School Mom and Student

For those of us who don’t have parents who can help, student loans make getting an education realistic. Most 18-22 year old can’t afford the $10,000 annual expense of getting a college education. Tuition, books, fees, and housing can add up in a huge hurry.

Those who are need of extra funds for school can use borrowed money for their educations. The federal government has programs in place that allow people to get more education. Stafford loans are guaranteed by the federal government, so as long as you have need, you can get them. They are available if you have poor credit history, or even if you don’t have a job.

Once a student has exhausted the amount of funds they can get through Stafford loans, the game starts to get tricky. Getting additional loans may be more difficult, especially for students that have poor credit. Since the Stafford loan limits may prevent you from getting the funds you need, you will need to educate yourself on other options.

Getting a private student loan won’t be too difficult for those of you that have good credit. Those of you that have bad credit may find this process to be very difficult. Private loans will likely cost more in interest than federally guaranteed loans, but don’t worry, investing in education is always a wise decision.

If you have bad credit, you won’t have as many options when you try to find a private loan. Most lenders will see you as a pretty large risk. Most students don’t make much anyway, and bad credit will most likely disqualify you altogether.

If you’re a student who has maxed out Stafford loans or bad credit, here is your most basic option: get a cosigner. The truth is that you just don’t have that many other options. Why would a bank take a risk on a person that isn’t employed and has a reputation for not paying bills?

A cosigner will take away the risk from the bank, providing them with the security they need to hand you the funds you need. This may be your only chance, so let’s hope that you have a decent relationship with someone who has decent credit.

Family and close friends are the best place to start when looking for a cosigner. Parents are normally your best option. Even though you may think that your parents may not want to do it, most parents want their children to be educated. If you can show them that this may be your only option, they may be more helpful than you think. If you can find a cosigner, you’ll have your student loan.