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.

  • 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.
  • Blog
    Why It's Important to Stick to a Budget During Midterms and Finals
    If you can stick to your budget under the stress of finals and midterms, you’ll be prepared to face future challenges in life with a level head. Let’s look at why sticking to a budget is so important during crunch time and check out some tips on how to stay on track when classes get tough.
  • 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.
  • Solutions to Help Your Students Get Funding
    The Ascent program is guided by a focus on transparency, financial education and student outcomes, working with students and families to view college and evaluate their financial aid options as an investment, not an expenditure. Further, Ascent is the only student loan provider that incorporates financial education into the application process and requires all students and cosigners to complete a financial literacy module before approving loans.
  • 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.
  • CNBC
    Here's How Much to Borrow in Student Loans  | CNBC
    “And the trend of graduating with student debt shows no sign of slowing. About 60 percent of current college students ages 18 to 24 say they are responsible for covering more than half of the cost of their education, according to survey from Ascent Student Loans.”
  • Fox Business
    Older Americans: The new face of student loan debt | Fox Business
    “Seniors are facing a serious financial crisis in their golden years: student loan debt…Ken Ruggiero, chief executive officer of Goal Structured Solutions [says] families need to have frank discussions…parents and grandparents need to take the emotion out of the situation and think before they sign.”
  • Last-Minute Options for Filling Your College Funding Gap
    There can be many uncertain factors that prevent us from securing all our college funding. If you find that you need to secure funds right before school starts, you don’t have to go about it alone. This guide, along with our other helpful blog posts, will help you explore the options you have to secure that last-minute funding for college.
  • Back to School: Planning for the Year Ahead
    Once you have the budgeting ball rolling, it’s much easier to keep it going, but you’ll still have to work through the occasional bump in the road. We’ll explore some of the mental and financial challenges the school year can present, and ways to overcome these obstacles. By building upon your previous budgeting and planning knowledge, you’ll be well-equipped to take on whatever challenges you may face on the path to higher education.
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Your Ultimate Guide to College Funding

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