In 2012, ASA launched "SALT," a financial education membership program that teaches students how to borrow less and more wisely for higher education, how to repay student loans successfully, and how to build better overall financial skills in life. The ASA's goal with SALT is to transform students from passive financial aid recipients to proactive, financially savvy consumers who truly own their student loans and finances.

Through this educational membership program, FHSU and ASA are helping students learn how to navigate higher education financing, successfully manage any resulting debt, and build money skills for life.

FHSU joins a growing number of higher education institutions nationwide -- from four-year colleges to community colleges -- that have already signed on with the SALT movement. SALT schools' students and alumni automatically become SALT members and gain full access to the program's services. Multiple administrative offices on campus, from financial aid to student affairs, will actively partner with ASA to drive SALT awareness and engagement among students and alumni.

While a college degree has never been more valuable than in today's global economy, many students are unsure of how to successfully pay for higher education. Approximately 12 million students borrow for college each year, but many make uniformed decisions, either borrowing more than they need to failing to take advantage of the lowest rates and flexible payment options.

SALT is a dynamic, multi-channel program that combines online and offline interaction to deliver decision support, engaging content and one-on-one loan repayment guidance in a simple, useful and motivating experience.

It uses a variety of channels to engage student and alumni members and positively influence behavior. Members receive proactive communication about student loan repayment options, repayment counseling with student loan experts, a personalized online dashboard to track all their federal and private student loans in one place along with multiple other benefits.

SALT was created by the ASA, a 56-year-old nonprofit organization. Previous ASA programs have demonstrated that students provided with proactive, customized and targeted communication are 50 percent less likely to fail in loan repayment.

For more information about SALT, go to saltmoney.org or follow SALT at www.facebook.com/saltmoney or @SALT_MONEY on Twitter.