college paid for?

Question

is there anywhere you can get a student loan if you have bad or poor credit?

Answer 1

Two of the major Federal Student loan programs -- Stafford and Perkins -- are unique in that they require absolutely NO credit check. In fact, Financial Aid Administrators are forbidden from checking your credit as a condition for receiving these loans. You don't even need to show financial need to obtain an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan -- as long as your school is accredited, you are enrolled at least half-time as a regular student, and your other financial aid doesn't exceed your Cost of Attendance, you will be offered a Stafford Loan.

If you have "maxed out" your eligibility for Federal loans, there are private companies that will lend you money even if your credit is bad (which you're fixing, I hope?). If you have a creditworthy cosigner then your credit won't matter much at all. That's what cosigners are for -- their credit acts as a "stand in" for yours. If your parents (relatives, or friends) are hesitant to co-sign, look for a loan with a "co-signer release." This release will let the co-signer off the hook after you make a certain number of payments on time (usually 3 or 4 years worth).

Try checking out the huge list of private loan lenders on FinAid's website: http://www.finaid.org/loans/privatestudentloans.phtml ... Go to each lender's site and read the terms and credit criteria of their loans until you find one that focuses more on one of your credit strengths (job history, perhaps). Be careful when searching online for companies that specifically claim to offer loans to people with bad credit (companies like Astrive are questionable because they bypass the school). Make sure the company has a good track record before you commit to a 10-30 year relationship with them.

Answer 2

Have you checked with your school and filled out the FAFSA?