Home  /  Career



  Print this article
  Email to friend
A School Loan Consolidation Primer
Author:

"Hey Dad!", my son screamed from our front door, "I did it, I was accepted to Boston University.". My momentary exhilaration was overshadowed by the financial realities of college, especially private college. A quick calculation of my costs for 4 years of tuition, and expenses came to roughly $250,000,

a very intimidating figure. Overwhelmed I thought, how could I possibly afford to send him to college? Fortunately, there are various options available to finance this academic endeavor.

Federal programs are the single, largest source of school loan consolidation. The first step in applying for this type of aid is going on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website, at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, and fill out a comprehensive questionnaire. It generally takes around 7 days to process, at which point you will receive a Data Release Number, and Estimated Financial Contribution. It is important to find out if the school you will be attending participates in the federal student aid programs, most do.

There are several federal programs available for student aid, assuming school participation. The Federal Stafford Loans, are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. First-year undergraduates are eligible for loans up to $2,625. Amounts increase for subsequent years of study, with higher amounts for graduate students. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 8.25 percent. The Federal PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans made to parents; the interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 9 percent. Federal Work Study provides jobs to undergraduate and graduate students, allowing them to earn money to pay education expenses. These are

   ( Next Page )


Rate this article:  (No ratings yet)

 Saving ...

RECENT ARTICLES FROM CAREER CATEGORY
Vault's Top Consulting Firms (Author: Thomas Johansmeyer)

It should come as no surprise that the top ten consulting firms in the US contain significant Big Four representation. Of the top ten, four of ...


7 Language Learning Tips (Author: Ron Tichenor)

Learning a foreign language can be a daunting task. But when we break it down, it's really a numbers game. How much time you are putting into it and how many words do you know? In most cases, you will ...


How To Negotiate A Better Salary - The Inside Story (Author: Laura Adams)

Congratulations! The hard work you have put into your job search has paid off. You now have a job offer on the table and are excited about the opportunities that this position presents. There is just ...


A Surprise Job Opportunity Resource for 2006! (Author: Paul Megan)

Remember the old days when you turned to a temp agency as a last resort? Something to fill in your time while you explore other options. Or maybe desperation move to accept a lower level job to acquire ...


Expository Essay (Author: Jessica Johnson)

The purpose of an expository essay is to represent objectively the opinions of other individuals or describe some event or situation. More widely, exposition is a systematic written interpretation or ...


SEARCH
Search for:


In:


NEWSLETTER
E-mail address:


Name:


Copyright ©2007 HyperArticles.com. All Rights Reserved. - Privacy Policy - Disclaimer