MAYNARD, Mass., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Making It Count, an educational service provider for students and parents, and a business unit of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNST), and Bank of America, one of the world's largest financial institutions, today announced the "Ultimate Money Skills" program will begin its third nationwide tour this month. More than 275 live, in-school presentations will focus on teaching college students how to manage all of their finances, including how to utilize banking services, minimize debt, manage loan repayments, design a personal budget and use credit cards, responsibly.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050720/CLW086LOGO-b )

As a companion to this year's program, Making It Count and Bank of America also launched http://www.ultimatemoneyskills.com , a supplemental online guide that further supports development of students' financial literacy skills. The interactive site features relevant content regarding issues such as identity theft, investing, managing loans and budgeting. It will also include a money management blog that addresses handling campus finances, written by and for college students; and a "Money Issue of the Month" promotion, offering students the chance to win $100 for submitting solutions to money-related challenges.

"A recent MonsterTRAK survey* revealed that 81 percent of 2007 college graduates polled accrued more than $10,000 in student loan debt while attending school," said JR Cifani, vice president and general manager, Making It Count. "These findings underscore how important it is for young students to educate themselves on making smart financial decisions."

"Bank of America understands that financial management is complex, and when students don't learn to manage their finances effectively, their finances can end up managing them. That's why it is so important for students to gain basic money management skills early in life," said JoLynn Ensminger, senior vice president, Bank of America, Student Card. "We are very excited about our continued sponsorship and expansion of the Ultimate Money Skills program and believe that it will provide students with the information and tools they need to make smart decisions with their money today and in the future."

Students and administration who attended the "Ultimate Money Skills" program in 2007 found the presentation extremely effective, rating the program a 9.2 and 9.4 out of 10, respectively, for value.

"The [Ultimate Money Skills] program is a no-nonsense, engaging way to introduce the complex issues related to money management to students," said Wonda Shipman, associate dean of student development at New Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey.

In addition to offering financial solutions specifically designed for students, such as CampusEdge(R) Checking, Bank of America also provides a Student Financial Handbook, an easy-to-use guide to assist students in managing their money. A free copy is available for download at http://www.bankofamerica.com/studentbanking .

For more information regarding the "Ultimate Money Skills" program or additional Making It Count programs presented in conjunction with Bank of America, please visit: http://www.makingitcount.com .

*MonsterTRAK's 2008 Entry Level Job Outlook was conducted from February 12-22, 2008 via targeted online distribution to nationwide MonsterTRAK customer companies, as well as college students and recent alumni who are MonsterTRAK members. Results were recorded from 1,117 employers, 654 of which qualified to take the entire survey, and 3,603 students and alumni. This poll is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.

About Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 59 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, more than 19,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 24 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 175 countries and has relationships with 99 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 83 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

About Making It Count

Making It Count provides a nationally recognized series of live, in-school presentations that educate and motivate teens to excel in both personal and professional educational endeavors. Delivered by a roster of skilled presenters from a variety of backgrounds, including members of the U.S. Olympic Team, the corporate-sponsored programs reach more than 2.5 million students every year, and are hosted at over 5,000 high schools and 650 colleges nationwide. More information is available at http://www.makingitcount.com .

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNST), parent company of Monster(R), the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit http://www.monster.com .

Special Note: Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements made in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Monster Worldwide, Inc.'s strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain factors, including factors outside of Monster Worldwide's control, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward- looking statements, including economic and other conditions in the markets in which Monster Worldwide operates, risks associated with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks discussed in Monster Worldwide's Form 10-K and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions are incorporated in this release by reference.

SOURCE Bank of America