SALT is a financial education program created by a nonprofit organization called American Student Assistance. Photo courtesy of colostate-pueblo.edu

Colorado State University-Pueblo students have all received emails or seen information around campus about a new program called SALT.  Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about the program which can help inform students of what the program can do for them. 

What is SALT? 

SALT is a financial education program created by a nonprofit organization called American Student Assistance.  CSU-Pueblo has partnered with ASA to give students free access to SALT’s many benefits so they can make smarter decisions about money and student loans.

Will it cost me anything?

SALT is completely free to students and alumni of CSU-Pueblo.  The university has paid for all students to have a membership in the program; all they need to do is create a free account.

How do I sign up? The easiest way is to visit www.saltmoney.org/csupueblo.  It takes about 2 minutes to create a free account, and all that is needed is an email address.

What’s in it for me?

SALT was designed to be a one-stop resource for college students to get information on student loans and repayment, budgeting, and financial management.  Along with these services, there are scholarship searches, internships and career listings provided at www.saltmoney.org.  Another benefit is the SALT partnership with companies such as Dell computers and Hewlett Packard, who offer discounts to program members.

How can it help me with student loans?

SALT has student loan experts available to members for one-on-one counseling via email or a toll-free phone call. There are interactive tools to help students personally keep track of their loans and find the best repayment options available.  Once a student is a member, he or she can import personal loan information and customize the account to get the most benefit.

Are there other interactive tools available? 

Yes, there are financial calculators to help you work out a car loan payoff, figure out your net worth and how to get the most out of your savings.  There is also a template to help you budget your money and plan ahead for large purchases like a computer.  In addition to the interactive tools, there are lots of articles and videos to help you navigate your finances and come out ahead.

Where can I find more information on SALT? The SALT website at www.saltmoney.org is the best place to get answers about the program, but CSU-Pueblo has on-campus help as well.

Financial Aid Counselor Derek Moore and Sen. Daniel Ullrich of the CSU-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government are your on-campus contacts for the SALT program. Derek’s email is derek.moore@colostate-pueblo.edu and Daniel’s email is dm.ullrich.se@colostate-pueblo.edu.

There will be a table at the upcoming Wellness Fair on Oct. 22 where representatives will be available to answer questions about the SALT program.