How much do you Owe in Student Loans
College is expensive, it is a simple fact. College costs keep going up and most people can’t afford it without taking out loans. If they are lucky they can pay for it all with savings, scholarships, financial aid, and grants. Loans are the most popular type of aid for college and most students will graduate with some student loans.
How much do you owe in student loans? Your first choice in student loans should always be the government. They offer the Stafford Loan and others often with a better interest rate then if you looked for money in other places. Also, if you are in more financial need, you can get a subsidized Stafford Loan. This means that the government will pay the interest on your loan until six months after you graduate.
Besides government loans, there are other lending options. You can go through a student loan service, get a personal loan, have your parents get a loan, take out a second mortgage, or use credit cards. I suggest that you don’t take out a second mortgage and that you NEVER use a credit card to pay for college.
You may want to look into going to a cheaper school. Cheaper schools are usually state colleges and only cost less because the government pays for part of it. Often state schools are actually better than many more expensive private schools.
How can you minimize your loans? The best way to have less loans to pay back is to not take them out in the first place. Unless you are a genius and must go to an Ivy League school, there’s no reason why going to a state school wouldn’t be smarter for you.
You can save even more money if you go to a community college first then transfer. Community colleges are even cheaper and you’ll also save money on room and board because you’ll be commuting.
If you can, go to a school nearby, live at home and commute. You can save a lot of money not having to pay for room and board. Many people find living in dorms overrated anyway. At my college, most students ended up getting their own apartments after the first year because they didn’t like the dorms. If you stay at home, your parents will continue to support you just as they were before and it won’t cost you extra for school fees.
A final way to pay for college is to work. Get a part time job during the semester and work full time over break to save the most money possible.
Tags: college, credit, Family, Life, loans
