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Private student loans can be helpful or they can
drown you in debt. To steer clear of trouble, be aware of your options and take
the following steps.
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Students need to do their homework: | |
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1.
Complete the FAFSA. That's the free application for federal student aid,
including grants and low-cost loans. "Federal loan programs will
be more advantageous," says Dallas Martin, president of National Association of
Student Financial Aid Administrators. "They'll have certain borrower benefits
that aren't always available with private loans. Private loans should be the last
resort." 2. Don't forget
federal deals for parents. Parents may balk at borrowing, but experts urge
them to consider the federal PLUS program. As of July 1, 2006,
rates were fixed at 7.9 percent for loans from the Federal Direct Loan program
and 8.5 percent for PLUS loans obtained through the Federal Family Education Loan,
or FFEL program. The school determines which program it offers. Both versions
are cheaper than most private student loans, and fixed rates mean costs won't
skyrocket in the future. "Some families have arrangements whereby
students help pay for some of the costs or pay the parents for all of the loan,"
says Cindy Bailey at the College Board. 3.
Ask private lenders lots of questions. Don't just respond to any loan advertising
campaign or recommendation, no matter who it's from. Shop around. For starters,
check out rates from lenders on Bankrate's
College Finance home page. And be sure thoroughly understand what you're getting
into.
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Here's a list of questions to start with: |
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| • | Does
the loan have a fixed or variable rate? | | • | If
it's variable, to what index is it tied? | | • | How
often can it change? | | • | Can
the margin change? What determines the margin amount? | | • | Is
there an interest-rate cap? If so, what is it? | | • | What
are the fees, including those to temporarily stop payments with a so-called forbearance? |
| • | How
difficult is it to consolidate loans and cut interest rates after graduation? |
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"Don't just react to the emotional
advertising. You need to dig down to the details," says Martin. 4.
Scrutinize private student loan discounts. Loan perks sound enticing, but
look at the details. Analysis by Project on Student Debt shows that the value
of a 1 percent discount varies widely, depending on how it's applied. For
instance, a loan that lowers interest rates by 1 percentage point at the start
of repayment -- that is, after interest had been accruing for four years while
a student attended college -- really amounts to a 0.78 percent savings. A
1 percent discount on principal after 48 consecutive, on-time payments computes
to a minuscule 0.12 percent savings. And a 1 percent reduction
on the interest rate after 48 consecutive payments is really worth 0.33 percent.
For more on the discounts, visit the Project
on Student Debt Web site.
5.
Consider paying interest ASAP. Private student loans offer three options
when it comes to repayment plans: total deferment loans, interest-only, or --
the least popular option among borrowers -- a loan in which students pay off interest
plus principal while they're still enrolled. Total deferment loans
let you put off paying interest until after college. That makes borrowing cheaper
at first, but George Pappas, from the private lender EduCap, warns that pushing
off payments can boost monthly costs by as much as 30 percent to 40 percent. Instead,
he urges students to opt for interest-only loans, which they start paying immediately
while in school. Consider a student who pays interest only while
in school for a $20,000 private loan that charges an 11 percent interest rate.
The monthly tab will be $183. That's $6.10 a day. Once the student graduates,
and owes principal, too, the monthly payment will climb to $221 a month, says
Pappas. On the other hand, with interest accruing at 11 percent,
that same $20,000 loan mushrooms to more than $30,000 if a student pays nothing
for four years. As a result, monthly payments -- which include interest and principal
-- will be $343 after graduation, says Pappas. "Interest upon
interest is accruing while they're not making payments. That's why it's so much
more and people get behind," says Pappas. "If you can make the interest payments,
it's a much better choice." | 
