Private Student Loan Advice & College Financing Resources

Ascent, a leading provider of innovative financial products and student support services that enable more students to access education and achieve academic and economic success, has been named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Fintech, an awards program created in 2017 by Arizent and Best Companies Group.  This annual survey and awards program recognizes the top employers in the financial technology industry. Honorees operate across a wide range of financial services sectors, including banking, mortgages, insurance, payments and financial advisory. To be eligible, companies must provide technology products or services that support financial services delivery, have been in business for at least one year, and employ at least 15 people in the U.S.  "Each year, the Best Places to Work in Financial Technology offers a glimpse into the practices of fintechs whose employees rate their workplaces highly," said Penny Crosman, executive editor of technology at American Banker. "This year, employees appear to value remote work and schedule flexibility above all else, at a time when many traditional financial firms have enforced strict return-to-work policies."  Companies from across the United States entered a two-part survey process to determine Arizent’s Best Places to Work in Fintech. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, analyzed the data and determined the final ranking.  “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.”  For more information on Arizent’s Best Places to Work in Fintech program, including full eligibility criteria, visit www.BestPlacestoWorkFinTech.com or contact Penny Crosman at [email protected].  About Ascent  Ascent is a leading provider of innovative financial products and wrap-around student support services that enable more students to access education and achieve academic and economic success. Everything Ascent offers is designed by leading industry professionals and with advanced technology and innovation to increase every student’s ability to plan, pay, and succeed. Ascent’s rare Outcomes-based Loan provides funding to credit-invisible borrowers who generally do not benefit from traditional credit. Ascent products also include: Cosigned Loans, Solo Loans, Career Loans, Parent Loans, Graduate Loans, Access Loans, Enterprise Loans and Impact Loans.  

Nearly 40% of student borrowers are expected to default on their student loans by 2023 and more than one million people default on their student loans annually. This is a daunting statistic for sure, but that’s where you come into play. You can help set the expectations in the beginning so that they understand that neglecting student loan payments isn’t an option.

Does the ever-increasing cost of college have you stressing about cosigning for your college student’s loans? If that’s the case, it may be time to reassess how the cost of college is being paid. For juniors and seniors, the Ascent Non-cosigned Loan may be a good option to help finance the cost without a cosigner’s help.

Click here to listen to how Ken is changing the student loan industry in his full interview with @RichardMuscio on @theAnswerSanDiego

Students looking to apply for college are often faced with a choice between whether to take the SAT or the ACT. These tests can make a big difference when it comes to college acceptance, so it’s no wonder why aspiring college students take this decision very seriously.

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.