Things You Should Know About Student Loan Debt Consolidation

The average American by the time he graduates or becomes a professional, and in the worst case scenario even if he doesn't graduate, accumulates a certain level of student loan debt. Whether they are federal loans or private student loans, the higher the educational achievement is the higher the level of student loan debt usually becomes.

That is the price students have to pay to make their dreams come true - to become a doctor, a nurse, a lawyer, or a Wall Street hotshot, student loan debt consolidation have been a major resource for so many years students spend in school. Usually, students have to pay off these multiple student loans the minute they finish school. Some however, have opted to pay for accrual of interest even when in school, and some have opted to defer payments until they get out of school.

No matter what the choice is, by the time an average American student finishes school, he is saddled with student loan debt. Not paying these student loans is not an option - defaulting on a federal student loan will get the government on your case with your salary and will not do any good to your credit report. As a rising hotshot, the last thing you need is to start off with a bad credit. If you are having difficulties making payments on your student loans, it might be the time to consider a student loan debt consolidation.

Before making that decision, there are several things you need to consider. When you consolidate, you actually have to consider some advantages and disadvantages. A student loan debt consolidation can significantly reduce your monthly payments because the debt is stretched out over longer payment terms. It would seem like you are making some savings from your monthly budget because of the additional money cut out from the required monthly payment.

Consolidation would also prevent you from defaulting on your student loans and ruining your credit. With monthly payments, it becomes easier for you to manage your credit and you get to save your credit report. But there is also the bad side to consolidating student loans, and knowing all these facts would help you make the wiser choice.

When you consolidate your student loan debts, always remember that many lenders actually offer a deferment plan to their borrowers in times of financial hardship. Federal student loans offer forbearance during financial difficulties. But if it is still not enough to get you back on your feet, then forbearance or deferment of payment may not help. Another thing to consider is the fact that once you apply for consolidation, you will get stuck with the interest rate you sign up with and you lose out on any borrower benefits provided by your lender.

Before opting for a student loan debt consolidation, carefully consider your options. Seeking financial advice from experienced credit counselors can be very helpful. Being honest to yourself would make the choice easier. Lastly, always opt for a plan that suits your financial situation.

by Sara Lucy Smith

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Pros and Cons of Student Loan Consolidation

Student loan consolidation is something students are beginning to consider because of the potential benefits that it can have on a long term basis. Like with most financial matters, student loan consolidation isn't all about positives, though. There are quite a few negatives to consider before pulling the trigger on consolidation. By considering all of the potential pros and cons, students and their parents can be sure to make an informed, responsible decision with their loan.

The pros of student loan consolidation are many. The most glaringly obvious positive to consolidating your student loans is the fact that consolidation can lead to reduced payments and interest rates. For students that have years of loans under their belt, this can be an important money saver and a way to jumpstart a financial future. Obviously, the resulting interest rate must be lower for the consolidation that in the prior loans.

As with most loan consolidations, there is the positive of having the loan more organized. Though a loan is something that college graduates should be able to keep up with, it never hurts to have only one payment instead of having to remember to make three or four different payments. With student loan consolidation, this is made possible. With only one payment being due, there's also the hope that your credit rating could be improved over the course of time.

Though the positives of student loan consolidation certain make it seem like something that all students should look into, there are also a few potential negatives for students and their parents to consider. Student loan consolidation is quite final, meaning that a decision to consolidate your student loans can not be reversed or changed. Once the consolidation is agreed upon, the student loans are paid off in full by the consolidating company and your payment responsibilities are shifted.

In addition to being final, student loan consolidation can be quite tricky. In order to gain this consolidation, one must work hard to find a reputable bank that is willing to lend the money. In addition to that, there's the problem of finding an acceptable interest rate as compared to the old rates. Because student loans can be both private and government funded, borrowers must weigh the risk of taking the government backing off of their loans.

Student loan consolidation must be done on two different fronts, which makes it especially troubling. The refinancing of federal student loans can be done at a very low interest rate and coupled with government backing, makes for a very easy transaction. Private student loans must be refinanced and consolidated separately, creating another hassle. Potential borrowers will find it especially difficult to find suitors in today's market. Lenders have tightened up their credit requirements, making it difficult for students to finance such loans with their lack of credit history.

There are many positives and negatives that come with the school loan consolidation process. Though it can be a way to stay organized and lower the payments, student loan consolidation is a little bit of a risk. Having such a large, unsecured loan in one place can have an ill impact on a person's credit and can be quite a responsibility for young adults.

by Glen Orenstein

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Financial Aid Options for Students

When it comes to financial aid for college there are primarily two sources: privately funded financial aid and federally funded financial aid. When applying for or receiving either you need to make sure that you are fully aware of all the fine print involved. Most people find that the expenses of college are much too great to afford without assistance of some sort. If you are a parent chances are that you will some day face the need to pay college tuition along with the worry of how on earth you will manage to accomplish that goal.

The problem is that not every student who wishes to attend college qualifies for either federally funded student aid or the vast majority of scholarships that require either exceptional grades or a specific and exceptional talent in order to receive. For those students thinking outside the box may be necessary in order to receive the much needed educational assistance or financial aid.

If you do not qualify for federal financial aid for your children, then you may want to consider the benefit of other scholarship options. One common scholarship option that is often overlooked is the ROTC program that most universities offer. There is a price to pay for these scholarships but many find that price provides valuable experience and is well worth the education and the experience received during the process. If your child is interested in the possibility of a military career or becoming a military officer, this is a great way to go.

As a parent you may want to see what sort of, if any, flexible spending accounts your state has set up that can help you set aside money for college expenses for your children. Many states have these and there are programs such as Upromise that allows you and others to dedicate the spending from a credit card to be used as a 'match' program for your child's college funds. While it isn't a dollar for dollar match of your credit card spending every little bit helps. The real beauty of programs like Upromise is that you can enlist the help of family in friends when saving for your child's college educational expenses. Regardless, it is never too early to begin saving for your child's college education and these expenses seem to be rising exponentially.

There are many programs that exist to help minorities and women pay for their educational expenses. Some of these scholarships are needs based while some of them are solely merit based. On all levels competition is fierce, however, if you qualify for any of these scholarships you would be doing yourself a disservice not to apply for them. You never know when your application might be the one that captures the attention of the scholarship committee. The one thing you should keep in mind is to read all the instructions, make copies of everything, and follow the directions. You'd be amazed at how many worth applicants are denied scholarships each year because they did not follow the directions on the application properly. Another thing you should keep in mind is neatness. You are much more likely to win a scholarship if the committee can actually read your application.

There are many great opportunities for financial assistance when it comes to college. The trick is typically in finding the great sources. Your college's financial aid office is an excellent source of information for financial aid as is your high school counselor. See what your options are before you sacrifice the dream of a college education.

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Common Attendance Methods for Returning Students

Are you one of many Americans that dreams of returning to college but fears that option ended for your many years ago? If this is you, then you are in luck. There is no time like the present to go back and pursue your educational dreams. In fact, there has been no better time throughout history than today for those who wish to return to school but cannot give up their careers in order to do so.

Educational opportunities abound today in America and only show evidence of increasing and improving with time and technological advances. There are many options available for the returning students of today that would have been summarily designed to those hoping to further their educational goals in the past. If you are hoping to go back to school consider the options below very carefully before deciding which will be best for you.

The All or Nothing Approach

This endeavor is a giant leap of faith. It involves quitting your job, packing up your life and going back to college with every hope for a better future hinging on your performance. This is a high-risk endeavor for many professionals who have families and careers to consider. However, the rewards will be much quicker with this approach than most of the other available options. You should consider carefully whether this is an appropriate plan of action for your specific needs or if the risk would be too high for your family to endure.

Night School

Most community colleges and universities offer a wide assortment of night classes to those students who have daytime careers but are hoping to further their educations. You will find that despite common preconceived notions there is a wide mixture of students in night classes. There are first time college students who simply prefer night classes to early morning classes, retirees hoping to learn something new, and professionals hoping to grab a few more credit hours towards their degree. You never know whom you will find in your night classes but chances are you will find that there is a special sense of community among night school students that you won't find in traditional day classes.

Techno Wizards for Internet Courses

Believe it or not you do not need to have spectacular technical skills in order to take the average online or Internet course. The truth of the matter is that the most technical skill most of these classes require is the ability to visit websites, open email, and download an occasional file. Internet classes offer extreme flexibility for those with busy family and work schedules. This is the option of choice for many returning schools. The good news is that more and more universities and community colleges are offering these sorts of classes in many different fields and majors. The more demand grows for these classes the more classes will be offered.

The fact is that as consumers we have the right to ask for what we want or need. College students are consumers who are paying a hefty price for the product they hope to receive-a solid educational experience. Do not be afraid to request that the university you are attending offer more options for working students if you find that you are in need of a class that isn't offered in a flexible manner. Chances are if you need the course, there are others like you who will as well. If there is enough demand, most universities will oblige the demands of their students.

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Consolidation of Private Student Loans

Consolidation for private student loans are ideal for self-supporting students. Generally, student loans consolidation programs will aide you in refinancing your student loans after graduation. But if you still have private student loans to refinance, then where do you go? Don't worry. Now, there are many companies that offer private student loans consolidation as part of their programs.

Federal Student Loan -

If you have applied for federal student loan consolidation before, but weren't able to include your private student loans, then you've come to the right place. This article will give you a brief background on student loans consolidation, consolidation for private student loans, and how and where you can apply for one.

Student Loan Consolidation

What can it do? With student loans consolidation, you can save up to 50% of even more on the life of your student loans. This is because with it, all your student loans are bundled into a single loan with one lender and one repayment plan. You will be able to lock in a low monthly payment with a fixed interest rate for the life of your loan. All this without incurring unnecessary fees like application fees, origination fees, credit checks, income verifications, or repayment penalties.

The Rates of student loan consolidation- With a low interest rate and minus all these fees, you can really reduce your monthly payments. Not only that, it will also extend your repaying time for up to 20 more years.

Federal Student Loan Consolidation

You can lower your monthly payments for as much as 60% with the federal consolidation loan programs that are offered by many companies. This is for applicants who have federal loans, such as PLUS and Stafford. However, in most cases, you wouldn't be able to include your private educational loans for this. That is why you get private student loan consolidation.

Private Student Loan Consolidation

Then, there are private student loans. For those private student loans that you cannot include in a federal student consolidation loan, you can apply under the private loan consolidation program. This is so you can consolidate your eligible private education loans into one easy-to-pay loan at low rates. Depending on the company you choose, you will also be able to extend your repaying time up to 30 years. This will really help in decreasing your monthly payments.

How and Where you Can Apply for student loan consolidation

If you want to apply for private student loan consolidation, then all you have to do is go online. Now, there are many companies that offer online application that you can accomplish in just a matter of minutes. The requirements vary with the company you choose, so make sure you give this some thought. Others would require you collateral and a co-signor, while others would not.

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