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Archive for October, 2009

Oct
30

Top Student Loan Consolidation Services from Chase

Author: Sally Croft

Chase is one of the prominent financial institutions in the US that provides student loans and student loan consolidation. Chase employs experts who are able to assist scores of students every year in pursuing higher education. It offers a secure, easy and quick application process. Chase student loans enable students to understand the various options with respect to student loans.

Types of Chase Student Loans

Federal student loans are offered by the government and can be funded by private lenders like Chase. Private lenders offer similar student loans that have lower interest rates with extended repayment periods. The private student loans offered by Chase can be used for approved education-related expenditures. They are offered in varied forms and can be opted for when the money offered by federal loans is not enough to take care of the full fees for higher education and when they need to be consolidated during repayment.

Student Loan Consolidation from Chase

Student loan consolidation from Chase is offered to combine all existing private loans into a single loan with a low interest rate. It is easy to repay the loan as a single payment every month. Chase takes care of servicing these private student loans and does not sell them to another financial institute or lender. These loans require credit approval along with a completed and signed Application/Promissory Note and verification of application information.

Consolidating Federal student loans do not require for any kind of credit check. However, it does require a minimum balance of $7,500 with a cumulative borrowing limit for private student loans of $150,000, based on credit eligibility. With the help of student loan consolidation from Chase, the repayment period can be extended so that the overall financial obligation can be increased. With this, the monthly loan payments can be reduced and the principal can be prepaid with no penalties. Being able to prepay means the overall cost of the loan reduces drastically.

Keep in Mind
  • Federal Student Loans can be consolidated, but federal and private student loans should not be consolidated into a single student loan consolidation program. If you consolidate them together, you lose the benefits of forbearance and deferment with the federal loans.
  • Similar to other debt consolidation loans, student loan consolidation payments should be done by a single lender who will pay the earlier creditors for all initial loans.
  • For Federal Student Loans Consolidation, the minimum balance is $7,500 and it must be done within the six month grace period or when the loans are in repayment.
  • Based on the balance of the loan, student loan consolidation will have an extended repayment period.
  • The repayment plan should enable balance of monthly payments and result in a good credit rating.
  • Student loan consolidation has a maximum interest rate of 8.25%.
  • There are no additional charges involved in processing the student loan consolidation.
  • After the consolidation is approved, it cannot be undone as the loan amount will have already been paid to the previous creditors.
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Oct
28

10 Quick Mouthwatering Recipes for Busy Students – Enjoy the delights!

Author: Sally Croft

Students are faced with a myriad of problems when it comes to food. Many struggle with the cost of food while others cannot find enough time to simply eat food. However, that does not mean to be a successful student you must remain hungry ;) . There are some simple foods that can be easily prepared and meet any student budget.

I created a list of 10 quick, easy to make recipes that suit student busy lives.

Hash Brown

Instead of making the trip to Burger King why not make your own hash brown. Hash brown is a simple mix of shredded, diced or riced potato. Add seasoning to taste and then squeeze them together into small balls and then fry. It can be made also from scrap potato pieces from other prior food preparations.

Hash Brown
Canned Tuna

Canned tuna can be found at any corner store. You can prepare tuna on a student budget in countless ways on a student budget. Canned Tuna can be prepared as tuna casserole, tuna patties or just simply make tuna sandwich with vegetables.

Canned Tuna
Ramen

Ramen is another great student food. It prepares in two minutes and come in a variety of flavors. Tin its most popular form it is consumed as a soup, but can also be used to make simple pasta that can be quite tasty.

Ramen
Hot Dog Sandwich

Hot dog is an American favorite as a quick easy meal. Instead of students going down the street each they need a sandwich, students can easily buy a pack of hot dogs from the local corner store. Hot dogs can be prepared in many ways and when either fried, boiled of eaten uncooked, when combined with mustard and ketchup and bread make the perfect student meal.

Hot Dog Sandwich
Egg

Egg is a savior to the student budget. The combination of simple student dishes that uses egg as its base is countless. Students can simply fry or boil them as a standalone meal, combine eggs with vegetables to make sandwiches or stretch their creative skills to create dishes that are even more creative. Eggs are cheap and accessible o any student budget.

Egg
Canned Salmon

Salmon is a nutritious fish that adds calcium and omega -3 fatty acids to your diet. These are vital to the performance of any student. Canned salmon is available at any corner at knock down prices and within the budget of any student. Canned salmon may be prepared as sandwiches, with rice, potato salmon scallop or as whatever suits the taste.

Canned Salmon
Chicken Soup

Chicken soup can be easily prepared using chicken scrap from other chicken meal preparations. Students can just season the boiling water to taste and add small pieces of chicken along with some noodles. Chicken soup can be made using chicken parts such as the wings or legs are cheap and found at any corner store.

Chicken Soup
Salads

Vegetable salad is another cheap means of student food. Vegetables add fiber to the diet and help to stabilize the metabolism of the body. Students can easily knock up their favorite vegetable recipe in a couple of minutes and be off to school or study.

Salads
Macaroni and Cheese

Microwaved macaroni and cheese is a cheap source of calcium for students on a budget. It is also cheap and extremely easy to prepare. Students simply read the instructions written of the packaging and place it in the microwave and go.

Macaroni and Cheese
Ground Beef

Ground beef is one of the easiest meat kinds for any student to prepare. Because of its soft texture, ground beef cooks in minutes. It can be prepared to make a variety of dishes such as sandwiches, dinner meals with rice or pasta with macaroni.

Ground Beef

Hey pals, I hope you are going to try some if not all of these gastronomical delights to entertain your folks and roommates ;) . So where is the party this weekend :D ???

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Oct
26

Financial Aid Policies – Top 8 Questions Students Should Ask!

Author: Sally Croft

Friends! I am sure you must have had seriously a tough time running around colleges, admission procedure and more importantly their financial aid policies. Every piece of information matters. Who knows what will change your decision about which college to choose. I would always say that it is better to spend time in taking the right decision instead of falling prey to the debt trap!

Top 8 questions to ask on Financial Aid Policies

Well, though institutions supply materials detailing about the financial aid procedures and scholarships considered by them, I am sure we are always left with certain questions unanswered. Better clarity is reached only with the right frame of questions. Listed below are the top 8 question that you should be asking the college authorities in order to have better understanding of their financial terms and procedures.

  • What is the total cost of education at your university? Give me the break up of costs namely tuition fees, books, boarding, travel and other incidental expenses?
  • Can you let me know the percentage rise in the cost of education every year and the frequency of increase in the cost? I would like to have the cost structure for the previous three years?
  • Is the decision to admit dependent on financial need of the student? What will be the impact on the financial aid facilities provided where a student applies through an early action channel?
  • List me the nature of scholarship programs offered by the college? Also let me have the basis, whether merit or need based scholarship programs? How do I apply for a merit based scholarship or grant program?
  • Say, I would like to go for the financial aid policy offered by the college, is there any early deadline to meet while applying for the same?
  • When will I know about the status of my financial aid application? If the amount granted is not sufficient, will my plea for a higher funding be entertained?
  • Do you have financial aid packages? If so will they keep changing every year? Let me know what will happen if my finances undergo a change?
  • Apart from the academic requirements and financial status queries what other conditions need to be satisfied in order to avail the financial aid option offered to students?

Make sure you understand their terms clearly before choosing any financial aid program. Your job doesn’t end with signing the papers. Keep gathering information both before and after choosing the finance option, who knows what is best for you! Taking a measured step is sure to save you!

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