At some point during my freshman year of college, I vaguely remember attending a mandatory 45-minute meeting in the financial aid office and signing some paperwork that had to do with my student loans. And I remember receiving notices about nine months after graduating that it was time to start repaying my loans, which I’ve been doing faithfully ever since.

But like most people I know, that’s about the extent of the time and energy I’ve invested in understanding my student loans and student loan debt. [...]

It’s common to graduate with four, eight, or even a dozen student loans from a handful of lenders. Even if most of them are from the same two or three service companies, each loan may have a different interest rate and due date. Talk about intimidating!

And then you get a mailing or a phone call. Consolidate all those student loans into one low payment! Student loan consolidation sure is tempting. But is it wise? [...]

This is a guest post from Kat Fae, an American twentysomething living in London. Check out her blog Savings Not Shoes where she writes about trying to “…avoid the Carrie Bradshaw effect of being cash poor, shoe rich.”

Deciding to expand my life after college in another country was a big decision and one that has challenged me financially and intellectually. As I packed up and left the good old U.S. of A. for law school on the other side of the pond (where lawyers sometimes wear wigs), I attempted to put my plethora of federal student loans into in-school deference or forbearance. Five separate enterprises own a piece of my undergraduate education totaling $50,000 at the time. Four of the companies put my loans into various types of in-school and hardship forbearance. The one that wouldn’t budge, however, was my Alma matter holding tight to my $3,000 Perkins loan and those $43.23 per month payments. [...]

Lavish sales meetings in Miami’s South Beach. All-night benders with clients. Unlimited freebies for prospects. No, I’m not talking about Wall Street; I’m talking about your college textbook publisher. [...]

Will attending an elite college like Harvard or Stanford result in a higher salary? (On average, yes). How much more do engineering majors bring home than English majors? (As much as $21,800 to start).

Most important: How much can you expect to earn with your bachelor’s degree? (A new report at PayScale.com may have the answer). [...]

Most don’t think twice about borrowing money for education. After all, borrowing money to pursue a college or graduate degree is an investment, right? We even call student loans “good debt” (as if there can be such a thing)! It’s true: Education unlocks opportunity and, often, the doors to higher income. Still, it’s wise to ask yourself: Is that degree really worth the student loan debt? [...]

Confused about the differences between subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans? [...]

When you graduate from college or graduate school, it’s only a matter of time before your student loans enter the repayment stage. Know when you need to start repaying your student loans—and when you can temporarily stop making loan payments—before your first loan become due. [...]

You may be eligible for student loan forgiveness if you graduate from college or graduate school with one or more federal student loans and either volunteer, serve in the military, or work in certain fields in low-paying, high-need areas. Student loan forgiveness means that some or all of you federal student loans will be canceled. Here are descriptions of some of the most common ways to qualify: [...]

It’s a common financial aid quandary: Why does a student who does not receive financial support from mom and dad need to include parents’ finances—including their most recent tax returns—when completing a FAFSA form for federal financial aid? Some students can avoid it, but to do so, you must meet the government’s definition of an “independent student”. [...]