

Especially these days, college students are becoming a more and more diverse group. Many college students are mature, living out on their own with little or no help, multiple jobs and families to support. The ever-increasing age range for college students happens to be middle-aged men and women.

I think the proper question would be "Should credit card companies be targeting people in their early twenties and very late teens?" in which case I'd say no. Not because people this age are "immature" or "unintelligent" as stereotypes would have you all believe, but because the income circumstances of people in this age range are often too low. Most young college students work part-time minimum wage jobs and most credit card companies, even for store credit cards will deny them simply on the basis of income.

It seems almost offensive and irrational to say that all people in their early twenties are "immature" and "helpless". They aren't children for God's sake. I know of a few who live on their own responsibly and do their best to live good lives and work hard to better themselves through education. Such as one of my dearest friends, who never had parents because she was an orphan; living responsibly on her own with her boyfriend and attending college while working almost full-time. Someone like that should have a chance at getting a credit card, because responsible people would use them responsibly.

I was taught that credit cards were only for emergencies like food or bills if there's no cash or for major needed purchases such as a car. Credit cards should be avoided as much as possible no matter what the age. Temptation has no age.

On the flip side, there are those cases, which have caused American society to label all of us as "bad", who truly are irresponsible. There are those young college students that make us all look like party-crazed, sex-crazed, irresponsible lunatics. Those are the ones who don't belong having credit cards. Everyone should at least have a chance. Those few young responsible people, like my dear friend, deserve to at least be heard and not automatically dismissed because of age. Age should not be a factor, responsibility is what should determine whether or not someone has a credit card in their wallet-or not.

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