A group of Philadelphia high schoolers have created Finiverse, an online tool that helps their peers understand student loans and how to pay for college, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The app was developed through a program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

“It’s really easy on the eye and easy to read,” said Rafsyn Begum, a senior at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science who worked on the app.

The free online tool presents the all-in cost of individual colleges and determines if a student is eligible for financial aid and how much. It also discusses loan options and repayment plans and estimates how much money a student could make in the future considering their potential degree at their preferred school.

“It’s taking a multiverse view of your life after taking out the loan,” said David Musto, the Wharton finance professor who heads the program. “You take out the loan and all these things can happen.”

Over 150 high school interns have worked on the app since 2022, performing tasks that range from coding to design and creating marketing plans.

Read more about Philadelphia high schoolers making Finiverse in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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