The last thing a college student needs is to rack up debt on top of student loans.

For some students, college is the first time they have ever had to worry about managing their personal finances, especially when it comes to purchasing consumption goods. Credit card companies will frequently target these young adults as potential customers.

Earlier this month, Papa John's sponsored an event that gave away a free pizza when Marquette students signed up for a Chase Visa Card. Papa John's employees said the event is beneficial to "everyone" because their pizza is being promoted and Chase Visa is signing up new credit card members.

However, many Marquette students waiting outside Papa John's disregarded the economic view of the event. Many said they were more drawn to the words "FREE PIZZA" on the fliers floating around campus than the credit card offer itself.

"Most college kids aren't aware enough of their finances to responsibly own a credit card," Christopher Caparelli, junior in the College of Business Administration, said after going to Papa John's for the offer. "I have credit cards and manage them on a monthly basis. However, being an accounting and finance major, I know that when students don't pay off monthly balances, cardholders can pay nearly a 25 percent interest rate."

Financial advisers say managing personal finances can be difficult when going to college. Still, it is in one's best interest to responsibly establish healthy spending habits as a young adult. Often college students are so blinded by the idea of building up credit that they are tempted to spend more money than they can actually afford.

Because students are not always informed about good credit, it is common for them to overlook the underlying liabilities of having a credit card. It is also very difficult to set financial limits when credit card companies sometimes encourage consumers to think there are no limits.

"Self-discipline is a good lesson to learn," said Noreen Lephardt, adjunct assistant professor of economics. "College allows students to have freedom, but with that freedom comes responsibility. It's easy to over-commit yourself to debt; the hard part is trying to re-establish your credit rating after you've ruined it."

Too often young adults are tempted into the risky luxuries that credit card companies offer their new customers. Lephardt said it is beneficial for parents to warn their children about the consequences that result in poor management of personal funds.

Lephardt said adults need to talk with teenagers about the importance of maintaining good credit before they get to college, so that they learn to budget their money at a young age.

Mark McCarthy, dean of student development, agreed.

"The credit card companies make it very easy for young adults to obtain the card itself. However, there is much more to earning credit than signing a contract," McCarthy said. "In my opinion, college students should utilize their personal bank accounts using cash only, and use debit cards in case of emergency.

"This way, young adults cannot exceed their limit and spend money they don't have," he said. "If a credit card bill isn't paid in full every month, balances carry over to the next month, which then causes interest rates to go up."