17 Creative Ways to Pay Off Student Loans

According to Forbes, the average student debt per person is $28,950. That’s a lot of debt. Student loan debt like that can make it hard to make ends meet. Fortunately, there are so many ways to pay off your student loans. Some of them may even surprise you. To help get you started, we’ve made …

Guide on How to Refinance Student Loans

In a very simple sense, student loan refinancing allows you to swap your current student loan for one with a better interest rate or terms. By doing so, you can save thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. In fact, borrowers who used Sparrow to refinance reduced their interest rate by 2.29 percentage …

What is Trade School? Is It Free?

Many people don’t talk about the different pathways that you can take after high school graduation, except the traditional four-year college route. Going to trade school is a viable option to consider if attending college is not for you. You may be wondering, ‘what is trade school’ and ‘is trade school free?‘ Trade school has a …

PAYE vs REPAYE: Which One is Best for You

Both PAYE and REPAYE are great, affordable repayment options for federal student loans. If you’re here, then you’ve probably heard of both. The problem is you’re not exactly sure what the difference between the plans is or which one to choose. In the epic battle of PAYE vs REPAYE, we’re here to help. Let’s get …

Student Loan Forgiveness Scams You Need to Know About

While student loan forgiveness scams have been deceiving borrowers for as long as we can remember, Biden’s pending decision regarding student loan debt relief has created a new opportunity for scammers to take advantage of more borrowers.  As borrowers, we want to keep you and your families safe from student loan forgiveness scams. When looking …

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Federal Student Loans?

In 2021, 43.4 million students in the United States were signed under a federal student loan.  When it comes to filling the gaps in tuition that can’t be covered by scholarships and grants, federal student loans are a great option. Plus, most students are eligible for these loans because, unlike private student loans, federal student …

How to Apply for College | A Step by Step Guide

Once the summer wraps up, it’s the busiest time of the year for high school seniors: college application season. From juggling deadlines, to standardized tests, to finalizing your college list, the process of applying for college can become quite tumultuous and hectic.  If you need a breakdown on how to apply for college, here’s seven …

Best Private Lenders for Student Loans

Navigating the student loan process can be overwhelming. With so many student lenders to choose from, deciding which one you’d like to work with can be quite the challenge. Ultimately, the best student lender for you will be the one that suits you best. That said, it’s helpful to know a bit about each of …

What is the Average Federal Student Loan Interest Rate?

A key factor to deciding whether to get a federal student loan or not is looking at the interest rate. Your federal student loan interest rate will add to how much you pay over the life of the loan. But what is student loan interest? And how is your interest rate determined?  Here’s everything you …

Earnest Private Student Loans: 2025 Review

Earnest Snapshot Earnest offers both private student loans and student loan refinancing.1 Earnest’s student loans are available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It is best if you are seeking competitive interest rates, unique borrower perks, and flexible repayment options that allow you to find a loan that matches your budget. Fixed APR Range: 4.42% to …

The Ultimate Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness

Student loan forgiveness allows for all, or a portion, of your student loan debt to be removed. Yes, you read that right. All of it, gone with the click of a button. While the idea of having your student loan debt wiped out forever sounds dreamy, it isn’t that simple. While most federal loans qualify …

Earnest Student Loan Refinancing: 2024 Review

Earnest Snapshot Earnest offers both private student loans and student loan refinancing.1 With competitive interest rates, customizable repayment plans, and a forward-looking eligibility criteria, Earnest is a good fit for borrowers who don’t have a cosigner but have a strong credit score.1  Fixed APR Range: 4.96% to 9.79%* (includes 0.25% auto pay discount) Variable APR …

Best Places for Private Student Loans

The best student loan will always be the one that meets your needs best. That said, it’s helpful to start the process with a list of strong options to make navigating the process easier. Here are our top picks for the best places for private student loans. The loan options shared are in no particular …

What to Know About Pell Grant Eligibility

In the 2020-2021 school year, students received $26 billion in Pell Grant awards. And of course, seeing how the cost of education has been rising, you might want to get in on some of that award money. If you’re not sure about your Pell Grant eligibility, here’s what you need to know in order to …

Best Jobs for College Students to Start Paying Student Loans

The average 4-year in-state college degree will run you nearly $25,000 per year, or over $100,000 for the entire degree. If you’re borrowing student loans to cover this, it’ll likely cost you even more once interest is factored in. Having a job while in school can not only help you manage your college expenses but …

What is a Student Loan and Is It Right for You?

College is on the horizon and you’ve never felt more excited. You’ve already got plans for what you’ll do to your dorm and what classes you’re going to take. But there’s just one little problem: student loans. You know you might need to take out some student loans for college, but you just don’t know …

What is a Soft Credit Check?

Soft credit checks (also called “soft pulls” or “soft inquiries”) occur when you or someone you authorize, such as an individual or company, checks your credit report. There are a few common reasons a soft credit check would occur — to prequalify for a loan, for employment background checks, and to check your credit score. …

Simple vs Compound Interest: What You Need to Know

Interest, often expressed as a percentage, is the cost of borrowing money from a lender. It can be one of two types: simple or compound. The difference between simple and compound interest lies in how they are calculated. While seemingly small differences in their formulas, the type of interest on a loan can drastically change …

Parent PLUS Loan Forgiveness | Everything You Need to Know

Back in 2013, the federal government removed the borrowing limits for Parent PLUS Loans. This meant parents could take out the full amount of their child’s college education in Parent PLUS Loans, which ultimately led to increased Parent PLUS loan debt. In fact, the average Parent PLUS Loan debt is around $29,600 according to a …