Private Student Loan Advice & College Financing Resources

We’re proud to share that Ascent has been recognized as one of Southern California’s Best Places to Work by Best Companies Group, an independent organization that honors companies creating strong workplace experiences for their teams.  Best Places to Work SoCal is a research-driven program from Best Companies Group that reviews participating companies’ practices, programs, and benefits, then gathers employee feedback about their workplace experience. Companies that meet the program’s criteria are named among the Best Places to Work SoCal. For Ascent, this recognition reflects more than our benefits or programs. It reflects the people who make our work meaningful every day.  At Ascent, we’re focused on building a workplace where people feel supported, trusted, and able to grow. Our mission is to help students access education and move toward academic and economic success, and we know that work starts with our own team. When employees feel valued and connected to the work they do, they’re better equipped to make a meaningful impact.  Our team is curious, collaborative, and open to new ideas. Leaders encourage learning, create space for feedback, and support career growth across the company. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere, and we work to make sure employees feel heard, included, and empowered to contribute.  Supporting employees means supporting the whole person. Ascent offers flexible and hybrid work options, generous PTO and leave policies, paid parental leave, wellness support, continuing education opportunities, and a 401(k) match. These benefits are designed to help team members care for themselves, grow professionally, and build sustainable careers.  Recognition is also part of how we show appreciation. Through programs like Cosmic Kudos, professional development opportunities, and company-wide celebrations, Ascent makes time to acknowledge the work happening across the team. It’s one way we help create a culture where people support each other, celebrate progress, and take pride in the impact they’re making.  “We’re proud to have built a workplace where employees feel trusted, supported, and genuinely connected to the work they do,” said Emily Skoubo, Director of Human Resources at Ascent. “This recognition reflects the collaborative culture our team has created together and our continued focus on providing an environment where people can grow, contribute, and feel valued.”  At its core, Ascent’s culture is people-first and purpose-driven. Team members support one another, celebrate wins together, and stay connected to a shared goal: helping students and families plan for, pay for, and succeed in school. That mix of mission, collaboration, and opportunity is what makes Ascent a great place to work.  We’re grateful to every employee who helps shape that culture every day and proud of what we’ve built together. As Ascent continues to grow, we’ll keep investing in our people, strengthening our culture, and creating opportunities for employees to do meaningful work while building rewarding careers. Because when our people succeed, the students and families we serve benefit too. 

Ascent's CEO, Ken Ruggiero, shared his thoughts on the past year and what he's looking forward to in 2021 - including advice for students. Check it out here.

What is financial wellness? Whether you’re a financial planning guru or just getting started, we want to help you on your journey to financial wellness.

At Ascent, we provide free resources to help you throughout college, which may include links to third-party websites (where security and privacy policies may differ from Ascent's).

Don't know where to start? Here's a few steps you can take to support Black Lives Matter in your community today and every day.

From tuition to housing, and those pricey textbooks, the list seems never-ending. But, did you know you could get some discounts just by being a student?

Starting today, you can enter for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship from Ascent every weekday through August 10, 2020.

We’ve compiled three steps to help you decide on a college major, not just based on your interests and passions, but based on your potential future income.

College is a time of newfound freedom as well as increased responsibilities for students transitioning from the comfort of their home to the uncertainty of college life. Striking the balance between studying vs. socializing and spending vs. saving may seem like an enormous task, especially with limited resources to help students understand how costly each decision can be for their academic and financial well-being.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SAN DIEGO, CA (December 10, 2019) – From chemical engineering to sociology, a student’s future earnings after graduation and cost of attendance should be part of their overall college decision.

Ascent 2019 fall national study measures college students’ preparedness to pay for college for the 2019-2020 academic year.