How Do I Get Student Loans?

Hi Betsy,

I just got my acceptance letters for graduate school and I plan to start classes in the fall. I’m obviously going to need to take out student loans to pay for tuition. Can you recommend the best lender to use?

Thanks,
Michael

Dear Michael,

I can’t recommend a particular lender, but I can tell you a few places to go to do some research. I would start at your school’s financial aid office and/or their website. They will be the ones who know which lenders may be offering interest rate discounts or other benefits to students at your school.

Another consideration is to approach the bank where you currently do most of your business to find out if they participate in student loan programs. Don’t forget to exhaust all of your grant and scholarship options before you go down the debt road, and be sure you use all of your federal loan eligibility before considering non-federal loans.

Regards,
Betsy