Students Scramble to Find Student Loans as Fall Semester Draws Near
It’s crunch time for college students trying to secure the money they need for the fall semester. But with lenders continuing to suspend their student loan programs — the count now stands at 131 federal loan lenders and 30 private loan lenders — students may find themselves challenged to locate lenders that are still offering federal or private student loans.
In an attempt to help lenders be able to continue making new federal student loans, the government included a provision in the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act, signed into law in May, aimed at providing capital for cash-strapped lenders.
Under this legislation, the Department of Education can buy federal college loans from lenders, thereby providing these lenders with the liquidity they need to continue funding new parent and student loans. The law specifically targets lenders who, in the current credit crunch, are unable to find investors in the secondary market willing to purchase their student loan portfolios.
Even with this legislation in place, however, lenders continue to find themselves forced to suspend their student loan programs. As recently as July 28, the Brazos Higher Education Service Corp., the 26th-largest originator of federal student loans in 2007, and the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, the largest student loan issuer to Massachusetts residents, both announced that they would no longer be able to provide either new or current borrowers with student loans.
As the suspensions of both federal and private student loan programs keep spreading through all types of lenders — large and small; for-profit and nonprofit; banks, non-banks, and credit unions; state loan agencies and schools-as-lenders — students and their families are finding themselves with fewer borrowing options to get the parent and student loans they need to pay the fall tuition bills that are coming due over these next few weeks.
Two Major Lenders the Latest Casualties of Student Loan Crisis
The Brazos Group, a primarily nonprofit group of higher education lending, servicing, and other financial aid companies, first announced that it would stop offering federal college loans back n March. In May, however, after the government passed the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act, Brazos once again began offering federal parent and student loans, saying that the government’s short-term liquidity plan had renewed the organization’s confidence in its ability to continue offering student loans.
But Brazos once again suspended its education lending program late last month, citing continued turmoil in the student loan industry.
Brazos Executive Vice President Ellis Tredway said his organization simply “ran out of time to get everything in place” to issue new student loans for the fall.
The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, which issued more than $500 million in college loans to 40,000 Massachusetts college students and their families last year, had already suspended its federal student loan program in April. Now, MEFA has also pulled the plug on its non-federal private loan program, which provided Massachusetts students with fixed-rate private student loans.
“While we continue to pursue every possible option, raising the necessary funds to offer fixed–interest rate private education loans is taking longer than originally projected and has become even more challenging,” said Tom Graf, MEFA’s executive director.
Students Face the Uncertainty of Switching Lenders
With over 8 million students and parents having turned to federal college loans in 2006–07, according to the College Board, the number or families that stand to be affected by the ongoing wave of lender departures this year is not unsubstantial.
Last week, financial aid officers at Texas A&M University — a school with over 54,000 students — heard from seven different lenders warning that they would no longer be able to offer federal student loans, a situation that has made more than a few borrowers uneasy.
Dyneche Duffield, an incoming college student headed to Houston Baptist University, is uncomfortable with the prospect of having to establish a relationship with a new lender other than her local bank, which used to offer student loans.
“I would have much rather taken out a loan there than somewhere where I didn’t know anyone,” Duffield said.
While students like Duffield may still be able to go directly to the Department of Education for their federal college loans or find those remaining lenders who are still offering private student loans (albeit with more stringent credit criteria that are making it harder for students to qualify), the magnitude of the problem within the student loan credit markets and how deeply it has permeated the college loan industry is alarming to many administrators and officials in higher education.
Kathryn Osmond, executive director of student financial services at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, finds the situation with MEFA to be particularly indicative of a long-lasting and serious problem.
“An economy that is in such a tailspin that it affects a critical agency like MEFA,” said Osmond, “is an economy that scares me.”
By: Jeff Mictabor
Student Loans Come in a Variety of Types and Payment Schedules
There are a number of different types of student loans. They are all created to help students and parents discover the right choice for their respective situation. The overall cost of both private and public colleges are steadily increasing and students need to find the means for funding their education. Deciding which student loan, whether a private or federal student loan, is a very important decision. You will eventually be responsible for paying it back, so research all of your options.  
What is a Student Loan?
If you are a student who is preparing to borrow money as part of a student loan, prepare to learn all that you can about what a student loan is and why you need it. It is meant to help you as you pursue your collegiate education. Because the cost of education is continually rising, student loans give you more opportunity to go to the school of your choice. Be prepared to begin repaying of the loan a short time after you have finished your education.  
Types of Student Loans
There are three primary types of student loans available, a federal student loan, a private student loan or a parent loan. Two of the most common federal loans used by students are Stafford loans and Perkins loans. What is beneficial behind a federal student loan is that federal laws regulate the interest rates charged for these programs. A lender has to offer a federal loan at the specified interest rate, which is usually lower than the national interest rate. A federal student loan can also be consolidated after the student graduates, allowing the student loan repayment plan to fall under one large umbrella.
Private student loans are different from federal loans, and students applying for these don’t have to fill out federal forms. Private lenders offer these loans, making them cost more because there is no legal requirement to stay within a certain interest rate. Private loans also require a student to submit their credit history, and the interest and fees paid on the student loans are based upon the student’s credit score. Parents may be required to co-sign for a private student loan, making them responsible if the student has to defer payments at any time.
A parent loan, or the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), is a type of student loan parents apply for to encompass any additional cost their child’s financial aid or student loans won’t cover. PLUS loans, like other federal loans, come with a fixed interest rate. These loans can also be consolidated, like the Stafford and Perkins loans, and parents are fully responsible for repaying PLUS loans to the lender after they are distributed.
Finding student loans that are right for you doesn’t have to be a difficult task. It just takes a little time and research before making a final decision. Talking with your college’s financial advisor can help you go down the right path when choosing a loan. It is important to go over all the student loan repayment options when choosing a loan program from a lender because you will be financially responsible after graduation. Deciding upon the right loan can help you achieve your dreams of higher education.
By: Samantha Ellis
Defaulted Student Loans: Blessing in Disguise for the Defaulted Student
Number of students are such who are under the financial crises due to defaulted, arrears or late payments and so on. Are you also defaulted student? If yes, don’t worry then there is an answerer of Defaulted Student Loans for this entire question. With the assistance of Defaulted Student Loans you can make your dream of education come true by furthering study. Defaulted Student Loans can assist you until graduate, under graduate or post graduate. But for this loan the rate of interest is slightly higher than federal student loans. Numerous sorts of student loans may be in default consist of: direct subsidized unsubsidized student loans, direct consolidation student loans, federal consolidation student loans or private student loans. Stafford student loans can be availed effortlessly by every one. Subsidized Student Loans and unsubsidized Student Loans. While the student derive the subsidized Student Loans then the government pays the interest, when the student is studying. But in the matter of Unsubsidized Student Loans. The student is to pay the interest but can postpone making any such payments until he/she completes his/her graduation. Unsubsidized student loans can be granted from the banks, lending agencies or directly education department to the students to pursue graduation or post graduation. These types of loans can be repaid within the period of 5years or completion UG or PG. Private student loans are also suitable for the defaulted students. A default student can pursue higher study through Private student loans. But for this loan the rate of interest is also a bit higher than other loans. Even though you reimburse your federal loan off it will still be noted as defaulted, paid in full on your credit report and counted as a black mark. Failure to pay on your federal loan must be steer clear of. If at all likely. If you are having trouble making your payments contact your lender, they may be able to assist you hash out a recompense plan you can afford. Consolidation may be your best choice in the long run, it elongates the term of your loan which lowers the payments and has several repayment plans to fit anyone’s financial statement. Contact Federal Education Services about a Stafford, PLUS or Graduate PLUS loan consolidation before you slip into the default swamp. Hence, Defaulted Student Loans are the boons for the defaulted students.
By: Jonesh Taylor