We hope the following article will help you understand federal student loan interest rate predictions

Student Loan Consolidation - What You Need To Know

The median income of college graduates is now 62% higher than that of high school graduates. What this means is that the need for a college education is higher than ever before.

Unfortunately, so are the costs. The average annual cost of attending a four-year private university is now $30,367, according to the College Board's study. The average cost of attending a public university is almost two-thirds less: $12,796.

Federal and state guaranteed student loans were introduced as a way to allow students who qualified under their schools financial aid criteria to obtain financial loans without getting tripped up looking for qualified lenders. But then private education lenders infiltrated the student loan market.

Private education lenders have affected the way student loan consolidation is allowed and financed. Private student loan lenders have become fat as the cost of higher education has risen, to the tune of 18 percent of all student loans and to about 10 percent of all student aid awarded -- a total of $13.8 billion in 2004-2005.

Keep in mind, just because a lending institution is listed on a school financial aid departments preferred lender lists does not mean that loan will qualify in future for student loan consolidation. Private education lenders are not obligated to advise borrowers of this.

If you plan to take on heavy student loan debt you should know whether or not your lender will allow student loan consolidation in the future. If you are a new student, dont be tempted by a huge financial aid package that may not be in your best interest to accept after all, if in the long term student loan consolidation is not allowed.

There can be huge financial struggles to pay for school and to support yourself or a family, but a college education almost always pays off in higher income levels.

Student loan consolidation is one of the ways new graduates can get on track with handling their money. The debt load of attending college can be heavier than either students or parents can get a handle on. Student loan consolidation can help.

Susan Schmidt has authored over 50 articles about the best way to consolidate your student loans.

If you would like more tips about student loan consolidation check out http://ConsolidateStudentLoanSite.com/ or Consolidate Student Loan.

More Useful Resource and Updates on federal student loan interest rate predictions

• Student-loan consolidation choices shrink (Centre Daily Times)
  Kari Schoeneweis will face more than $60,000 in student loan debt when she graduates from Carlow University in spring.



• Practical money tips for rocky times (MSNBC)
  Many folks are looking for reassurances that the financial choices they're making ? whether they're about credit, their homes or student loans ? are the right ones. TODAY Financial editor Jean Chatzky addresses the concerns of four readers.



• Student-loan consolidation choices shrink (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
  Kari Schoeneweis will face more than $60,000 in student loan debt when she graduates from Carlow University in spring. he plans to do what her older siblings did and consolidate her loans to reduce the monthly payments.



• First signs of consolidation in ethanol industry (Boston Herald)
  NEW YORK - Wall Street showed some signs of stability today as investors, heartened by government plans to aid consumer lending companies, selectively bought more stocks following...



• Scotiabank Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
  Earnings per share of $3.05 versus $4.01, includes $0.82



• Answers to your questions on money woes (Provo Daily Herald)
  Money is at the top of everyone's minds these days and that means that questions are flooding my inbox. Here are a few answers that should help give a bit of clarity in this confusing and rocky economy:



• Demand for student loans on the rise; cash is short (Austin American-Statesman)
  Carlos Richardson , a sophomore studying psychology at Austin Community College, hasn't had to take out student loans ? yet.

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• THE STAR ACT
  ... Student Loan Providers supports increases in federal need ... is heavily weighted by interest rate predictions that, historically, have been wrong. ...



• University of California Hastings College of the Law Loan Center
  ... interest rate reduction—for the life of the loan—when your loan is ... A Federal Consolidation Loan simplifies repayment of your federal student loans ...



• The Student Loan Consolidation Option
  Because legislation rather than market forces determines federal student loan ... whether the interest rate cap on the student loan is binding, the average rates ...



• The Future of
  made to federal student loan policies, general economic and interest rate environments, ... However, because most private loan interest rates are variable, ...



• Student Loan Consolidation: Refinancing for Graduates with High ...
  ... forms the baseline of federal student loan interest rates which take effect on ... student loans, if the prediction is accurate, this would make variable rate ...



• Reducing your student loan debt - Boston.com
  Federal loans have lower interest rates and often lower fees, may be subsidized ... student loan debt can be obtained at a lower rate than the typical car loan, ...