I normally don't promote specific websites (although I did with SimpleTuition), but something came in my email this past week that bears attention. Since the scope of this organization doesn't fall into the free reproduction of the electronic material, I decided to highlight the website itself.
I wanted to list all of the lender layoffs, and loan program suspensions, including Stafford Loans, private loans, and Stafford loan consolidations. These lists were reproduced with permission by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) on their website. However, you cannot access this information through the NASFAA website without being a NASFAA member.
The information originates with Mark Kantrowitz's website Finaid.org. ELearners.com is in no way affiliated with Finaid.org, nor is the Finaid.org website affiliated with any college or federal entity. Mr. Kantrowitz is a director within the free FastWeb scholarship search, and is a financial aid and college planning author. In 1994, he started this public service website as a comprehensive resource to students.
Links to this website include information about loans, scholarships, college planning, and military aid, among others. He offers a variety of calculators for college planning. What I like most about this website is that Mr. Kantrowitz presents material in a format that is easy to read and understand. I completed a search for distance learning, and while there were no hits on this topic, there is information about telecommunications and online learning. He also offers information about specific degrees such as graduate and "specific activities" financial aid.
Back to my point of posting this message. More and more lenders are exiting the private loan and Stafford Loan programs. Note: this does not affect those in the Direct Lending program. That said, there has been a tremendous increase in private lending, so I felt it was important to let you know of these changes. Also, Mr. Kantrowitz's website provides a detailed, but readable, explanation of why so many lenders are getting out of the student loan business. So, if you are planning to take out a Stafford Loan or private education loan, please check out the list at http://www.finaid.org/loans/lenderlayoffs.phtml
Even if you're not planning on taking out a loan, check out Finaid.org for good information about financial aid in general.