I am sure that many of you are students out there that are going through challenges with getting a student loan because you have had bad credit in the past. You could also have had no credit at all and you are worried if you can find a student loan with a good interest rate. Either way you need to make sure that you find a loan that will fit you.
We are going to take a look at some student loans that you can use to help you get tuition taken care of. We are also going look at some ways to improve your credit.
A Stafford Loan requires no credit check and you can get anywhere from $3,500 to $5,500 depending on what year you are in college. If you are married or over 24 then you can qualify for an additional $4,000. The same can be said if you are in the military.
PLUS Loans are parent sponsored loans so credit won't matter for you, but it will matter for your parents. This is a great way for a parent to bail you out if you have had a bad experience with your credit in the past.
A Perkins Loan is going to be better actually if you have a lower income, which means little or no credit. That is an interesting situation don't you think? They will cover a portion up to $5,400, but you will probably have a higher interest rate and you should ask your financial aid office for any help with this loan or any of the other government loans.
A direct to consumer private loan will be harder for any person to get because they will directly hand you the student loan that you decide how you spend it. It will probably require you to have a 700 credit score, but at the same time you can decide if you want to use it for tuition, books, room and board, or any form of college entertainment.
With all of these options you need to make sure that you take care of your credit and that you put together a good credit history so that your rates are better and you are able to get more freedom with how you pay back the loan. Student loans tend to have lower interest rates, but obviously even lower rates can save you years of payment and it is very exciting to get out of college with little or no debt.
One of the things you can do going into college or if you have children is start establishing credit history by getting a credit card and being on time with all of your payments. Use it often, but make sure that you can always pay off your credit cards and it will give you a good credit rating in six to twelve months. This can mean so much not just for a student loan, but also for a mortgage, car payment, and many other purchases.
Next if you have issues getting a credit card then look for co-signing options or a secured credit card that will allow for you to start somewhere. Next make sure that you can not only make monthly payments, but also bi-weekly payments if necessary. All of these things will save you a lot of money down the road.
