Private Student Loan Advice & College Financing Resources

Expert guidance on private student loans including how to plan, pay, and succeed for students and parents from the start of school through graduation.

  • SAT-ACT Prep Resources (1)
    Get ready and Know Your Options: SAT and ACT Prep resources📚🎓
    Due to the high demand for resources to prep for these exams, it can be difficult to determine which prep resource is best. Below are our recommendations for online, classroom, and print prep resources for you to consider for your student.
  • FASFA What Every Parent Should Know
    The Changes Every Parent Should Know About for the 2019 – 2020 FAFSA
    The FAFSA is updated annually, and there are major changes that you need to know about for 2019-2020.
  • Nearly three-quarters of parents report their highest stressor as completing applications for admission and financial aid for college, with their biggest concern being the amount of student loans the family will need to borrow. So, before you get too stressed out, here are 4 ways to prepare for college.
    Financial planning starting to freak you out? Here’s what you really need to know about sending your kid to college.
    Nearly three-quarters of parents report their highest stressor as completing applications for admission and financial aid for college, with their biggest concern being the amount of student loans the family will need to borrow. So, before you get too stressed out, here are 4 ways to prepare for college.
  • How to Help Your Student With Finals | Ascent Funding
    6 Ways to Help Your Student Prep For Finals Season
    As a parent, you might be struggling with how to help your student during this stressful period other than reminding them to get enough sleep, eat well, and hydrate – which are actually very important. Although we can’t give you the exam answers or write any finals papers for them, here are seven tips parents can give students during finals season.
  • 4 Ways to Ensure Your College Graduate Is Prepared for the Job Hunt
    4 Ways to Ensure Your College Graduate Is Prepared for the Job Hunt
    Getting a job after graduation is the goal of most college students. But for many, the job search, interview, and employment process is completely new. We have some ideas for you that you can share with your graduate to help them with their first professional job hunt.
  • What to do when your child wants to transfer
    Should You Transfer Colleges?
    National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that over one-third of college students transfer at least once. Of these students, 14.1 percent transfer during their first year of college. Here are three things to consider when your student is thinking of switching schools:
  • Understanding Student Loans - 3 Tips to Help Your Family
    Understanding Student Loans: 3 Tips to Help Your Family
    Student loans are a great tool to use to go to college with nearly seven in 10 college seniors (68 percent) borrowing them in 2015. What makes loans manageable for families are how they can fit into any budget.
  • Student Loans are a Labor of Love
    In this post, we’ll take a look at how student loans can enable you to prioritize your educational path and what types of financial aid may be right for your situation. We’ll also check out some questions you may ask yourself to determine which financial path is right for you. Wherever you come from and wherever you’re going, Ascent aims to provide you the assistance you need to succeed.
  • How to Talk to Your Kids About Money and Paying for College
    Talking about money with anyone can be hard. Talking about paying for college with your kids can be even tougher with all that is riding on a college education. But, the paying for college-conversation needs be had earlier before a college choice is made. So, here are three ways to talk to your kids about money and paying for college.
  • 3 Things the College Financial Aid Office Might Not Be Telling You
    When considering your college options, a school’s financial aid office should be at the top of your “people to make friends with” list. They offer invaluable aid and financing information to you and your student, but there are some things they may not always be so forthcoming with.
  • Private Student Loans 101
    Education is a big investment, and many students like you may need help paying for it. The price of tuition alone may seem like a barrier between where you’re at now and where you want to be. Even then, tuition isn’t the only expense you might face—the cost of textbooks, housing, transportation, food and supplies all add up.
7 of 8

Your Ultimate Guide to College Funding

Discover interactive tools, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you pay for college with confidence.