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.  

To keep your budget balanced into 2019 and beyond, we’ve compiled this list of healthy spending habits that can help you to save money in the new year.

We’ve compiled this Student Survival Guide to Finals to help you navigate the finals week in a way that keeps your spirits and your test scores afloat. Let’s look at some tips for staying alive during finals...

Nearly three-quarters of parents report their highest stressor as completing applications for admission and financial aid for college, with their biggest concern being the amount of student loans the family will need to borrow. So, before you get too stressed out, here are 4 ways to prepare for college.

Between all the gifts for loved ones and the costs incurred to go visit them, it’s easy for our budgets to feel the crunch of the holiday season. Let’s look at some of the ways you can save money during the holidays, so you can afford to stay on track while the celebrations are underway.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.