Learn About Direct Loan Consolidation Plans for Students

It does not matter if your parents do not have sufficient financial resources to support your education. There are endless ways to continue your education these days, student loans are one of them, but these loans can become a huge burden if not managed properly. The best way to lighten up the loan burden is to choose a Direct Loan Consolidation Plan for Students. Direct Loan Consolidation enables students to select the best solution for themselves. Due to its unique features, many experts consider these types of direct loan consolidation plans as the best options available for students.

Some of the outstanding benefits of these plans (for students) include easy repayment plans and an overall decrease in interest rates. Here is the most pleasing surprise for students; it includes reduction in premium by fifty-three percent. Other unique features of these special plans for students that make them good options are the forbearance and deferment features entailed in them. You do not want to disturb your studies worrying about loan repayments, learn and go for one of these plans.

Types of plans for students

There are many direct loan consolidation plans available for students. Here are some of them:

--Direct Stafford and PLUS plans.

--The Stafford and PLUS plans.

--Ford Federal program.

--Direct lending school loan consolidation program.

--The Center for direct loan servicing

Whenever you apply for these or any other plan for student loan consolidation, the first and foremost thing that comes to your mind is regarding the "interest rates". Thanks to the internet, now you can have all the information you need regarding these plans online. From plans to interest rates, you can find everything with a click of a mouse button-Literally "with the click of a mouse button".

Students! Learn about These Plans and Apply Online. There are two simple standard methods to learn about features and advantages of these plans for students. The first method is to apply for a free information packet or brochure and the second method is to follow all the steps of the tutorial provided by the direct loan consolidation service online. You can also follow different reviews which are available on different blogs and websites.

Here is an important piece of information for you, days when people had to visit federal or private offices to learn and apply for these plans are long gone. You can now go to a website, get the information and submit an application online.

Direct Loan Consolidation is the website where you will adequate information about student loan.

Original article

Debt Slap! A Student's Guide to Managing and Surviving Student Loan Debt

A university degree is essential in surviving today's ultra-competitive work environment. In the pursuit of a college education however, the added challenge of having to get rid of student loan debt has become a burden in these tough economic times.

Help is available for students in debt and these tips will help in ensuring that you'll be able to payoff your student debt in the shortest time possible.

Pay the interests while you're still studying. If possible, try to stay current with the interest of your loan to avoid having to pay for the loan plus interest in your monthly payments. Depending on the amount of your loan, it could range from $25-$50 per month, an amount that isn't big in hindsight. By graduation, you'll only need to pay for the amount that you were lent without the interest. This will help get rid of student debt faster.
Avoid unnecessary purchases. Buying one new video game per month could cost somewhere in between $500-$600 per year, a big amount that could help you eliminate student loan debt. Three cups of designer coffee everyday could cost up to $100 in a single month. Being able to curb spending temptations would be the greatest help that you can do for yourself in reducing your debt faster.
Record ALL your financial transactions every day. All meals, energy drinks and gas expenses should be recorded so that you'll have a complete and extensive list of where your money is going. This will help you in creating daily savings that you can use to payoff your educational loan and to see where you can cut back on expenses. Staying on top of your financial situation is the main key to managing your debts.
Know and understand everything about your student loan. What are your future payment options? What additional charges will you incur in specific situations? These are the things that you need to know in order to effectively plan your strategy on how to eliminate student loan debt.

It's important to always be mindful of your financial situation so that you won't be struggling to figure out where to get your next monthly loan payment from. Know your financial strengths and weaknesses and know that student loan debt doesn't magically disappear upon graduation. The sooner you create a financial road map for yourself, the easier debt payment will be in the future. Keeping your financial situation in order requires hard work, discipline and dedication. The sooner you put these tips in action, the sooner you will be debt free. A place where you want to be sooner rather than later.

Genevieve LeBlanc has helped many students Legally Eliminate their student loan debt. If you need a step-by-step guide on how to actually Eliminate your student loan debt, Please visit http://www.studentloanpro.org/. Here, you will discover a comprehensive and easy-to-follow tutorial on how to Eliminate Your Student Loan Debt Forever.

Original article

Private Student Loans Make College Affordable for Bad Credit Students

College was never meant to be a free ride, and for tens of thousands of students every year, the realities of meeting costs can be crippling. No wonder then that so many turn to private student loans to help pay their fees and cover their living expenses.

Of course, trying to get financing when already with a bad credit rating can be very difficult, but there are two routes available when seeking loans for students. First is the public loan route, and second is the private loan route, and for any student applying for loans, there are some details that are very much worth noting.

Private vs Public

The key difference between private student loans and their public counterpart is the sum limitation that exists. Generally, the public option is limited to around USD20,000 because of the fact that the federal government is putting the cash up. This may be enough to cover partial fees or for full fees at some of the smaller colleges, but loans for students at the lager schools will have to be a lot more.

Meanwhile, the public student loan option is only offered to a certain group, with income qualifications needing to be matched before an applicant can qualify. The exclusive nature of Perkins loans, for example, means for many it can be ruled out as an option from the start, ensuring that students applying for loans are forced look elsewhere.

The private option, however, is far less fussy. The only real criteria that matters is that the loan can be repaid. But given that repayments usually do not begin until after graduation, it is something that can be prepared for over the course of college.

Terms an Rates

It can be confusing to look at the varying interest rates on private student loans, but there are good deals available. Even if bad credit is an issue, there are private lending banks that are happy to approve a loan, though the interest rate will be higher due to the conditions.

While public loans can offer pretty good deals, and in some cases better than private, loans for students are probably best coming from private lenders because of the terms of repayment available.

The fact is that for students applying for a loan, there is a greater flexibility and range offered by private lenders. Public loans, by comparison, usually have very strict terms, locking the student into a commitment to repay the loan in full within 10 years of graduation. But private student loans can be repaid in anything up to 30 years, meaning there is less pressure and more time to get on your feet.

Extra Factors

Of course, college students are not usually very experienced in the way of the financial world, which is why lenders look at some extra factors before agreeing to approve a private student loan. These include the credit history of the parents of the applicant as well as the applicants history.

With this in mind, it is not a bad idea to get a cosigner for the loan application, thereby guaranteeing students applying for a loan have someone who can cover repayments.

In general, loans for students are an excellent solution to meeting college costs, but there are always pitfalls to watch out for. What is important is that the right loan option, for the right sum and at the right interest rate and agreed repayment schedule is secured. Private students loans offer the type of flexibility every student is in need of.

Donna Hammond is the author of this article. For more information about Bad Credit Unsecured Loan and Mortgages for Bad Credit please visit her website at QuickBadCreditLoans.com

Original article

College Admissions Guide for Students and Families

Students and parents alike often find the college admissions process inordinately stressful. This does not need to be the case. The following tips are simple yet essential guidelines for completing the type of college applications that will lead to admission to the college of your choice. All recommendations are based on over a decade of experience in college preparation and application assistance. Each section should be addressed by students in the order presented. Parents may consider hiring a college application professional to assist their children in completing all elements included in this article to improve chances for admission and reduce stress.

Work with your guidance counselor throughout your high school experience to ensure that you enroll in courses that fulfill your graduation requirements and align with your interests.
Enroll in Advanced Placement courses in subject areas that you are interested and successful in, as the completion of each course and passing its accompanying test will lead to college credit.
Take standardized tests in your junior year. The SAT and the ACT are the most commonly accepted examinations.

It is important to keep in mind that colleges and universities typically weigh standardized tests as heavily as your grade point average, that is, your academic achievement throughout your entire high school experience. Therefore you must prepare for these tests and perform to the best of your ability on them. There are resources to help you do well such as classes in school, classes offered by private companies, individual tutors, and written and computer bases study guides. You should also consider taking SAT Subject Tests for classes that you enjoy and are successful in. Once testing is completed, it is time to start thinking about what type of college or university you are interested in attending.

Begin to research colleges and universities no later than the summer preceding your senior year. Take into account factors that are important to you such as academics, location, size, qualifications, diversity, athletics, and cost.
Choose approximately 6-10 colleges to apply to. Choose colleges and universities that have GPA and standardized test score requirements that match your ability closely, those that are more challenging, as well as those that you meet all requirements for.
If you are interested in a specific major, ensure that it is offered by all colleges you are applying to. Visit as many prospective colleges and universities that you can.

After you complete your college application list, you need to get organized. Use a system that works for you; it should be formatted well and easy to check daily. A simple computer-based database is a good choice. You need a record of submission deadlines for all material required by each college on your list and a timeline to complete each element. Transferring important dates to your paper or electronic planner makes tracking your progress easier and lessens the chance of missing important deadlines. We all have different organizational styles; ensuring that your college information is in an easy-to-use format is essential. Common elements of applications include transcripts, standardized test scores, personal statements, and recommendations.

Arrange to have your transcript and test scores sent to each college or university you apply to if required. In some states, public colleges and universities use the honor system and will allow you to type your grades and scores into their online applications.
Request recommendations from teachers/counselors/employees at least one month in advance if required by any schools you are applying to. Several colleges require their own paper forms be filled out, signed, and sent. Provide these forms upon making the request. Request them from people who you are confident will recommend you most favorably.
For colleges that require a personal statement, submit exactly that. Your statement should have enough personal information to give an admissions committee a perspective of who you really are and who you want to be in the future. Have it proofread by at least two individuals. College counselors and English teachers are good choices.
Send or submit applications only after you are sure that you do not have any errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar. They must be 100% complete, including all required elements. Some schools send requests for additional information when needed; others will automatically dismiss incomplete applications.

It is time to think about how to pay for your education. The good news is that there are many federal, state, and private sources of financial aid. You may be eligible for grants that are based on financial need and do not need to be repaid. You may also be eligible work-study, which is a specified amount of money per semester that you can earn by working on campus. Loans are monies that will need to be repaid in the future. There are also scholarships available to students that may require research, applications, and/or essays. They do not need to be repaid.

Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) regardless of your financial situation and in as timely a manner as possible. You can file your FAFSA starting on January 1st each year. Awards are first come, first served. Although the federal deadline is at the end of June, you must check your state for individual deadlines. For example, in California the FAFSA for applicants planning to enter college in the fall of 2012 must be received by March 2, 2012. This date is subject to change yearly by each state.
Some colleges and universities also require that you submit a form called the CSS Profile and/or other college specific financial aid forms.
Research, locate, and complete applications for college scholarships you are eligible for.

Once you receive your acceptance [and/or rejection] letters, you are ready to choose the college or university that you will attend. Ensure that you utilize all assistance available to you. It is important to speak with your parents and/or other significant people in your life in addition to reaching out to your guidance counselor. As aforementioned, many families choose to employ a college application professional to guide them through the entire process. A student with assistance from the right person will likely be admitted to more colleges and experience less stress. Whether you have professional assistance or not, I hope that the above guidelines result in admission to the college or university that is the best for you. Good luck!

Virginia Kerrigan Ruehrwein, B.A., Providence College, M.Ed., Harvard Graduate School of Education
http://getthekidintocollege.com/

College attendance is crucial to the success of today's students. I have spent my professional career as a Teacher, High School Counselor, and Director of College Preparation Programs. Now I provide private, one-to-one assistance to students in the San Diego area who need academic tutoring, standardized test preparation, motivational counseling, and perhaps most importantly, college application assistance. You will not find a more passionate, dedicated, caring professional to guide your child to admission to his or her college of choice.

Please click the above link and check out my website, video, and testimonials!

Original article

The Big Hike in University Fees Is Scary, Why Should UK Students Use the 'Daily News' For Guidance?

Increased Tuition Fees will bring 'mortgage-levels' of debt for our future graduates. This should encourage all Sixth Form Students to research their University courses with more vigour than ever before.

There are ways of organising student finance to minimise the effect of a lifetime of debt. Getting a job with graduate-levels of pay is the first step, especially with such high rates of unemployment around. Well, here is a big chunk of advice - Never believe what you read in the Papers, if you see a report about a desperate shortage in one skill area then check it out.

Recently, a serious shortage of Engineering graduates has been quite topical, with heavyweights of Industry and Politics crying out for a lot more students to become Engineers. After all the future growth of the country is at stake! So take a guess at the percentage of Engineers in graduate-level work, 6 months after leaving University - 90%, 95%? Well, according to the latest figures available it happens to be less than 50%!

So what. Why does it matter if our leaders spout yet another 'institutional truth', it happens all the time, so get over it. Well if you are a hard-working student at College, or Sixth Form, and you are considering what University degree to apply for, then it certainly DOES matter. As everyone knows, a good career boosts the quality of life. If a young student reads an article encouraging them to take up Engineering, then they may swallow the advice and do just that. Be very careful.

Let's just track the news articles involved. Firstly from some of the 'too few Engineers restricting economic growth' brigade:

UK Business Secretary of our Coalition Government, September 2010 "Business cannot grow due to a shortage of trained workers while our schools churn out young people regarded by employers as virtually unemployable. The pool of graduates is growing yet there is a chronic shortage of science graduates and especially advanced engineers."Chief Executive of Scottish Power, February 2011. "UK plans to develop renewable energy and improve power generation and transmission systems will be seriously affected by a shortage of engineers."Senior Executive of BP, August 2011. "A shortage of skilled Engineers is threatening to hamper efforts by BP to boost production in the North Sea. BP need 150-300 new workers each year but it cannot find people with the correct skills."Sir James Dyson at his Dyson Group office, August 2011. "Our country is facing a desperate shortage of engineers. There is something like 22,000 graduates each year but 37,000 vacancies. Dyson employs 2,700 across their group."

Now, lets look at the employment figures for those engineers who have been graduates for 6 months. These are figure quoted by Professor Emma Smith of Birmingham University at a conference in September 2011. The Professor uses data taken from Higher Education Statistics Agency, HESA, from their latest survey.

"For Engineering Science, 46.4% of graduates were working in fields directly related to their degree. It is astonishing, in the light of claims of science graduate shortages, that so few new graduates go into related employment. Large numbers of newly qualified engineers report every year that they are working in non-graduate jobs such as cashiers and waiters. It isn't easy or automatic for qualified engineers to get related employment in the UK, despite the purported shortages."

So the well-meaning leaders encourage more to take up engineering at University, but the statistics from street level suggest there aren't that many jobs! If the University tuition fees were not going to rise so much then maybe it would matter less.

One piece of advice for young students is to check the validity of any news article for themselves using HESA job data or use websites such as Christian Muller's given below.

Mr. Christian Muller runs this website - http://www.uk-university-fees-and-student-finance.info/.

Christian spent many years as a Higher Education adviser at a Sixth Form College. Dozens of his past students would return from their Universities with valuable information about their progress. Courses with the best job prospects were identified and the information was always passed on to younger students. His two children were guided to sensible University courses and they now enjoy their secure well paid jobs.

Now, in early retirement, he is most concerned that our youngsters should not 'sleep-walk' their way to a crippling college debt.

If you want to discover more about the ways to avoid unnecessary levels of debt and avoid the misleading hype then visit Christian's website to find out more.

Original article