Can You Afford Student Loans?
Explore All Other Options
Before you take out a loan, make sure you’ve considered all possible options for funding your education. Search for additional scholarships, consider a part-time job, or talk to your financial aid office.
Can You Afford the Debt?
When considering a loan also consider whether you’ll be able to repay it. Keep in mind that you may have to continue borrowing student loans each year that you’re in school. Your student loan payment obligation will reduce what you can spend in the future on a car, home, furniture, other living expenses, and family. It’s important to keep your borrowing to a minimum.
Student Loan Game Plan
To understand the long-term impact of your borrowing decisions ICAN recommends the Student Loan Game Plan. The Student
Loan Game Plan is a free, interactive online tool that helps students understand ways to borrow less and set the foundation
for a financially responsible future. Through a series of questions, the Student Loan Game Plan can help students and families
understand the consequences of over borrowing and, just as importantly, discover how to avoid over borrowing. To begin, visit www.studentloan.org/gameplan.
Provide Solutions to Real Risks
Students often find it easier to borrow now and worry about it later. Student Loan Game Plan uses several methods to help borrowers understand the consequences of over borrowing. Remember the 10% rule. Figure 10% of your total amount borrowed as your monthly payment for 10 years after you finish school.
If you borrow $50,000 total, your monthly payment will be approximately $500 per month for 10 years.
