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.

  • Ascent Named Best Places to Work in Fintech 2026   
    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.  
  • Female college student sitting on floor of her apartment understanding financial decisions
    What Will Make the Biggest Impact on Your Financial Future
    Take the stress out of financial planning for college students with these five key steps.
  • Private Student Loan blog feature image
    6 Tips to Research & Apply for a Private Student Loan
    Private student loans can be a daunting task, here's how students can research and apply for a private student loan.
  • How to Qualify for Student Loans & Eligibility Requirements
    Confused about private student loans? Learn how to qualify for private student loans and other eligibility requirements in this blog.
  • Earth Day 2023
    Celebrating Earth Day as a Student
    Earth Day 2023 will land on April 22nd this year, right around the corner!
  • How to Get a Student Loan
    There are several ways to get student loans, with a cosigner or without. Read how to get a student loan here to learn more.
  • How One Student is Pursuing His Dreams
    Congratulations to Harsimran Sandhu, our $10,000 Pursue Your Dream Contest winner! We asked students to share their ambitions in a 30-90 second video and explain how they plan to use the money to reach their dreams.
  • A Guide to Filing Taxes as a College Student
    As scary as the word "taxes" may sound, it’s never too early for you to learn to do your own taxes, and you might even get some extra dollars in your pocket.
  • What I've Learned in College
    College has been some of the best few years of my life and I've learned a lot along the way working toward my own success.
  • Title image with Cruz Sanchez
    A Q&A Interview with Cruz Sanchez
      Everyone’s path to a career they love looks different.
  • New Student Advice for College Students
    If you could go back in time to be an incoming freshman again and give yourself one piece of advice, what would you tell yourself and why?
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Your Ultimate Guide to College Funding

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