what to know about your student loans in college

Student loans can be a great investment — when you borrow money for school, you’re investing in your future so you can get a better job and make a higher salary down the road.

Sounds great, so what’s the problem?

f course it’s no secret that the cost of college these days is pretty out of control, depending on where you go to school and how much grant or scholarship money you’re eligible to receive. Taking out student loans can be a great way to invest in your education — and ultimately your career and future — but only if you borrow the right types of loans and the right amount of money.

Student loans can be a great investment — you’re investing in your education in order to get a better, higher-paying job down the road.

But if you don’t know exactly what you’re getting into, that investment could end up costing you more than it’s worth.

One of the biggest problems with student loan debt in America is the lack of understanding of how the process works from start to finish. When many people graduate college, they are in for a big surprise when those student loan payments start coming in.

So it’s crucial that you actually understand your loans — for two reasons:

  • so you don't suddenly get slapped in the face by them,
  • and so you can make the best choices for you and your situation, including the best ways to get the debt paid off.

To help you get a better grasp on student loans and how it all works, this guide is broken down into four main parts:

  • The types of loans available and how they work
  • Which loans are the best
  • The 3 rules of borrowing
  • Options for paying off student loans

This is not a college test — so you don’t need to know every single thing, you just need a little Common Cents.