Tyler Hakes

Tyler Hakes is the former Director of Marketing at College Raptor. He writes about topics related to the college search, admissions and financial aid. He's always looking to tell great stories about students discovering their perfect school.
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Consolidating Private and Federal Student Loans

By Tyler HakesLast updated on April 27, 2023
Many college grads have student loan debt from multiple sources. Usually, the biggest chunk of debt is owed to the U.S. Department of Education in the form of Federal Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans. But, many students also have private student loans from companies like Sallie Mae (now Navient), Discover, or a local bank or …
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college comparisons

Why the Ivy League Isn’t Right for Everyone (From an Ivy League Student)

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
One very thoughtful high school senior has been solicited for his college admissions advice almost endlessly after being accepted to an Ivy League college early action. Emil Friedman writes articulately about some of what is so incredibly flawed about the way students and parents view our broken college admissions system. Mr. Friedman talks about the misplaced …
student loans

5 Secrets to Saving Money on Your Student Loans

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
Student loans can be a huge burden for many graduates. Not only do they eat up a big chunk of your monthly income, but the fact that you’re stuck paying them back for 10+ years can make them feel never ending. That’s why at some point almost every borrower asks themselves the same question: How …
Stop! Avoid these red flags when you're refinancing your student loans.
student loans

5 Red Flags to Avoid When Refinancing Your Student Loans

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
Refinancing your student loans can be a super smart move. It can save you a lot of hassle in having to deal with multiple payments, it can lower your monthly payments, and it can save you a ton of money over the life of your student loans. But, not all student loan refinance offers are …
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college news & trends

Why College Admissions Won’t Be Changing Any Time Soon

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
Recently, there have been a number of articles and announcements that seem to say that college admissions are changing. More colleges are going “test optional” and more colleges are calling for changes in the way college admissions works. Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education recently released a “ground breaking” report called Turning the Tide: Inspiring …
Scrambled letters arranged as the word "declined".
student loans

Student Loan Refinancing When You Have Bad Credit

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
One of the toughest situations to be in as a borrower with student loan debt is needing or wanting to refinance your loans to save money, but not having the credit you need to be approved for the terms of refinancing your loans. It can feel a lot like you’re trapped in an endless cycle–you can’t …
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student loans

Now is the Time to Refinance Your Student Loans — Here’s Why

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
If I was a betting man–and I am, given the right bet–I’d say that the odds are pretty good that right now is the time for you to start the process of refinancing your student loans. How could I possibly know that without knowing anything about your financial situation? Because there are many objective reasons …
Conquer your student loans with these two sites
student loans

These Two Sites Will Help You Conquer Your Student Loans

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
Do you ever wish you had an “Easy” button that would help you sort out all of the questions and concerns you had about your student loans? What if you could conquer your student loans that easily? Do you have questions like: Can I get a lower interest rate? What is a “good” interest rate, …