student loans

Is Choosing A Variable Interest Rate Worth The Risk?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 25, 2025

Federal student loans come with a fixed rate of interest, which remains constant till your debt is cleared. Private student loans come with fixed interest rates and variable rates. At the time of taking the loan, you will have to choose from one of these two options. This is no small decision to make. Variable-rate …

questions & answers

How Often Do Student Loan Variable Rates Change?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

In variable rate loans, the rate of interest fluctuates and changes several times over the lifetime of the loan. This is because variable rate loans are tied to market interest rates. Variable Rates and Market Trends When market conditions are bad, lenders reduce short-term interest rates to encourage lending. When this happens, the rate of …

myths

Myth: Taking On Student Loans Will Just Leave Me In Debt For 30 Years

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

Taking on student loans can be intimidating, especially when you think about how much student debt there is. While being saddled with student loan debt for up to 30 years can happen, it’s not the norm despite what you may hear. With some smart choices and strategic planning, you can actually pay off all your …

questions & answers

What Are Interest-Only Repayment Plans?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

In an interest-only repayment plan, borrowers pay back only the interest that accrues on their loan every month. This is unlike standard repayment plans. Monthly payments are used to cover a part of both, interest as well as principal. While there are some benefits to choosing interest-only repayment plans, there are also a few downsides …

scholarship search & applications

An Underutilized Scholarship Resource: Your High School Counselor

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 25, 2025

You’ve scoured the internet, local newspapers and community notice boards in your search for scholarships, but have you thought of getting help from your high school counselor? High school counselors have vast experience with helping students in a variety of ways, from offering advice on how to be better prepared for the upcoming exams to …

student loans

Pros and Cons: Refinancing Your Student Loans

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on November 13, 2024

Refinancing your student loans involves replacing your existing loans with a new private loan. It can be a way to better manage your payments and even result in major savings. However, there are downsides to refinancing. Below, we’ve covered the basics plus give you some insight into the pros and cons of refinancing your student …

student loans

FAQs About Federal Student Loans

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 25, 2025

Getting started with federal student loans? You likely have a bunch of questions. So we’ve gathered some of the most common questions people have about these loans and answered them for you! 1. What are federal student loans and how do they work? Federal student loans are loans that are offered by the government to …

student loans

All About Private Loan Repayment Options

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 25, 2025

The type of student loan repayment plan you choose is almost as important as the loan itself. A repayment plan dictates the terms of paying back your loan. That also includes when you start making payments and how much those payments are. Your repayment plan can influence your ability to make repayments as well. Assuming …

questions & answers

Should I Consolidate My Student Loans?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 25, 2025

Consolidating private and federal student loans involves combining multiple loans into one. The consolidation is generally done through a new lender and the resultant loan is considered as a completely new loan with a different interest rate and different payment policy. You may be wondering, “should I consolidate my student loans?” Student loan consolidation is …

questions & answers

Should I Get A Summer Job Or Internship?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on February 27, 2025

“Should I get a summer job or internship?” is an interesting question that high-schoolers are faced with. Both offer amazing benefits but they each have their downsides too. Whether a summer job or an internship is the right choice for you depends on what you are looking to get out of the experience. A snapshot …