The National Law Review has selected an article by Robert Park ’18 as a winner in its Student Writing Competition. The piece was inspired by a class he took on financial regulations.
“I’m honored that the National Law Review chose my article; it’s a testament to the education I’m receiving at Boston College Law School,” said Park. “Taking the Financial Services Regulation seminar with Professor Pat McCoy inspired me to write the article on protecting college students from aggressive credit card marketing tactics.”
In the article, “Credit Card Marketing Geared Towards Students and the Policies to Address the Dilemma: Can More Be Done?”, Park acknowledges the value that credit cards provide to students who need to buy supplies, pay for tuition, and establish credit, but he warns that “they can also entrap students in debt, representing a higher risk of being overwhelmed by debt.”
Park goes on to explore the various consumer protections that have been put in place to control aggressive and predatory marketing and to help students make more informed decisions about signing up for a credit card.
In his conclusion, Park writes that the various existing regulations “should be considered a step in the right direction, rather than fully established regulations, as credit card issuers can still pursue college students and young alumni.” He suggests that his policy recommendations could help close the loopholes that still exist in credit card marketing not only to college students but also to the broader population of American consumers.