Cecilia is a student loans writer with NerdWallet, where she helps readers navigate the landscape around college finances. Before coming to NerdWallet, she served as an army officer and then as a freelance cybersecurity writer. Cecilia has a BA in English and an MEd in Teaching and Learning English.
MBAs are often lauded among the few graduate degrees to consistently pay off, with many Master of Business Administration graduates seeing starting salaries above $100,000. And top business schools, including…
While some student loan borrowers want to lower their monthly payments — even if that means they’ll be paying for a longer time — others are more eager to ditch…
Student loan debt could make it harder to buy a house, but it doesn’t make it impossible. When mortgage companies decide who gets approved for a home loan, they typically…
The debate over student loan debt often neglects a significant group: parents. About 1 in every 3 dollars the federal government lent for undergraduate education last year were in a…
In certain cases, you may be able to consolidate your student loans even if you’ve already done so. If you have federal loans, student loan consolidation allows you to combine…
Key takeaways Financial aid for graduate school includes grants, scholarships, fellowships, assistantships and loans. Exhaust all opportunities for free aid before considering student loans. If you take out student loans,…
Key takeaways You can consolidate federal student loans to get a different servicer; you may get a longer repayment term that decreases your payment but increases total interest. You can…
Historically, around 30% of undergraduate students are the first in their family to attend college. And that can leave them lost and behind in the college admissions process. First-generation college…
Key takeaways You can’t change private student loans into federal student loans. Consolidation is when you combine federal student loans; it doesn’t include private loans. If you’re struggling with private…
Finding out the best ways to pay for college can be overwhelming. And if you’ve already exhausted free aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and taken advantage…
