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Student Loans

There's a catch to that magical money bankrolling our educations called Student Loans. At some point in the future, the lending institution will want the money back - with interest. So it's important to fully understand your payment options and obligations. Oh sure, we all sat through the video and signed/initialed in triplicate, but we really just wanted the cash. Now that the time to pay the piper is creeping closer, or perhaps that dreaded time has arrived, suddenly the small print has become more interesting. Here are a few web sites to ease your financial woes and help with the journey back to solvency.

Federal Student Financial Aid Homepage
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students/ link removed
Under the heading "Paying Back Your Student Loan" are a variety of repayment options tailored to the needs of the individual. Deferment, consolidation, defaulted loans, and service options for reducing debt are well covered.

FinAid! The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid
http://www.finaid.org/ link removed
This site addresses the entire financial aid process from applying for loans to the monthly repayment you can expect in the end. One of the most useful sections is "Answering Your Questions" which not only links to "Frequently Asked Questions", but also provides the option to email a financial aid advisor for very specific answers to questions.

Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
http://www.osfa.state.la.us/ link removed
The site provides information on interest rates, loan limits, and fees associated with student loans. It also provides phone/FAX/email contact information within the state for questions regarding a variety of topics related to student loans.

Types of Financial Aid Available
http://www.lsuhsc.edu/catalog/1998/typesfa.htm link removed
Many financial aid offices, universities, and lenders have their own web sites available to help you to better understand the terms of student loans. The LSU Health Sciences Center is no exception with a variety of financial aid options and information provided through the online catalog.

-- David Wolff
dwolff@lsuhsc.edu link removed