student loans

The Best Way To Keep Track of Your Student Loan Payments

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 4, 2025

With multiple loan payments to make every month on different due dates, keeping track of your student loan payments can be challenging. Unfortunately, no student loan lender will accept that as your excuse for missing a payment. Before you get into any trouble with your payments, it is a good idea to have some kind …

student loans

What Are Private Student Loan Interest Rate Discounts?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

While private student loans typically have much higher rates of interest as compared to federal student loans, private lenders often offer a discount on a student loan interest rate if you meet their qualifying criteria. These are some of the private student loan interest rate discounts that you may qualify for: Auto-Debit Student Loan Interest …

questions & answers

Does Having Financial Need Affect Your Acceptance Odds?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on May 13, 2025

Key Takeaways: Need-blind schools don’t consider your financial need as part of your application. At need-aware colleges and universities, your financial need could affect your acceptance odds. Applying with a strong application, regardless of financial need, can improve your acceptance chances. Most colleges consider your financial need when reviewing your application, which could affect your …

financial aid

Everything You Need to Know About the CSS Financial Aid Profile

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on January 24, 2025

The CSS Profile is a financial aid application offered by the College Board and used by around 270 participating colleges, universities, and scholarship programs. The CSS Profile asks for more information than the FAFSA, which could result in additional institutional financial aid for students who complete the application. Students should submit the FAFSA even if …

student loans

The Importance Of Student Loan Interest Rates

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 5, 2025

When you take out a student loan, you have to pay it back with interest. Think of interest as the cost of borrowing money. As you’re applying for a student loan—either federal or private—you’ll come across an interest rate. In fact, the interest rate is one of the most important elements of a student loan. …

financial aid

The question-by-question FAFSA guide

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on January 22, 2026

Key takeaways: Most colleges in the United States use the FAFSA to determine federal and institutional financial aid packages for their students. The FAFSA asks students and their parents about personal circumstances, demographics, and finances. The completed form is processed in 1 to 3 days, and students can then review their estimated financial aid and …

questions & answers

How Are Student Loan Interest Rates Calculated?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

If you took out student loans, you know that you have deal with interest rates. Interest rates have a big affect on the overall cost of your student loan. But how the interest rates are calculated for each type of student loan? We outline the answers below: How Federal Loan Interest Rates are Calculated The …

student loans

Pros And Cons Of Paying Off Student Loans Early

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 25, 2025

If you have the money, (maybe you got a generous birthday gift or a bonus at work), should you use it to pay off your student loan early or should you look into investing it? It’s a good, solid question and one that most new grads ask when they come into some extra money. The first …

questions & answers

Federal Student Loan Interest Subsidy: What Is It?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

When it is time to start repaying your federal student loans, if you are not earning enough to cover your monthly payments, you have the option of choosing an income-driven repayment plan. While researching these, you may have come across the term ‘federal student loan interest subsidy.’ Let’s dive into what that means. Income-Driven Repayment …

scholarship search & applications

Why You Should Apply To Renewable Scholarships

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

Ideally, you should apply to any and all scholarships that you qualify for, whether they are one-time or renewable. Winning any scholarship is cause for celebration – it’s free money to put towards college and reduces your overall student debt by the award amount.   The Appeal of Renewable Scholarships What makes renewable scholarships particularly …