Figuring out how to save money and invest wisely when you’re up to your eyeballs in debt can be a challenge.

The Graduate and Professional Student Association hosted a forum to help answer these types of questions for the first time Saturday to a soldout group of students.

The Graduate and Professional Student Conference, which will be held yearly, features sessions on successful networking, investment strategies, résumé building, grant writing and financial planning.

A poster symposium for students to present research, and a reception featuring “Big Stoop,” a big-band style musical group, rounded out the day.

Kristi Kremers, at-large director for GAPSA, said it’s important for students to attend these kinds of events because there is only so much someone can learn in a classroom.

“There’s a lot of skills needed to be successful and you only learn a few of them in school,” she said.

Kremers said she thought the résumé-building session was one of the most popular.

While many of the University’s colleges have programs like this, Kremers said they’re often held at times that are inconvenient for working students; the Saturday afternoon program fit the scheduling needs of graduate and professional students.

Kremers said they cut off registration at 100 students, and had to turn people away.