The Best Tips for Transferring from a Community College to a 4-Year University
Many students dream of attending top universities like UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, or Ivy League schools such as Columbia and […]
Beyond a Student Loan
Ascent is invested in your journey to academic achievements and financial wellness by offering benefits that go beyond a student loan. We encourage awareness of the potential financial outcomes of your college choices (school, major, years in school, financing your education), helping you visualize where your career could go and what it could be – encouraging better decisions today to open up greater future opportunities. Ascent offers additional resources to help you thrive throughout college and beyond. From learning how to find a cosigner and how to budget during school to how to find a mentor and secure a job after college, Ascent is committed to helping you on your journey to financial success.
Bright Futures™ Hubs
Your Journey to Financial Wellness
Whether you’re just getting started or a financial planning guru, the sooner you apply financial wellness in your daily life, the longer you will reap the financial benefits. We’re here to break it all down for you with exclusive content and tips that you can actually use and start applying today!
Financial Wellness Hub
Top Budgeting Hacks
Like everything else, budgeting takes time, practice and patience as you learn to manage your monthly bills and expenses, while still enjoying your college experience. Fortunately, we have resources to help you start to manage your money better and set yourself up for financial success, even after you graduate.
Budgeting Hub
Top Career Advice
Landing an internship is one of the best opportunities you can take advantage of while in college. For tips on how to land your dream internship or how to get ready for your first job after college, Ascent has helpful videos and blogs to prepare you.
Career Advice Hub
Guide for College
Deciding on class schedules, finding housing for the next school year, having awkward (and sometimes uncomfortable) conversations with your roommates – all new adventures as you start your college career that no one really prepares you for beforehand. Luckily, there’s probably an Ascent blog or video for that.
Guide for College Hub
The Checklist will help you navigate the complex world of funding your studies with:
- Key dates for financial aid and scholarships
- Lists of resources you’ll need for the FAFASA
- Tips about student loans
Bright Futures Engine
Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine aims to bring transparency to the college decision journey by helping students and parents evaluate the return of their college investment.
Helpful Blogs
Expected Changes to Student Loans in 2025
Big shifts are already underway for student loans in 2025. President Trump is back in office, and his administration has […]
The Impact on Student Loans If the Department of Education (ED) Shuts Down
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has renewed his efforts to dismantle and defund the U.S. Department of Education (ED), […]
Do You Need a Cosigner for Student Loans?
Not sure if you need a cosigner for your student loans? Learn more about the different factors you should consider to help you decide.
Financial Wellness Videos
Ways to Get Cash
Win Money for School
Ascent scholarships help parents and students cover the costs of school-related expenses. We’ve awarded over $355,000 in scholarships to date – apply now!
Earn an Amazon.com Gift Card1 for each friend you refer.
Earn money with Ascent’s Refer a Friend Program to help cover the cost of college and other expenses. You can earn an Amazon.com Gift Card1 for each friend you refer, and your friends get paid, too! Learn more and start referring today.
Ascent Rewards Program
Ascent Rewards is an easy cash back program designed to help you earn cash from making purchases at over 60,000+ of your favorite stores. You can accumulate cash rewards and make payments with Ascent Rewards. *
1% Cash Back at Graduation
If you choose to fund your education with an Ascent Student loan, you can apply to get 1% Cash Back on the principle loan amount at graduation. See full details.
Tips to Plan & Pay for College
Guide to Paying for College
Our Guide to Paying for College has key dates and tips to help you master the complicated and ever-changing world of financial aid. Download your free copy now.
Finding the Right College & Major
See how your major and college choices measure up – Ascent’s Bright Futures™ Engine powers students to evaluate the return of their educational investment by comparing the expected salary with the cost of attendance.
Meet Your Student Loan Sidekick
Chipper is a loan management app that encourages you to tackle debt in a smarter way by rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and applying those extra cents to your highest loan amount each week.
Superpower Your Spare Change
ChangEd securely links to your credit and debit cards, then rounds purchases to the next dollar and sends that extra change to the loan servicer.
*Ascent Funding, LLC receives a small commission for every user who clicks on this partner link and signs up to receive the services offered through Ascent’s Benefits for Students page. Ascent is not responsible for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of a partner site or reliance on any information provided on the partner site. The use of a partner site and where available a partner’s mobile application, and your reliance on any information contained therein, is solely at your own risk.
1Restrictions apply, see amazon.com/gc-legal
