Ascent vs Earnest for June 2023 | Best Student Loan Providers

Item: Ascent vs Earnest
Rating: 5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Tuesday, June 6th

2023 Student Loan Provider Reviews

Ascent

Loans for undergraduate and graduate programs
Options for loans with or without a cosigner
No application fees, origination fees, or prepayment penalties
Competitive rates on both variable interest loans and fixed interest loans
Loan repayment terms of 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 20 years
Start repayments up to 9 months after graduation
Interest rate discounts with automatic payments
Deferment and forbearance options available
Cosigner release available after 24 months of on-time payments
"Bootcamp" loans available for accelerated learning programs
1% cash back graduation reward for eligible borrowers
"A+" rated by the BBB

Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

Ascent is an excellent choice for every type of student loan: there are options for loans with or without cosigners for all levels of study, from undergraduate programs to medical school and more. Their rates and terms are the most flexible in the industry, and Ascent offers some borrower-friendly perks like rate discounts for automatic repayments and a cash-back graduation bonus. This award-winning provider of student loans should be the first one you consider.

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Earnest

Undergraduate and graduate loans available in all states but Nevada
Must be enrolled full-time for college freshman, sophomores, juniors and at least half-time for seniors
9-month deferral period available after graduation plus Skip-a-Payment once a year
4 repayment plan types
No origination fees, late fees, or prepayment penalties
Minimum loan of $1,000, up to 100% of your cost of attendance for the academic year
Loans available: undergraduate, graduate, medical/business school, cosigned, parent
Competitive loan interest rates, which includes a 0.25% discount for making automatic payments
Both fixed- and variable-rate loans available
"A" rated and accredited by the BBB

Earnest funds student loans with some novel benefits, like a 9-month grace period after graduation and a Skip-a-Payment option once a year. Borrowers have great things to say about their experience with this lender, from interest rates that are lower than most to helpful customer reps. Unfortunately, you'll have to complete a full application - including a hard pull on your credit report - to find out what your loan options are here. And, if you're a freshman, sophomore or junior, you're only eligible for an Earnest loan if you're enrolled full-time.

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The 10 Best Student Loan Providers

Where Can You Find the Best Student Loans?

With 45% of high school graduates finding it necessary to take on student debt to finance their higher learning, that's an important question to answer. While most student loan debt comes from federal loans, some people discover that their government loans just aren't enough to cover the full costs of tuition, room and board, expensive textbooks, and everything else necessary for their college education.

If you find yourself in that situation - for your studies or your children's - you might get overwhelmed trying to figure out where the money will come from. And even once you've selected a lender, you still need to decide what repayment terms are best. Fixed- or variable-rate? Interest-only or small fixed repayments while still in school or fully deferred for 6-9 months after graduation? Repaying over five years or twenty? There are a lot of factors to consider that are unique to you.

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What are the best Student Loan Providers

Student Loan Provider FAQ

How do student loans work?

Most students need a loan to fund the full cost of their college education. While the majority of student loans in the United States come through federal programs, there are also private loans available. You usually have to start making repayments on student loans six months after your last semester, though you can start sooner if you wish. Student loans often have repayment terms of at least 10 years.

Can I apply for a student loan online?

Yes, very easily. If you're applying for federal student loans, you'll complete the FAFSA online. For private student loans, there are several ways to apply: either directly with a financial institution, like Discover or Wells Fargo, or using a platform that connects you with multiple lenders using a single quote request or application.

What will I pay to get a student loan?

Unlike many other types of borrowing, student loans are designed to be affordable - it's rare to be charged an application or origination fee, and you should be able to pay off your loan early with no penalties. Interest rates are also much lower than credit cards and personal loans, and you'll usually have very long repayment terms: starting 6 months after your last semester and often stretching 10 years into the future. Expect interest rates between 1% and 6%, but watch out for fixed vs. variable APRs.

Once my student loan is approved, when will I get the money?

Your student loan will probably be disbursed directly to your school, not deposited to your personal bank account. That's a good thing if you want to ensure that your loan money actually gets used for your education! Because the process requires your school to certify the loan amount, the process can take a few days or more. It's a wise idea to start the loan application process early, to make sure there's plenty of time to meet your school's payment deadlines.

How do I defer student loans?

If you have a financial hardship or other eligible circumstance, you can request to defer your student loan repayments. Most lenders allow you to suspend your payments for up to three years if you qualify. Contact the servicer of your student loan to find out what requirements you need to meet to defer your loan.

What does forbearance mean?

Forbearance is similar to deferring your student loan payments. If you don't qualify for a deferral but still can't pay your student loan, you might be able to get your payments reduced or suspended temporarily, for up to 12 months. You'll need to get in touch with the servicer of your student loan to see if you're eligible for a forbearance arrangement.

Can student loans be forgiven?

In limited circumstances, yes. It usually depends on the type of student loan you have, the lender, and your situation. Student loans may be forgiven (or, essentially, written off) in the event of the disability or death of the borrower; issues with the school, like closure, error or fraud; income-driven repayment plans or employment-based forgiveness programs.

Can I deduct student loan interest on my taxes?

Yes, most of the time. Tax laws are changing constantly, but in the past students have been able to reduce taxable income by as much as $2,500 based on student loan interest paid, as long as they meet eligibility criteria (like having a qualified student loan that was used exclusively for educational expenses).

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Fortunately, there are quite a few providers of student loans that can help you not only figure out those answers but also connect you with the money you need to pay for school. Many of them can even prequalify you for a loan with just your name, address and birthdate, with no impact on your credit report. Rest assured that millions of students (and many of their parents) have successfully navigated this process - and you can too.

Here are several aspects of student loan providers to keep in mind as you decide which ones merit further consideration:

Referral service or direct lender: Some sites serve as a comparison shopping platform, allowing you to get preliminary information about what loans might be available to you. These referral services may or may not use your information to complete some of the first steps of the application process. Other student loan sites directly connect you with the funding you need.
Interest rates. Don't be overly impressed by the super-low interest rates posted by any student loan provider: they almost always come with the caveat that only the "most qualified" candidates qualify for the best rates (and we've yet to find anyone that actually got a loan with rates that low). Just make sure that the rate you're offered is reasonable and competitive with other loans.
Repayment options. There are so many different ways to configure a student loan, like repayment terms ranging from 5-20 years, fixed and variable rates, and repayments either while still in school or deferred until after graduation. The more choices available to you, the more likely it is that you'll get loan terms you can afford.
Loan servicing. Getting a student loan is just the beginning. Take into account what other students have said about the experience after the application has been approved. Are funds disbursed quickly? Does the customer service team handle issues well? Can you expect any unpleasant surprises (like payments not being recorded accurately or not being able to reach support)?

To help you get the funds you need for your education, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best options for student loans today. We're confident that this information will make it possible to find the right way to cover the costs of your tuition, books and more!