INDIANAPOLIS, July 1 /PRNewswire/ — USA Funds(R), the nation’s leading
education loan guarantor, announces the introduction of USA Funds Grad
Guide(SM), its new online loan counseling program for graduate and
professional students. USA Funds Grad Guide is designed to address the unique
financial issues faced by students pursuing graduate and professional degree
programs. The program meets both Stafford and Grad PLUS loan counseling
requirements.
USA Funds Grad Guide helps better prepare graduate and professional
students to make wise decisions regarding their current education loan debt by
providing them with the option to review their total student loan indebtedness
to date. The tool displays aggregated student loan information from the Meteor
network, allows the student to include information about additional loans, and
summarizes Stafford, PLUS and consolidation loan information in one
comprehensive view.
USA Funds Grad Guide entrance counseling is the newest component of USA
Funds Loan Counselor(R), USA Funds’ suite of counseling services to help
student loan borrowers understand their rights and responsibilities and take
control of their education debt. USA Funds Grad Guide provides the following
features to help students navigate their options, plan a budget and understand
the details of credit, including student loans:
— A video adviser to explain big idea concepts for each topic.
— Repayment and consolidation calculators.
— An interactive budget calculator.
— Information about credit scores.
— Details of issues to consider before taking out student loans.
“As part of our commitment to graduate and professional education, we have
tailored this counseling program for students pursuing advanced degrees,” said
Denise B. Feser, USA Funds senior vice president, customer relations. “USA
Funds Grad Guide delivers information relevant to these students who typically
incur larger student loan debts to complete their postgraduate studies.”
USA Funds invites campus financial aid professionals to learn more about
USA Funds Grad Guide and the other USA Funds Loan Counselor components by
visiting the USA Funds booth during the national conference of the National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators in Orlando, Fla.,
July 6-9.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Funds is a nonprofit corporation that
works to enhance postsecondary education preparedness, access and success by
providing and supporting financial and other valued services. During the year
ending Sept. 30, 2007, USA Funds guaranteed education loans totaling $25.8
billion for students and parents throughout the nation. USA Funds serves as
the designated guarantor of federal education loans in eight states: Arizona,
Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada
and Wyoming. USA Funds also invests $16.3 million annually in scholarships and
outreach programs that advance its mission of support to higher education. For
more information about USA Funds, visit www.usafunds.org.
SOURCE USA Funds