A lot of the Federal student loan schemes need no credit check to be carried out and provide a student with significant financial aid. These programs are however based upon need and frequently carry other criteria which might make it hard to qualify. Even if students do qualify, these loans only cover part of the total education bill in many cases. If students find themselves in that position then they may look to private alternative college loans to make up the shortfall.
However, alternative educational loans also have their pros and cons. A credit check will almost always be required and this is no problem as long as you have a good credit history. The problem is that 'good' is very much a relative term and if it is not good enough then you will find yourself paying more than the normal rates of interest.
As well as the quoted interest rate there are additional financial implications of private alternative loans. Fees are normally added on to nominal loan amounts and a reasonably modest loan of $3,000 can easily have fees of 4% applied prior to distribution. That means $120 of the total is never seen by the student but nonetheless had got to be paid back. As a rough guide, 3% in fees is equivalent to 1% on top of the stated interest rate.
However private alternative loans do carry a few advantages.
The first and perhaps most obvious one is that money is available. Private lenders make their money on the interest and fees that they charge and so have an interest in making funds available to borrowers and they will work very hard to ensure that every borrower qualifies for a loan. Federal lenders on the other hand are bound by an inflexible set of criteria and there is usually no real appeal if your loan application is turned down.
Not having to deal with that cold and frequently irrational bureaucracy is another advantage of alternative loans. Private lenders have customer service departments that exist to deal with queries so that customers can get the answers that they need. Government loan programs generally have contacts and help available as well but the answers you get are hit or miss when it comes to quality.
Other practical features that make alternative loans particularly desirable include:
The fact that parents and students do not have to fill out FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) forms and provide a mountain of additional documentation. Private loan applications tend to be far simpler and the entire process is easier. But, interest rates and fees could be higher or lower according to the individual loan program.
The most sought after alternative loans have no fees and interest rates that are approximately equal to the prime rate. This is the rate which banks charge one another or charge their largest and most favored customers. If you are able to get an interest rate at prime then this is a very good deal and getting a rate at 1% below prime is a great deal.
To get that type of loan it is usually necessary to have a great credit history or to apply for the loan with a co-signer to the loan who has a very good credit history.
Finally, the only way to find out whether an alternative loan will satisfy your requirements is to get out into the marketplace and take a look at exactly what is available.
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