Can anyone share legit student loan companies for FAFSA refund shortfalls?

whatever u do STAY AWAY from SuperiorLending!! they said low rates then jacked mine to 13.4% after i signed!!

Before you look at private loans, have you exhausted all your federal options? There's a difference between your initial FAFSA award and your maximum federal loan eligibility. As an independent student, you should be eligible for up to $12,500 in Direct Unsubsidized Loans annually, which might cover your gap without needing private loans. If you've already maxed those out, some reputable private lenders that work well with federal aid packages include: - Earnest (good for independent students without cosigners) - SoFi (competitive rates, especially if your credit improves) - Ascent (offers non-cosigned loans based on future income potential) - Discover Student Loans (no fees) I strongly recommend reaching back out to your financial aid office and specifically asking about increasing your federal loans first. Many students don't realize they can accept more than what's initially offered in their award letter.

have u tried scholly? its not a loan but they helped my roomate find like $3000 in random scholarships nobody applies for

FAFSA is such BS these days!! My SAI calculation said my family could afford $22,000 a year but we can barely pay our mortgage! The whole system is designed to force students into debt. My sister got stuck with Sallie Mae and they've been NIGHTMARE to deal with - hidden fees, terrible customer service, random interest rate increases. I'm still paying off $67,000 in loans and I graduated 4 years ago. If you HAVE to get a private loan, at least avoid them. College Ave was slightly better for me but honestly they're all just circling vultures waiting for desperate students.

my cousin works in financial aid and she always says to do this when you have a gap: 1) ask financial aid office about additional institutional grants (some schools have emergency funds they don't advertise) 2) max out subsidized loans before unsubsidized 3) look for departmental scholarships in your major 4) THEN look at private loans just my 2 cents but hope it helps lol

I was in a similar situation last year with about $7,000 gap after my FAFSA package. I'd recommend applying to multiple lenders simultaneously to compare offers. Most have a pre-qualification process that doesn't affect your credit score. When I did this, I got offers ranging from 6.5% to 12.8% for the same loan amount! Also, don't overlook credit unions - my local one actually had better rates than most of the big online lenders everyone recommends. And definitely call your financial aid office to ask about professional judgment reviews if you have any special circumstances that weren't captured in your FAFSA (job loss, medical expenses, etc.). They can sometimes adjust your SAI which could increase your federal aid. Good luck! The system is complicated but you've got this.

Has anyone tried Parent PLUS Loans? My mom got one for me

UPDATE: I just wanted to thank everyone for the amazing advice! I followed the suggestions here and: 1. Called my financial aid office and discovered I could access an additional $5,000 in federal Direct Unsubsidized loans I didn't know about 2. Found a $2,000 scholarship through my engineering department that still had open applications 3. Used Claimyr to reach someone at FSA who helped explain why my SAI was calculated incorrectly - turns out there was a reporting error on my FAFSA that they're helping me fix Between these three things, I should be able to cover almost the entire gap without private loans! I might need a small one for the remaining $1,750, but that's WAY better than the $8,750 I was looking at before. This forum is seriously a lifesaver. Thank you all!