July brings the summer heat, fireworks and outdoor picnics. Along with all the fun, July also marks the start of a new financial aid award year. An award year always starts July 1 and runs through June 30 of the following year and this award year. For 2012/2013, many changes to the student aid program are coming. Knowing these changes may save you some time in the financial aid … [Read more...] about Federal Financial Aid Changes for 2012 / 2013
Federal Aid
Getting Student Loans When You Have Bad Credit
The credit crisis has everyone on edge. If you are planning to take out student loans to help pay for your college education, you, too, may be worrying about how this financial crisis is going to affect you. If your credit rating isn't all that good, your worry is probably pretty intense. But before you hit the panic button, take a deep breath and read this post… it's got … [Read more...] about Getting Student Loans When You Have Bad Credit
The Fate of Private Student Loans
I have never hid my opinion from our readers that, if given a choice, federal student loans are far superior to private student loans. Federal student loans have lower interest rates, more favorable terms (such as income-based loan repayment), don't require a co-signer, and freeze your repayments and interest while you're in school. All these factors, coupled with the … [Read more...] about The Fate of Private Student Loans
Reader Question: Student Loan Income Repayment Option
It looks like the last two weeks have unintentionally turned in to the "Student Loan Hour" here at the Financial Aid Finder. Earlier this week, I covered the New York Times piece on student loan debt. Five experts sounded off on the question, "How much student loan debt is too much?" (Did you answer that question for our student debt poll on Tuesday? Please do that now if you … [Read more...] about Reader Question: Student Loan Income Repayment Option
How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?
How much debt is too much debt? It's a question that anyone taking out a student loan needs to grapple with. According to a series in the New York Times a while back, the average debt load for a graduate was $20,000; students attending private colleges took out an average of $25,000. Those amounts have gone up... But how much the average student carries in debt isn't … [Read more...] about How Much Student Loan Debt Is Too Much?