The ultimate guide to federal student loans
Before you apply for federal student loans, make sure you understand your options.
6 min read
Sep 17, 2026
Dori Zinn
Contributor, Personal Finance
Dori Zinn is a contributor to Bankrate covering personal finance, personal loans, student loans, student financial aid and investing, among other topics. Since graduating college in a recession, she has covered various parts of the personal finance space, including banking, budgeting, investing and real estate, for more than a decade. She has also contributed to CNET and has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo and other outlets. She loves teaching people about money.
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