Education Loans: Some Basic Facts

The reality is that in the 21st century, very few students can afford to pay for their education without some form of educational financing. For example, published estimates show two-thirds (65.7%) of 4-year undergraduate students graduate with some debt, and the average student loan debt among graduating seniors is $19,237. This figure does not include PLUS loans that parents may have taken out on behalf of their children to further their education. One quarter of undergraduate students borrow $24,936 or more, and one tenth borrow $35,213 or more. This underscores the need to be prudent when it comes to applying for and using the proceeds from a student loan. The reality is that more conventional Federal student loan resources often times fall short of providing the full funding people need for the total

cost of today's college education. It often becomes necessary for a graduate student to seek educational financing from alternate resources, including private student loans for both undergraduate and graduate studies.

There are some government-backed lending options available to people interested in pursuing graduate degrees. However, the alternatives are not as broad as what is available to undergraduate students in the United States today. This is one of the reasons why many students end up seeking private student loan financing. We encourage you to explore all of your options with the many private lenders out there, and consider our founding sponsor, iStudentLoan.