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.  

Our team of interns shared why they wanted an internship, red and green flags when searching, and what ultimately determined the decision.

Explore our links throughout the blog to learn more about how you can find a micro-internship opportunity to expand your career path.  

Starting a tech bootcamp can be a big step. Whether it’s your roommate or friend, here are six gifts to give during their coding bootcamp.

We had the opportunity to talk with some bootcamp alumni about how they battled burnout and what advice they have for new students.

What I need to complete in my last semester of college has been a priority. Here’s a checklist I created along the way to help me stay on track for graduation.  

What are Parent PLUS loans, and should you look into one? Ascent Funding breaks down what Parent PLUS loans are and explains how they can benefit students.

Student loan deferment helps students pause payments on their student loans for up to three years. Ascent Funding explains what loan deferment is and how you can qualify. Read more here.

We chatted with Dominique about imposter syndrome, who motivates her, and what tips she has for other Black women breaking into tech. 

We sat down with Katerina to find out more about her journey in tech and how she helps others to kickstart their dream careers.

For National Credit Education Month, we chatted with Nicole to get her advice on everything from FICO® scores to building up your credit.