Students always…
borrow before parents. Always.
Students use…
federal Stafford loans. These are fixed-rate loans with flexible repayment terms, and everyone, regardless of financial need, is eligible.
Students borrow…
no more than they expect to make at their first job. Financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz (finaid.org) has found that when total debt exceeds your starting annual salary, the odds of defaulting go way up.
If the Stafford loan…
…limits ($5,500 to $7,500 for a dependent undergraduate) don't cover what the student needs, don't be tempted by private loans.
Parents borrow only…
if their retirement savings are on track. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Parents borrow only…
through the federal PLUS program, which offers fixed-rate loans with flexible repayment options.
If the student still…
can't swing it, consider a less expensive school. Parents and students willing to take on massive debt don't earn a passing grade in my money class.
From the November 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
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