Federal Student Loans Videos

FAP917: Diminishing student loans, IOU student aid, Twitter scholarships, Mystery song Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup US Bank exiting student lending. An alternative student loan proposal. Questionable issues at the FSA Ombudsman office? California IOUs for student aid? Scholarship Search A refresher on using Twitter to find scholarships. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. Free Stuff Friday Nivea stuff from WalMart. Part 1 | Part 2 Paper towels from WalMart. Ziploc Pack and Go containers McDonalds has free Mocha drinks on Mondays until August 3rd, between 7 AM and 7 PM. 5 issues of Oprah s magazine. 15 songs on iTunes from Lollapalooza bands Purina Beneful magazine Aveda hand relief Free Song of the Week Today we ll have some fun. There will be a song in the show, and the first 5 people who correctly identify what movie it s from and post the movie on the Scholarship Points Fan Page on Facebook will get an extra 20 points. Listen to it, tell me what movie it is, and in addition to the regular 20 points for this episode, you ll also get 20 extra points but it will be the first 5 people only. 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + The Financial Aid Podcast is sponsored in part by: Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

FAP916: Student loan payment changes, online degrees Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup Online degree effectiveness. Decline in scholarship funding. Student credit cards take another hit. Scholarship Update Congratulations to Karalynn Moran who won our $2,500 Scholarship Points award for June. Operation Homefront. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. News You Can Use Income Based Repayment kicks off. Free Stuff Friday RJO Futures commodities wall chart. Cloud Star foldable water bowl. 10 free patriotic songs from Amazon. Forbes magazine. Caribou Coffee samples. Sephora makeup kit. M Ms dispenser. Free Song of the Week All 5 service branch anthems. 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + The Financial Aid Podcast is sponsored in part by: Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

FAP912: National sales tax, student loan consequences, Rich Palmer Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup Last Friday, the credit card bill was signed into law by President Obama. Farewell, student credit cards as we know them. California s kind of imploding, budgetarily-speaking. Consequences of CCRAA and anti-FFEL legislation surfacing now. Figuring out that you can t spend what you don t have, Congress looks at a national sales tax to make every part of your life 10% more expensive. Scholarship Update We re nearing the end of the month. Make sure you re a participating member of Scholarship Points, as we draw our $1,000 and $2,500 scholarships on or about May 31, 2009. Also, I m giving out to podcast listeners and followers a sneak preview of the 6th edition of Scholarship Search Secrets, our free eBook. This version has two new secrets that are relatively advanced, plus some edits and updates. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. Mail Bag Mary on Twitter asked about the pros and cons of student loans Free Stuff Friday Garden gloves from Chesapeake Bay Foundation Small coffee at Borders 5/28-5/31 Yogi tea sample Sopapillas or a bowl of queso at On The Border Lego Club Jr 2 year membership Bottle opener from Blue Moon Brewing From July 13th – July 17th, Baskin-Robbins is giving all Do Something members free Soft Serve. MCA screwdriver set Business card metal carrier Free Song of the Week Rich Palmer, It s All Good 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + The Financial Aid Podcast is sponsored in part by: Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

FAP911: Student credit cards, Congressional hearings, Jonathan Coulton Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup Goodbye, student credit cards. A perspective on student loan programs. Impending bank failures. Scholarship Update Google has a photo contest running. $7,500. Details at our free college scholarship search site. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. Special Report: The Student Loan Reform Congressional Hearing How cool are you? Notes and comments from the hearing. Free Stuff Friday Cycle Magazine Quiznos Garnier Moisturizer via Walmart American Photo Magazine Elizabeth Berg s Year of Pleasures book 10,000 miles from United Airlines It s beyond funny. Runpee.com Free Song of the Week Jonathan Coulton, I Feel Fantastic 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + The Financial Aid Podcast is sponsored in part by: Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

FAP908: Comparing student loans, Selective Service, Free stuff, Bob Gentry Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup A new article looking at the differences in interest rates for various graduate student loans over at GradLoans.com. Scholarship Update National Geographic s Galapagos Exploration award, plus ScholarshipPoints.com drawings in just 6 days. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. News You Can Use Exactly how much should you borrow in student loans? Focus on Financial Aid Selective Service and you. Free Stuff Friday Whole Foods free lunch bags. Schick Quattro razor. Nivea body wash from Walmart. Fairview sunscreen. Sunflower seeds for gardening. Free photo card for Mother s Day from Kodak. Notepad and pen from CSO. Dogswell dry dog food. 9 free short story audiobooks from Barnes and Noble. And finally some tips for vodka besides drinking it. Got a bottle of really terrible vodka? Here are some tips, including putting it in a spray bottle and using it as an insecticide. Free Song of the Week Bob Gentry, Upside Down 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + The Financial Aid Podcast is sponsored in part by: Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

FAP905: Free healthcare, appealing for even more financial aid Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup Breaking: updated rules for appealing for financial aid. Scholarship Update We gave away $10,000 this week. Jonathan J. Olson - University of Iowa was drawn. Here s the catch: Members of Scholarship Points have to confirm that they ve won. If you don t respond in 3 days, we move to the next runner up. Also this week, a Hispanic MBA scholarship. Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. Mail Bag A question about year round Pell Grants. Free Stuff Friday Spin magazine in exchange for a vodka recipe. Free Axe body spray sample. Free antivirus software from AVG for Windows. Free dog food from Wal-Mart. Free bowling for kids all summer. Great if you volunteer with kids. Free Snuggle fabric softener. Another spatula, this time from Sears. Busch Gardens, Sesame Place, and SeaWorld all have free admission for military personnel. You must be on active duty. If you are unemployed and/or uninsured, Walgreens is giving away free visits to their walk in clinics for the rest of the year. Free Song of the Week Matthew Ebel, Night Train 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Send me your comments, questions, and feedback using this handy contact form!

FAP904: FFEL, student credit cards, making money with Amazon, free stuff Listen now: Weekly Financial Aid Roundup The consequences of eliminating FFEL - some predictions. Eliminating FFEL - more commentary. Scholarship Update Our $10,000 scholarship next week! Scholarship Points Instructions Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 20 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Remember, the points code is in the show itself, so you have to tune in and listen to it. I promise it ll be worth your time. News You Can Use Affiliate marketing with Amazon.com Mail Bag Should students have credit cards? Free Stuff Friday + Walmart has TP for you. + Emergen-C has a free shirt. + Six free issues of Seventeen magazine. + Free screening to some movie called Grey Gardens. + Free Old Spice. Smelling great! + Free Guitar Player magazine. + Free shampoo from Pantene. + Free kashi granola bar. + Free Hebrew bible. + Victoria s Secret body lotion. + Free note cards from Vistaprint. Free Song of the Week Catriona, Waiting for the Light 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Send me your comments, questions, and feedback using this handy contact form!

FAP902: $20,000 in scholarships, Scholarship Points, FAFSA, free stuff Listen now: Student Financial Aid News Scholarships running out of funding. FAFSA applications up 20%, plus other student loan news. Scholarship Points Members Are you a Scholarship Points member? In today s show, get a Points code for 30 Scholarship Points by subscribing to the podcast and listening to the episode. Subscribing is fast, easy, and free. If you have iTunes: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/itunes If you have Google Reader: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/googlereader If you subscribe by email: http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/email Scholarship Update The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority s (MCCA) Hospitality Scholarship Program awards academic scholarships to students pursuing an education in the hospitality field. Four scholarships of $2,500 each are available annually to Massachusetts residents-two from Boston and two from other areas of the Commonwealth. The deadline for applications for the 2009 academic year is March 20th. Details at our free college scholarship search site. The Student Loan Network $10,000 Scholarship drawing is March 31. News You Can Use Another scholarship scam warning. Free Stuff Friday Talk about random. American Eagle is giving away underwear. Aveda shampoo. Training socks. I don t even know what training socks are. Socks you wear to learn how t wear socks? Free subscription to BusinessWeek magazine. Free tomato seeds from Campbells. Free AudioVox t-shirt. Free sample of Emergen-C. Free audio CD of birds along with guide. Great for kids. Free sample of stevia sweetener. New version of EverNote. 10 GMail filters you simply must have. Free Song of the Week Rockstar Poor, Rayko KRB Events Podcasters Across Borders, June 19-21, 2009, Kingston, Ontario, Canada 5 most recent Financial Aid Podcast posts Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner Did you enjoy this? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Online degrees programs and directories at Edvisors.com + Free college scholarships contests! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit PrivateStudentLoans.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Send me your comments, questions, and feedback using this handy contact form!

FAP860: Brazos, Northstar, and PHEAA exit student lending Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + NASFAA and Bond Buyer: Three of the largest nonprofit student loan lenders have temporarily withdrawn from lending in the Federal Family Education Loan program despite a high-profile plan by the Department of Education designed to assist non-bank lenders in financing student loans, The Bond Buyer reports. Brazos Higher Education Service Corp., NorthStar Education Finance Inc., and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, historically some of the largest issuers or obligors of tax-exempt debt backed by student loans, have suspended their FFEL lending because they cannot secure crucial bridge loans that they need to participate in a new, short-term liquidity program run by the Department of Education, their officials said. Specifically, DOE officials told lenders that once they tapped a line of credit and received bridge financing, the lenders could disburse their student loans, after which they would be eligible to borrow funds through the department once a week, via a custodian. But details of the program - many of them technical - remain unresolved and lenders say they have not had enough time to find any bridge lender comfortable with it. + Wow. + As always, we re still open for student loans Scholarship Update + Cappex $1,000 video game design scholarship + For anyone pursuing degrees in video game and interactive media design + November 30, 2008 deadline + Details at our free college scholarship search site Mail Bag + Dan writes in: My kids are too young (thank god) to be looking at college-level scholarships, but looks like you have some great resources. + Actually, just occurred to me that I should see what scholarship opportunities ARE available for private schools in the 3-6 year old range. Any pointers? + Not nearly as much! Private schools typically don t have much in the way of scholarships because the public school system provides a taxpayer funded alternative + Cheap textbooks eBook on the way - email me and you ll get a copy! Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Private student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP858: FAFSA changes for 2009, record FAFSA applications Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + SF Chronicle: Record numbers of college students are lining up for financial aid - and asking for more of it - as the nation s economic woes hit campuses across the country. Nationally, 8.9 million students filed federal student aid forms during the first half of 2008, a 16.3 percent increase over the same period last year. + What we are seeing is more people filling out requests for financial aid, and for those who do, more people are qualifying and the aggregate need is increasing, said Richard Toomey, associate vice provost at the private Santa Clara University. Students who haven t needed assistance before are coming in. You had to expect that this was going to happen with all the news of companies laying off thousands of people. + While individual campuses are still sorting out the numbers, data from the U.S. Department of Education show that far more students are filling out the federal financial aid forms than in the past. + While four-year schools saw a rise in financial need among students and their families during the dot-com bust of 2000, this time it is worse, financial aid officers say. + Instead of seeing just one parent out of work, more students are coming in with two unemployed parents. And there are many going through foreclosure on their homes. + A brief reminder to complete your FAFSA - it s not too late, though your school may have different regulations, so check with your financial aid officer - and maximize your federal student loans + Chronicle: The Community College of Philadelphia and the city’s mayor have announced a program to help stalled students restart their education by giving them free tuition, fees, and some money toward textbooks, according to The Philadelpia Inquirer. + The city’s mayor, Michael Nutter, wants more residents to finish college. The new program will help those people who have 30 credits or more toward an associate degree but who have been out of college for two years or more to start taking classes again. Scholarship Update + Cappex Computer Career Scholarship + Cappex.com is awarding a $1,000 Computer Career scholarship, and we want you to have a shot at it. This scholarship opportunity will be available at any college or university. All you need is a Cappex profile. The Computer scholarship will be given to students with well-rounded profiles, so don t hold back on the details. + To be eligible for this scholarship, you must have a high school diploma or GED and be currently enrolled in college or plan to enroll within the next 12 months. You also must explain to Cappex why you deserve this scholarship in the Tell Us More box at the bottom of the application. Application deadline is November 30, 2008. One award will be granted. Good luck! + Disclosure: paid affiliate link + Details at our free college scholarship search site Financial Aid 101 + 2009-2010 FAFSA change + Excludes the following from specified list of untaxed income: + Welfare payments + Earned Income Credit + Special Fuel Tax Credit + Excluded foreign income + Untaxed Social Security Benefits + Some information on the EITC + A cautionary note about using tax filing services - avoid at all costs the refund anticipation loans such as Rapid Refund, etc. - there s some whammies in there that can eat your entire refund. For example, if you don t qualify for the loan, you get a bank account product instead and still pay high fees. Also, some of these companies also do debt collection enforcement, so if you have an outstanding debt that is registered with one of these companies, they can legally seize your refund. It s buried in the contract you sign when you agree to the refund anticipation loan. Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Private student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP857: 1,587 free songs, Massachusetts student loans Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + NECN: Treasurer Timothy Cahill said Thursday he would not yield to Gov. Deval Patrick s request to invest $50 million in state pension funds for bonds that would be sold to provide private student loans to cash-strapped college students. + Speaking in his capacity as chairman of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board, Cahill said making such a direct investment for social reasons and not financial ones would set a bad precedent. + Instead, the treasurer said he would support the Legislature signing a note of credit guaranteeing the state would repay $450 million in bonds so the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority can get the money it needs. The non-profit authority, which serves about 40,000 families annually, hopes to make such a sale within the next two weeks. + Of course, the Student Loan Network has plenty of federal student loans and private student loans in stock + Interesting commentary in the Chronicle - it s the reverse of New York State + Inside Higher Ed: Harvard University’s endowment saw gains of 7 to 9 percent in the last fiscal year to 37 billion, even as many other endowments struggled not to lose money in a tough investment year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Official results haven’t been released, but the newspaper quoted source familiar with the returns who said that a larger than typical use of commodity investments helped the endowment. + Hey, the Olympics start today Scholarship Update + Cappex $1,000 Digital Media Production Scholarship + Cappex.com is awarding a $1,000 Digital Media Production scholarship, and we want you to have a shot at it. This scholarship opportunity will be available at any college or university. All you need is a Cappex profile. The Digital Media scholarship will be given to students with well-rounded profiles, so don t hold back on the details. + To be eligible for this scholarship, you must have a high school diploma or GED and be currently enrolled in college or plan to enroll within the next 12 months. You also must explain to Cappex why you deserve this scholarship in the Tell Us More box at the bottom of the application. Application deadline is November 30, 2008. One award will be granted. Good luck! + Details at our free college scholarship search site Free Stuff Friday + Pedia-pop electrolyte mix + Tide TotalCare + Captain D s fish and chips + Remember the Milk has a desktop client + Hulu HD for some shows ad-free + gContactSync + Resnooze will text your sleeping bum + Amazon MP3 - I bought Praan this week and discovered 1,587 free songs Free Song of the Week + Lee Coulter, Yoga Master Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Private student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP856: MEFA Rescue in the Works, Volunteering Jobcast Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Boston Globe: MEFA rescue plan? Governor Deval Patrick has asked the state pension fund to invest $50 million and will ask Harvard University and other local colleges to invest millions more to provide student loans to thousands of families struggling to pay college tuition bills that are due in the coming weeks. + Patrick s 11th hour proposal, floated among key officials yesterday, would prop up the troubled 26-year-old , which announced last week that it would be unable to provide student loans for this school year because of turmoil in the nation s credit markets. + The proposal would entail the investment funds buying portions of a $425 million bond sale that MEFA is planning this month. The agency would use the proceeds to finance student loans. + Inside Higher Ed: Another major lender is cutting back on its student loan offerings. Wachovia Education Finance sent an e-mail to its college customers Tuesday saying it would stop making private student loans to undergraduate students beginning today, in light of the current overall financial industry environment. Wachovia, which is among the nation s top providers of alternative loans, said it would continue to offer private loans to graduate students and for law and medical education, as well as federal loans. Scholarship Update + Cappex $1,000 GPA Isn t Everything Scholarship + Cappex.com is awarding a $1,000 GPA Isn t Everything scholarship, and we want you to have a shot at it. This scholarship opportunity will be available at any college or university. All you need is a Cappex profile. The scholarship will be given to students with well-rounded profiles, so don t hold back on the details. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must have a high school diploma or GED and be currently enrolled in college or plan to enroll within the next 12 months. You also must explain to Cappex why you deserve this scholarship in the Tell Us More box at the bottom of the application. Application deadline is November 30, 2008. One award will be granted. Good luck! + Details at our free college scholarship search site Jobcast + Volunteering for change AND career-building + Before you go - make sure you have business cards - they re always a worthwhile investment + Pick a volunteering opportunity that you can be passionate about, as opposed to something that will look good - your ability to share your experiences and stories later on in job interviews and conversations will be greatly enhanced if you can tell your stories with energy and passion + Look for opportunities that are just slightly beyond your current abilities - if an organization needs help with its web site, volunteer for that so that you can learn something along the way + Look for opportunities that are smaller rather than larger, so that you can make a bigger contribution and impact - when it comes to career building, being able to say you doubled a small charity s fundraising sounds better than adding 0.01% to a large one + Do a damn good job, obviously + Look to add value to the organization using things you re good at - if you re a high school or college student, you know social media and stuff better than probably anyone at the agency over 30 - gently offer to help when and where it makes sense to do so + Afterwards, collect recommendations using LinkedIn or your personal web site - and always, always copy your LinkedIn page to your computer just so you have backups Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Private student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

Image via Wikipedia FAP854: Student loans becoming less available? Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + KCCI: As families continue to deal with rising costs at many colleges, some said that they re finding student loans harder to come by. Iowa Student Loan CEO Steve McCullough said that many middle-class families are paying higher interest rates on those loans or even finding out that they don t qualify for them. + There s actually a scarcity of funds to make loans, and we ve never encountered that before, McCullough said. There s not a scarcity for the government guaranteed student loans and that s the funds used most to fund college these days for people who have to borrow. But those loans only go so far. A freshman entering college can only borrow a maximum of $5,500 at fixed interest rates of 6 percent. + Foster s Daily: Hundreds of New Hampshire college students from Massachusetts are scrambling to line up new loans to pay tuition bills coming due this week. The students had counted on help from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, but the agency announced last week it didn t have money to loan. About 650 New Hampshire students relied on the agency for loans last year. Financial aid directors at New Hampshire colleges are telling the students not to panic, that those with good credit will probably be able to find alternative financing. + Stafford loans at StaffordLoan.com + PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Private student loans at AlternativeStudentLoan.com Scholarship Update + Make your eyes and ears bleed with the Scholarship Points Scholarship Idol videos! Mail Bag + Sampson writes in: hey this is sampson and i really need some help. i live in va and need to get to ca. im planing to take out a astrive loan to get the extra expenses done. cause i took some online classes and failed on them because i didnt log in when I was supposed to .well i was at work so thats what i thought online classes were designed to do anyway my gpa took a dive, they said I failed even though everything else was fine .gpa went from 3.0 to 1.5 and i cant get any scholarship or grants with that .but i still have to get to school and im broke i got fired from my job. so what do you suggest . + You ll want to accrue some decent grades by racking up credits at a community college, get your satisfactory academic performance stats up and running first + My name s James, and I was just at Podcamp Boston two weeks ago. For the record, it paid for itself many times over with the various tidbits and insights I was able to learn. + Since you re in the financial aid biz, I thought I d try you for a problem I m dealing with. I m 29 and trying to return to college after six years away to finish the last year of my bachelors degree. My FAFSA EFC was approx. $17K, but the school I m dealing with has so far offered me next to nothing ($7K in a stafford loan, and $3K in work-study, which is less than I d make at my part-time job.) + My situation is unique in that I left my job in February, and am now on unemployment. My salary is less than 1/3 of what I used to make. I understand that FAFSA and this school only consider my 07 income as reported on my taxes, but unfortunately, this school doesn t consider me to be independent from my parents, even though the feds do, and I ve been totally financially independent from my parents for at least 4 years. My dad s financial history is complicated. Basically, his own business failed, leaving him deep in debt, and I m one of 6 kids that he s supported for college. Basing his financial health on his income isn t reflective of his financial situation, as it doesn t factor in extensive debt payments, student loans and college tuition costs. Anyway, all of this is going to go into my appeal, so here s the crux of my question. + I already have $42K in student loans in my own name, and don t feel comfortable taking on another $39K just for this last year, for a total of $81K, when the average student loan debt is around $25K. I was hoping to have to pay around $10K, but when the FAFSA came back $17K, I started to gird for that challenge. Now, $39K is just plain crazy talk. + So here s my question - how do I figure out what an acceptable amount of student loan debt is, without basing it on emotions? I understand that your business is to get students to take out loans from your company, but helpful information would really steer me towards the Student Loan Network. + If you don t have time for this, no worries, but any help would be much appreciated. I also thought about meeting with the TERI center in the Boston Public Library. + Thanks for writing in - you ll want to investigate the methodology used + Ask in your appeal for a professional judgement override for future earnings + Consider a less expensive institution + Restrict borrowing to no more than your expected first year salary after graduation Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + Parent PLUS loans at ParentPLUSLoan.com + Graduate student loans at GradLoans.com + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Private student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP849: MEFA Private Student Loan troubles, dwindling scholarships Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + MEFA shuts down lending for the fall semester - see the video from WGBH, MEFA Student Loan Troubles + 40,000 students, parents, and families, over $500M + If you had MEFA student loans in the past, or were planning to take out a MEFA private student loan, the Student Loan Network may be able to help - call us at 877-328-1565 or visit www.StudentLoanNetwork.com + A disturbing trend I don t have metrics for yet - the number of scholarships that are not renewing. When you Google them, it s last year s page and there s a note saying the award has been discontinued or is pending review. + As the economy trends downward, scholarships may become harder to find - so get cracking. Scholarship Update + The Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship Program encourages young volunteers to play active roles in the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) programs. It recognizes outstanding young volunteers who give of their time by awarding annual scholarships that may be used to continue their education. The Disabled American Veterans has awarded 87 scholarships worth $578,000 since the inception of the Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship Program in 2000. + Scholarships can be awarded to any volunteer who is age 21 or younger and has volunteered for a minimum of 100 hours at a VA medical center during the previous calendar year. All volunteer hours must be credited to the Disabled American Veterans. + Scholarships can be used at any accredited institution of higher learning; to include universities, colleges, community colleges, vocational schools, etc. + Scholarships must be utilized in full prior to the recipient attaining the age of 25, or within 6 years of receiving the scholarship, whichever is later. + Immediate family members of the DAV national organization are eligible to receive a scholarship. + Nominations for this award may be submitted by the Voluntary Service Program Manager at the VA medical center, DAV Department Commander, or the student may complete a self-nomination form which is available on-line. If you are submitting your own nomination, please include an essay discussing What volunteering at a VA medical center means to you. (Essay should be 750 words or less). + All nomination packets should include a nomination form, essay, and any supporting documentation which you would like to have considered by the Selection Committee. + Deadline February 25 + Awards up to $15,000 + Details at our free college scholarship search site Mail Bag + My name is Nancy and I am from Germany. I just lived in the US for about 10 months as an Exchange Student and now I am back in Germany to finish up High school here but I would love to be back soon and to attend college in IN that would be awesome. I looked through the website and I am not sure if there are any scholarships with 100% tuition for international students? I really want to come back to the states and go to college there but I don t have the money so right now it is not possible for me! + Very, very few - Fulbright scholars programs, etc. where you have to be the very best of the best + Check out InternationalScholarships.com and InternationalStudent.com + Michelle writes in: Hello! What a fantastic podcast! I have been an avid listener for awhile now. As an incoming graduate student this fall 08 I have come across some financial aid stress over the summer. I cannot express how much appreciation I would have if someone could give me advice about this situation. + It is now the end of July 08 and I still have not received my financial aid award. I call the office approx every two weeks asking when it will be awarded. Their answer is sometime between June and August. Apparently my file is up to date, and they say the paperwork just needs to be processed by their financial officer. My student bill needs to be paid by August 18, 2008. + I have already chosen a lender for student loans, so I am just waiting on my award. Do you happen to know the turnaround time for a loan to be processed? Some ppl say a month and I am worried that my bill will not be paid in time. Should I be worried about this? Again, I appreciate any advice. Great job Chris!! + Your school may do batch processing - typically, for federal student loans, the turnaround is whenever the school does certification, followed by disbursement + Make sure your financial aid office is communicating with the bursar s office so that the billing folks know when the loan money is supposed to come in - call both + Mihoko writes in: Hey Chris, I think I have a similar question someone named Mercy asked you awhile ago. I m a US citizen and I ve been accepted to a foreign school outside the US. The school is not on the FAFSA list of approved foreign schools. Nor is it not on the list of the private student loan companies and banks I ve talked to so far. Is there a way to get some kind of student loan with this dilemma? Thanks for all your help and I love your show. + Not really, until the school gets set up with either Title IV certification or set up with a private student loan lender. You could also explore a regular unsecured consumer loan that s not a student loan, but that can be expensive. See if the school plans to pursue Title IV certification. Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Financial Aid discussion forums + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP848: How to shop around for student loans Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + NY Times: Banks struggling to recover from multibillion-dollar losses on real estate are curtailing loans to American businesses, depriving even healthy companies of money for expansion and hiring. + Two vital forms of credit used by companies — commercial and industrial loans from banks, and short-term commercial paper not backed by collateral — collectively dropped almost 3 percent over the last year, to $3.27 trillion from $3.36 trillion, according to Federal Reserve data. That is the largest annual decline since the credit tightening that began with the last recession, in 2001. + There s a bunch of banks that are distressed, but here s an interesting sidenote - IndyMac, the bank that went bust a few weeks ago, wasn t on the FDIC watch list at all, and even sites like BankRate.com fail to predict unstable banks. + In this kind of environment, keep deposits under the FDIC insurance limit, and if you re trying to get a loan of any kind, make sure your credit is in top shape first, and expect to potentially be declined even with good credit, not because you did anything wrong, but because the bank you spoke to may be financially on the brink of failure + If you re applying for student loans, federal student loans such as the Stafford loan and PLUS loan are your best bets for approval, as Stafford loans have no credit requirement and PLUS loans have relaxed requirements; both are backed by the federal government, which means banks may be able to sell them more easily. + NY Times: Comparison shopping for a private student loan? Doing so may damage your credit score. In few other areas of consumer life are you at risk of being penalized for seeking out the best deal. Indeed, mortgage and auto loan seekers who comparison shop within a relatively short period of time do not see their credit scores suffer. But Fair Isaac, the company that helps credit bureaus calculate credit scores, does not extend the same break to private student loan applicants or their parents, who often co-sign for loans. + While Fair Isaac has mined years of data to determine that people making a bunch of mortgage and auto loan applications over a short period are almost always innocently shopping for a loan, it hasn t declared student loan shoppers similarly safe. + In the meantime, lenders could help a lot by doing the following: First, state on their Web sites which credit bureau or bureaus they are using. Then, state whether that credit bureau is classifying their requests in a way that could damage an applicant s credit score. + For the record, the Student Loan Network primarily uses Experian, and to the best of our knowledge, because we work with major banking partners like Discover Financial Services (ticker: DFS), Lehman Brothers (ticker: LEH), etc., your credit score shouldn t take any additional hits beyond the standard first hit when you begin shopping around. Scholarship Update + Running a survey on our site, Student Scholarship Search. Please take a few moments. + Scholarship Points $1,000 drawing for July happens in just 3 days! Financial Aid 101 + Shopping around for student loans + For federal student loans like the Stafford and PLUS loan, thanks to the credit crunch and the CCRAA, there s no fundamental difference among federal student loans any more. There used to be borrower benefits, but no one really has those any more. The only metrics left are things like customer service. + For private student loans, shop around primarily based on rates and benefits. Look for, obviously, the lowest rates available, but base this not on the best published rate, but the spread. + For example, our spreads are in the range of LIBOR + 3.5% to LIBOR + 7.75% (some variations) - that makes us not as good a deal if you have perfect credit but a pretty good deal if your credit isn t perfectly spotless + Different lenders use different base rates - some use Prime instead of LIBOR, which lets them publish rates like Prime + 0%, which looks fantastically than LIBOR + 3.5%, until you dig in and find that PRIME + 0% is 5%, and LIBOR + 3.5% is 5.5%. + Compare fees, too. What s the origination or guarantee fee? + Compare benefits - is there deferment? Forbearance? + There s been a lot of talk about peer to peer lending, which tends to be a non-beneficial model. Peer to peer lacks the interest tax credit, since they re not qualified education loans, so you lose that tax benefit. Some have very short repayment terms, 3 years, meaning you have to repay while you re in school. Others have astonishingly high fees, especially if you have poor credit; Prosper has an average interest rate of 26.1% and for poor credit, 31.88% - which is worse than virtually every credit card out there. Some of these loans also don t offer deferment or forbearance at all (as of July 28, 2008). Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Financial Aid discussion forums + Get FAFSA news at the FAFSA blog + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. ShareThis

FAP820: Community College Financial Aid, Privacy, FERPA, FOIA Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Chronicle: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on Monday gave new voice to the growing fear that low-income students, like those attending community colleges, will be among the hardest hit as worsening economic conditions prompt more private lenders to cut back their student-loan operations. + The colleges themselves, however, may not share that fear. They seem more concerned about a different prospect: that students already are borrowing too much when other sources of aid, such as Pell Grants, would easily cover the institutions generally low tuition. + Concerns about overborrowing, especially private student loans + Kennedy urging community colleges to join the Direct Lending program; community colleges are also eligible for the lender of last resort program established by the Department of Education + Bottom line: there shouldn t be any students who can t get federal student loans for this fall + Some private student loans will be out of reach + PLUS loans are a good alternative if the parent is willing to borrow - fewer credit restrictions + As always, be relentless in your search for scholarships Scholarship Update + If you re a California resident, UC Davis has a great compendium of California scholarships + Varying deadlines + All of them are external to UC Davis + Details at our free college scholarship search site Mail Bag + Daniel Johnson Jr. calls in about schools selling names to credit card companies + Yes, it does happen + A Dear Colleague Letter from the US Department of Education clarifies things + FERPA protects non-directory information + FOIA only applies to federal agencies + Title IV is not included in FOIA + Schools may choose NOT to release information + Students may opt OUT of having information, even directory, be published + Directory information includes information such as the student s name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address, major field of study, and other information that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. + Maybe I should demo to the Department just what I can do with basic directory info? That might help clarify FERPA more + Report FERPA violations to the Department of Education Ombudsman - 877-557-2575 or www.ombudsman.ed.gov + Opt out of telemarketing with the Do Not Call Registry + Opt out of credit bureaus selling your record: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Edvisors Jobs + Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast ShareThis

FAP809: Quack like a duck, pay for college Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Free credit reports, scores, and monitoring from Transunion + Chronicle: the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation last week that would significantly expand veterans tuition benefits while providing billions of dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill awaits action in the House, where the president has enough Republican support to sustain a veto. In his address, the president said Congress should pass a bill to pay for the wars that is not loaded up with unrelated domestic spending. + Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi reacted to the message by saying Congress wanted to launch a new GI Bill for a full, four-year education for the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration opposes the Senate bill because it would give the college benefits to veterans with three years of service, which, it says, would discourage them from re-enlisting. + Is or was the lending crisis real? Have you been applying for student loans and found it any different than previous years? Let me know! Scholarship Update + Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Scholarship + Duck calling scholarship open to all US high school seniors + $1,500 scholarship + Details at our free college scholarship search site Financial Aid 101 + For many who have graduated, it s time to start thinking about student loan repayment + Grace periods - Stafford loans have 6 months, Perkins loans have 9 months + For any unsubsidized Stafford loan, the clock is running + For Stafford and PLUS loans taken out prior to July 1, 2006, you have variable interest rates - for graduating seniors, that s probably freshman and sophomore year loans + Resetting rates take effect July 1 + 3.60% - Stafford loans in grace (down from 6.62%) + 4.21% - Stafford loans in repayment (down from 7.22%) + 5.01% - Parent PLUS loans (down from 8.02%) + Wait until July 1, 2008 for student loan consolidation + Make extra payments to principal if possible + New Stafford subsidized loans start at 6.0% this July 1 + Private student loans can fill the gap between scholarships, federal aid, and the cost of college Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Edvisors Jobs + Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast ShareThis

FAP808: Get $1 for listening to the Financial Aid Podcast Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Chronicle: After months of artfully promoting doomsday scenarios for the federal student-lending system, the nation s student loan companies appear to have won terms from Congress and the Bush administration that could help both the lenders and the student borrowers. + The federal program already hands out interest-rate subsidies and repayment guarantees to enable lenders to offer cut-rate student loans. Now, with the administration s financial rescue plan, the lenders can either use their portfolios of subsidized loans as collateral for even more government funds or sell the loans outright to the government for more than their face value. Either way, that makes more money available for students to borrow. + Interesting and insightful analysis + For all the new friends on Twitter who are having FAFSA issues, be sure to check out FAFSAonline.com + For all the new friends on Twitter who are having student loan issues, drop me an email Scholarship Update + The FastWeb and Dell Why I Deserve A Scholarship Contest is open to students 15 years of age or older who are either currently enrolled in an accredited college/university or will graduate from high school in Spring 2008. To be eligible for this contest, you must submit a video explaining why you deserve a scholarship. Additionally, you must be a legal resident of the 50 United States or District of Columbia. + Deadline July 4, 2008 + Details at our free college scholarship search site + Are you signed up for the Student Loan Network $10,000 scholarship? Free Stuff Friday + Betty Crocker Cookies Samples + Smoothie King + 10 pack of DVD-Rs from Office Depot + Firefox 3 World Download Day + If you re a geeky sort, Google AJAX Libraries API handles the hosting for you + Google Earth plus Panoramio - virtual siteseeing, no gas + How to staycation in last weekend s blog post + If you drive more than 1,000 miles a month, check out Free Gas Help + How to get $1 for listening to today s show - in today s show, of course Free Song of the Week + Sharon Shannon Galway Girl (mp3) from Galway Girl (Daisy / IRL) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Album Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + College search + Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast ShareThis

FAP804: Veterans Bill, Student Lenders Return, Free Stuff Friday Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Chronicle: Many student-loan companies are still assessing the industry-rescue plan outlined on Wednesday by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings (The Chronicle, May 22). Several that left the federal loan program, however, have seen enough and are jumping back in. + Even before the day was out on Wednesday, the nonprofit lender NorthStar Education Finance announced it was returning. Those joining NorthStar on Thursday include the Brazos Group and Graduate Leverage. We ve definitely changed our mind, said Daniel Thibeault, president of Graduate Leverage. In my mind, 90 percent of the lending community couldn t lend two weeks ago, Mr. Thibeault told The Chronicle. Now, I don t see how a significant player could say, I don t want to lend. It s going to be exciting. + Inside Higher Ed: Congress today resolutely asserted that it is time for those of us who have been calling on these brave men and women to serve again and again to assist in providing a meaningful chance for a first-class future, said Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who has led the push for the major expansion of tuition benefits for former service members. This is a bill that is equal to the first-class service that they have given to this country. + Under the measure, which was attached to a spending bill for the Iraq war by Webb, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and John Warner of Virginia (all of whom served in the military), veterans who have served on active duty since September 11 would receive payments covering tuition — up to the cost of in-state tuition at the most expensive public college in a veteran s state — room, board, fees, and educational costs, plus a $1,000 monthly stipend. + That is significantly more than former service members are now eligible to receive under the current Montgomery GI Bill, which was enacted in peacetime and does not come close to covering the cost of attending the typical public university. Scholarship Update + From Sam Jackson + myUsearch has stepped up to the plate and is offering $1000 to the best student essay answering the following questions: What has been the most frustrating part of your college admissions process? Why is it important for colleges and universities to change this? What suggestions do you have for colleges and universities to try to relieve your frustration and the frustration of your fellow students? + The scholarship is open to fall ‘08 freshman and those students applying for 2009 (important update as of 5/22!). pursuing an associate or bachelor degree at an accredited U.S. postsecondary institution with a combined household income of $100,000 or less. If that describes you, apply today! If it doesn’t, tell a friend for whom it might be applicable. + Details at our free college scholarship search site Free Stuff Friday + Yoplait yogurt + Flavored Splenda + Nifty NYTimes reader + Alert Thingy for Friend Feed + Fascinating wiki on using acetone as a gasoline additive + Fuel Frog + GasBuddy, GasPriceWatch Free Song of the Week + Dylan in the Movies - August Moon Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Online Education Directory + Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast ShareThis

FAP803: Federal student loan programs back in business, Jobcast Listen now: Student Financial Aid News + Big news yesterday - the Department of Education released a letter detailing how the student loan buyback program will work + 1% origination fee, par value, accrued interest, plus $75 flat servicing fee for all student loans + This is a big deal - this is a moneymaker for lenders and will restore lending to a lot of smaller schools, especially community colleges and HBCU/HSI institutions + Combined with increased Stafford loan limits, this will really do a lot to help ensure that federal student loan access is uninterrupted for the fall + Quote by CEO Al Lord of Sallie Mae that Sallie Mae (ticker: SLM) will be staying in the federal student loan program + Check out our student loans at StudentLoanNetwork.com Scholarship Update + Kings College Private Scholarships Directory + $1,702,634 in scholarships + All kinds of scholarships, some we ve covered, some we haven t + Details at our free college scholarship search site Jobcast + Great books to power your career + One of the questions I get a lot is, what books should I be reading to get the skills that college will NOT teach me? + Made to Stick, by the Heath Brothers + Presentation Zen, by Garr Reynolds + Economics for Dummies, by Sean Flynn + The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell + Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell + The Design of Sites, Douglas van Duyne + Free Prize Inside, by Seth Godin + Unlimited Power, Anthony Robbins + Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini + Disclosure: the Financial Aid Podcast earns 5% referral fees Did you enjoy today s show? If so, please consider subscribing for free to get it delivered to you. Subscribing for free means you don t have to remember to download it every day. + + + Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3 Reminders + + Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com. + Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook + Open an FDIC-insured savings account today! + Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com + Student credit card information at StudentPlatinum.com + FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com + Edvisors Jobs + Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog! + Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com + The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network. I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast gmail com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208. Technorati Tags: financial aid financialaidpodcast ShareThis