questions & answers

Should I Consolidate ALL Of My Student Loans?

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on March 6, 2025

By the time you graduate, you probably have taken multiple loans. This can make the monthly payments quite overwhelming as you have to keep track of different amounts to be paid back over different dates every single month. This is where the option to consolidate multiple student loans into one can come as a huge …

questions & answers

What’s a FSA ID and Why is it Important for Financial Aid?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

There are enough acronyms used in financial aid to make your head spin. While filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) you may come across the term FSA ID. But what exactly is that? The FSA ID It stands for Federal Student Aid Identification. This handy little ID is comprised of a username …

questions & answers

What Can a Student Loan Pay For?

By Allison WignallLast updated on March 24, 2025

Many college students end up taking out student loans. We know that student loans are used to pay for college, obviously, but “pay for college” is a pretty broad description. So what can a student loan pay for? Let’s narrow it down a bit: Tuition & College Fees This is often what people first think …

myths

Myth: If I Match Most of a Scholarship’s Requirements, I Can Still Be Eligible

By Allison WignallLast updated on March 6, 2025

Submitting a scholarship application is a lot like submitting a resume. You’ll give them your name, your experience, answer some questions, and might even have an interview. So it follows that if you don’t 100% meet all the requirements on a scholarship, you can still submit your application…right? Apply for Scholarship for College Meeting All …

questions & answers

What is a DRN and Why is it Important for Financial Aid?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

DRN stands for Data Release Number, but what does that mean in context with the FAFSA? We explain more below. Financial aid is already complicated and potentially frustrating. And that’s not including all the acronyms involved. When it comes to financial aid, there is a whole dictionary of acronyms you’ll come across. DRN, FAFSA, EFC, …

financial aid

How To Negotiate With Your College’s Financial Aid Office

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

File a financial aid appeal. Let the college know upfront how much you can afford. Let them know upfront how much more you need to attend. Tell the school if you had an exceptionally good senior year. Show them better offer letters that you have received. Don’t be demanding. Colleges determine financial aid packages for …

student loans

8 Questions To Ask Your Current Loan Provider Before You Refinance

By College Raptor StaffLast updated on December 22, 2022

If you’ve managed to build a solid credit score, refinancing your existing student loans may be an excellent way to reduce your overall debt. Lenders often offer loans with lower interest rates to borrowers with excellent credit. However, the one major drawback to refinancing your student loans is that you will lose out on the …

questions & answers

Do I Have to Demonstrate Financial Need to Earn Scholarships?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

Some students don’t bother looking for scholarships because they don’t think they’ll qualify for any. There’s a persisting myth that in order to have a chance at winning scholarship money you have to have significant financial need. However, that’s not true of all scholarships. There Are Student Finance-Based Scholarships, But… While there are plenty of …

student loans

The Comprehensive Guide to Student Loan Refinance and Consolidation

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on February 25, 2025

Student loan refinancing and student loan consolidation are popular methods of saving money or managing loan payments. But how do they work? Should you consolidate and refinance student loans? What are the pros and cons? We’ll answer all that and more in this guide. What Is Student Loan Refinance? Refinancing means the individual receives a …

scholarship search & applications

Effective Scholarship Essay Tip: Record Your Voice!

By Allison WignallLast updated on February 10, 2023

For many students, the worst part about applying for scholarships is writing the essay. In fact, it can be enough of a deterrent to turn students off from applying entirely. There are a number of ways to make writing an essay easier—outlining, using humor, picking an engaging topic, etc.—but here’s another one of those scholarship …