Law School Loans

Federal Loan Consolidation
Private Loan Consolidation
Bar Loans
Law School Tuition Loans
Government Relations
School Partnership Program
My Account
About us
Account Login
User Name:
Password:
Forgot your User name or Password?
New users: Register Today!
  Student Loan Consolidation Exclusively for Attorneys and Law Students
Private Student Loan Consolidation



Download PDF Tell Others
View Comments Post a Comment
Private loan consolidation, like private education loans, has nothing to do with the federal government. In reality, private consolidation loans are just another form of consumer lending such as credit cards. Because of this, private loan consolidations are different from federal loan consolidations.

The main similarity between private loan consolidations and federal loan consolidations is that a lender will pay off your existing private education loans and replace them with one new private loan, so you end up with one lender and one monthly payment.

Unlike federal consolidation, eligibility for private consolidation is credit-based. With private consolidation, everything (whether you are eligible at all, the size of loan you are eligible for, the interest rate, and fees on the loan— literally everything!) hinges on your credit rating or FICO score, a numerical rating ranging from 0-850 that purports to be a quantitative representation of your future credit risk.
To give you an idea, the average FICO score in the U.S. is around 670. How your score is calculated is a very closely guarded secret, but some things that affect your score negatively are not having a credit history, being late with payments, and having too many credit cards or other debt. To get more info on FICO scores, go to http://www.myfico.com/CreditEducation.

The keepers of your credit rating are the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. Get your credit report from them, read it, and start to watch it like a hawk from now on. If your credit reports contain incorrect information, contact the credit bureaus and ask them to fix it. The power these three companies have over your life is immense; how they calculate your credit rating will in very large part determine your ability to make the large purchases in your life (lease a car, buy a house, etc.).

Each lender is different; but if your credit rating is greater than 700, you should be in good shape in terms of being approved for a private consolidation loan at a reasonable interest rate. If your credit score is below 700, most lenders will allow you to apply with a cosigner and will base their decision on your cosigner's credit. In contrast to federal consolidation, the terms (including interest rate, fees, repayment term) of a private consolidation loan may vary significantly from lender to lender.

The interest rates on private consolidation loans are usually variable rates. The method of calculation varies depending on the lender. However, most lenders will use a “benchmark” interest rate, such as the prime rate, and then add a margin determined by your credit evaluation. The better your credit, the lower the margin. For example, if the prime rate is 6.5 percent and your lender adds a 2 percent margin, your interest rate would start at 8.5 percent for your private consolidation. This rate would go up or down depending on changes in the prime rate. Repayment terms will vary between 10-30 years based on the lender and the amount of the consolidation.

Law School Loans can pre-approve you over the phone for a private consolidation loan in about 10 minutes and advise you of the proposed terms of the loan at the same time. As with credit cards, it pays to shop around; and if you are an attractive borrower, there may be room for you to negotiate the terms of your private consolidation loan with your chosen lender. An additional word of caution: Although you may use the same lender for your private consolidation and federal consolidation, you may not combine the two types of loans into one loan. You will always have a separate payment for each type of consolidation. Consolidating your student loans can save you hundreds of dollars each month and tens of thousands over the life of your loan. With student loan interest rates about to increase in the very near future, it is more important than ever to contact a loan advisor and learn more about your loan consolidation options. You may be quite surprised at how much money you will save by consolidating your loans now.

 


Article Title : Private Student Loan Consolidation
Comment not found for this article.
Comment
 
+ Consolidate Your Private or Federal Student Loans Now! (Save Thousands!!)
Up-to-date information is outdated information.
Get it up-to-the-minute from Law School Loans.

At Law School Loans, America's top law school lender, we employ some of the best financial advisers and finance journalists in the student lending industry. Be sure you're getting the most accurate data from the most trusted source, and stay up-to-the-minute on your own student loans!

Just use the RSS feed below and add this to any of the channels you use to receive blogs, podcasts, and other syndicated material.

Click here to sign up for our weekly Newswire now!


Your Name: Your E-mail Address:

We respect your privacy.
Friend's name: E-mail address:
Include a Message:
+ Privacy Policy

Free Ebook With All Registrations
Trust me I have called many different consolidation companies and none of them compare to Law School Loans great customer service, They are definitely on top of things. They were the only people I had spoken with that deal exclusively with Lawyers and Attorneys, they were also the only ones to help me with all my questions and concerns, they made me feel comfortable about ...
- Randall M.  Boise, ID
5 Most Dangerous Trends of Student Loan Companies
Your Federal Benefits Law School Loans Guarantees Your Borrower Benefits

If you are still in-school, you may reserve your consolidation for graduation with Law School Loans. By signing and returning your application now, you will be guaranteed the current low rates on your consolidation, and you will not have to think about your consolidation again until you enter repayment.

Consolidation streamlines your repayment obligations by giving you just one lender and one monthly payment.
Newswire

Important interest rate changes, valuable new programs, and everything you need to know about your loans and repayment... sign up for breaking news updates from Law School Loans!
Email:

+ most recent newsletter
+ newswire archives
A few minutes on the phone or online could save you $600 a month or more on your student loan payments.
or
Call (800) 659-8344
-CLICK HERE- to request an appointment with one of our expert loan counselors.
Benefits of Federal Loan Consolidation with Law School Loans
Additional Information:
Repayment Options
Frequently Asked Questions
Retain Your Government Benefits
Why the Government Wants to Help You
About Us
Press Room
Glossary of Terms
What Will You Do With All The Extra Money Law School Loans Saves You???
Advice from Law School Loans:
Planning for Law School
Kennedy Introduces Legislation That Would Alter Federal Financial Aid

New Trend in Education Finance Counseling Programs

No Threat to Federal Student Loan Availability

Harvard Law School to Waive Tuition for 3Ls

Pennsylvania State University Switches to Direct Loan Program

Congress Urges Secretary of Education to Take FFELP Loan Action

ABA Releases Report on Law School Enrollment

Legislation Could Simplify Financial Aid Application Process

New Jersey Loan Guarantor and Attorney General Reach Settlement

Higher Education Act Renewed

Major Lender Exits FFEL Program

Investigations into Study-Abroad Programs

No Comprehensive Analysis of Cuts to FFEL Program, Secretary Says

Don't Look for Monsters

IRS Reminds Students of ''Tax-Advantaged Education Expenses''

Bush to Sign Conference Agreement

Borrowers Must Hurry to Receive Savings Before the October 1 Deadline!

California Students Get Relief, 2007-2008 State Budget Passed

Southern Illinois University President Accused of Plagiarism

Study Finds More Preparation Needed for Transition from High School to College

Wisconsin Students Awaiting Approval of WHEG Funding

Spellings announces $12 million in grants for tribally controlled schools

Four employees of Crown College under fire

Spellings Urges Colleges and Lenders to Comply with New Loan Rules

A New College Education Plan

Senator Herb Kohl introduces bill to help students remain out of debt

Study says academic tracking a major barrier to college attendance

Ithaka Advocates Online Publishing by Universities

Schools to Boycott U.S. News & World Report Survey

President Bush Threatens to Veto Appropriations Bill for Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services

Colleges to Start Policing Students Who Download Music

Virginia launches six-year plan to align K-12 standards with university-level education

Michigan tuition hike is daunting

College Admissions Are Still Beyond the Reach of the Economically Underprivileged

NASFAA Members Respond to Code of Conduct

New Hampshire University System Approves Tuition and Aid Increase

Free Tuition for Massachusetts Students: A Curse or a Blessing?

The Focus is Now on College Performance

U.S. Energy Department Going Greener

Senators Urge Spellings to Refrain from Imposing New Accreditation Regulations

Virginia’s James Madison University Approves Its Biggest Budget Yet

Massachussets Governor Proposes Free Attendance to Community Colleges

Federal Agents Raid Florida-Based Student Loan Company

Legislation Proposed in Illinois to Allow Illegal Immigrants to Receive Student Loans

House Votes in Favor of Student Loan Sunshine Act

New York Attorney General Investigates Relationships with Alumni Associations

Senator Kennedy Questions Collection Tactics

The ACLU Appeals Verdict in Its Case Against the Higher Education Act

Arizona Graduate Student Loan Debt Reaches an All-Time High