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 …

student loans

FAQS About Private Student Loans

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

There are a lot of questions that come with student loans, and we aim to answer quite a few of them! What are private student loans? Private student loans are loans offered by banks and other private lending institutions to college students to help cover all or part of their college education costs. How are …

student loans

Pros and Cons of Graduated Repayment Plans

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on February 25, 2025

After graduation, you have quite a few options when it comes time to repay your student loans. One of those options is a graduated repayment plan. This plan works by starting your payments lower and raising them slowly over time. Here’s a rundown of what that means for you as well as the pros and …

scholarships

Scholarships for Dog Lovers

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on August 14, 2025

Key Takeaways There are scholarships available specifically for dog lovers. Several scholarships require a short, personal essay to apply. Some awards are tailored to students pursuing a veterinary degree. Many scholarships reward passion and real-life experiences with dogs. Students who have volunteered in shelters, trained pets, or are planning careers in animal care may be …

questions & answers

A Graduate Student’s Guide to Financial Aid

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on October 6, 2025

Key Takeaways: Pursuing a master’s degree costs $73,520 on average, and a doctorate could set you back $198,000 or more. Graduate students should complete the FAFSA for federal student loans and to be considered for grants and institutional aid. Students can also apply for scholarships or request tuition assistance from an employer. Going to college …

scholarship search & applications

Why You Should Apply to Scholarships Regularly

By Allison WignallLast updated on March 24, 2025

Scholarships are, without a doubt, the ideal way to pay for college. Even with all the hype they get, however, there’s still a few misconceptions that surround scholarships. Some think that scholarships are only for graduating high school seniors (they’re not), some think you only apply for scholarships the summer before school (nope), and other …

student loans

Things to Know About Grad PLUS Loans

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 12, 2025

You got into graduate school! That’s amazing, but that also means you have to pay for grad school. How do you do that? Grad PLUS Loans are federal student loans that students can take to cover the costs of grad school. Only students attending programs in a graduate or professional school are eligible to take …

questions & answers

What is a Fellowship?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on May 12, 2026

Key takeaways A fellowship is a competitive award that provides money for school, research, or work. Choosing the right fellowship can make you an expert and top professional in your field. Unlike scholarships, fellowships require you to do a project or research in exchange for funds. A strong application needs recommendation letters, transcripts, and a …