RESTON, Va., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- In a matter of hours, on July 1, interest rates on most federally guaranteed student loans will jump by nearly 2 full percentage points. To avoid the rate increase, borrowers must submit their Federal Consolidation Loan application by midnight on Friday, June 30, 2006.
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To respond to last-minute requests from borrowers seeking to lock in today's interest rates through student loan consolidation, Sallie Mae will divert all available customer service personnel to focus on helping individuals with consolidation-related issues.
"By redirecting all available resources in the final hours of this unusual interest rate environment, we will help our borrowers receive the best possible service and the lowest possible rate when they consolidate their loans," said Keith D'Ambra, senior vice president of loan consolidation, Sallie Mae.
Unlike some other financial aid programs, student loans must be paid back. There are several types of student loans available in the United States. The first is the Federal Student Loans made to the students directly (1). There are no payments until after graduation, but amounts are quite limited. The second is the Federal Student Loans made to the parents (2). They have a much higher limit, but payments start immediately. The third type is the Private Student Loans made to students or parents (3). These have higher limits and no payments until after graduation. Usually the interest will start to accrue immediately though.
The first type of student loan is made directly to the students and is used to supplement personal and family resources, scholarships, grants and work-study. These loans can be subsidized by the Federal government or may not be, depending on the students needs. .