July 1 Deadline Nears for Interest Rate Increase on Student Loan Consolidation
It is a good idea for students and graduate students to consolidate their student loans before July 1, 2006, when interest rates are set to increase, according to NextStudent, the Phoenix- based premier education funding company. With little more than seven weeks remaining until the deadline, students are running out of time before the federal student loan program will be impacted by changes in rules and regulations.
   The federal student loan program took some major hits with the passing
Feb. 8 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, S. 1932. Although programs
including Medicare and Medicaid were reduced, the federal student loan
program was hit hardest with approximately $12.7 billion in cuts.
   If students do not consolidate, they likely will end up spending
thousands more in total repayment on their student loans. That, coupled
with the higher cost of college and the decrease in federal student loan
programs, is making it more difficult for students to receive a college
education.
   Federal student loan consolidation can help. Consolidation collects all
of a student’s loans, such as Stafford and PLUS loans, and packages them
into one, allowing for one easy monthly payment. In addition, through
consolidation the interest rate is locked in for the loan’s lifetime. For
the long term, students can save upwards of 60 percent, which adds up to
thousands.
   NextStudent offers in-school borrowers a 4.75 percent interest rate.
Eligible borrowers can receive an interest rate of 2.75 with applied
benefits. This rate’s incentives include the .60 percent savings for those
students who consolidate after graduation, an Auto Debit incentive equal to
a .25 percent reduction, and a 1 percent additional decrease after the
first 36 consecutive on-time payments.
   Students can help themselves and save money that can be used for other
daily expenses when they consolidate before the expected July 1 deadline.
With student loan consolidation poised for major changes and interest rate
hikes, it is important to consolidate while there still is time.
   About NextStudent
   NextStudent, http://www.nextstudent.com/, federal lender code 834051,
is dedicated to helping students and their families find affordable ways to
pay for college. NextStudent offers one-on-one education finance counseling
and has a portfolio of highly competitive education finance products and
services including a free online scholarship search engine, federally
guaranteed parent and student loans, private student loans, both federal
and private student loan consolidation programs, and college savings plans.
   The NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, one of the nation’s oldest
and largest scholarship search engines, is updated daily, available free of
charge, completely private — and represents 2.4 million scholarships worth
$3.4 billion.
   For more information about NextStudent and its student loan programs,
please visit the company’s Web site at http://www.nextstudent.com/.
Written by Originator on June 10th, 2006 with
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