questions & answers

What Does “Account Closed Due To Transfer” Mean & Does It Affect Your Credit Record?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 5, 2025

When you consolidate your student loans, it gets transferred into a completely new loan with a new account and a new lender. When this happens, your old loan account becomes redundant but it still stays on record as part of your credit history. Federal Consolidation Loan & Credit Scores If you check your credit report …

financial advice & planning

4 Great Ways to Raise Money for College

By Jim RaychrudhuryLast updated on March 3, 2025

Far too many college financial advice programs talk about going into debt while neglecting to mention you cannot discharge federally backed student loans in bankruptcy and the high-interest rates you may pay. Nor do they discuss how to lower the cost of college beyond generic advice to apply for many scholarships, regardless of the time …

financial aid

How Divorced Parents Affect Student Loans

By Morgan StaubLast updated on February 25, 2025

A common proverb reminds us that half of marriages end in divorce. To be more exact, approximately 42% of married couples are divorced. It should be noted that the divorce rate for couples without children is 40% higher than those with children. It’s often said, for good reason, that divorce is hardest on the children. …

scholarships

Scholarships For Students Who Were Adopted

By Morgan StaubLast updated on April 9, 2025

According to recent estimates, American parents adopt over 100,000 children every year. This also means that, at any given time, there are hundreds of thousands of adopted students attending four-year colleges. America, ideally, is the land of opportunity. We pride ourselves on giving the same opportunities to children of adoption that are given to non-adopted …

financial advice & planning

Money Saving Tips for College-Bound Students

By Emma MillerLast updated on March 24, 2025

The fact that you’ve made it to college doesn’t make you an independent, financially responsible adult just yet. Daily outs and abouts in the first year can set you back more than you think if you don’t watch your spending. For a freshman, flashy jewelry, hip clothing, and all the trinkets that shine but aren’t …

questions & answers

Is There Any Way To Attend College Tuition-Free?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

Tuition free education seems like a tall order, an impossible dream. Reading about student loan debt is common. The more you read about it, the more it seems like all students who attend college take huge loans and graduate with massive debt. Unfortunately, what goes unmentioned is the number of students who attend college tuition-free …

questions & answers

What Is an Extended Repayment Plan?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on August 14, 2024

The Federal government gives Federal student loan borrowers several different repayment options to make it easier for them to pay back their loans. One such option is the extended repayment plan. This plan allows borrowers to make lower payments every month by extending the tenure of the loan from the standard plan of 10 years …

questions & answers

Can I Change My Student Loan Servicer?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 24, 2025

First off, we should define what a servicer is. Many people use the terms servicer and lender interchangeably, but a servicer helps you manage the loan, while a lender is the one who gives you the loan and sets the terms. With that in mind, can you change your student loan servicer? What if your …

financial aid

A Guide to Funding the Financial Aid Gap

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on February 27, 2025

Although many schools offer financial aid packages to help make college more affordable for its students, some individuals find themselves unable to cover the entire cost of their education even with these packages. This is what they call a financial aid gap. If a student is in this situation – what are their options? Finding …

questions & answers

How Do You “Tailor” or “Personalize” a Scholarship Essay?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

Many students look for scholarships to fund their college education. While researching scholarships and scholarship application tips, you may have come across the phrase “tailor your essays” or “personalize your application.” But what exactly does that mean, and how do you do tailor or personalize a scholarship essay? What are Tailored / Personalized Essays? “Tailor-made” …