Can't submit FAFSA - looking for private student loans with deferred payments and low interest rates

dont give up on fafsa yet! u might qualify for grants n stuff that u dont have to pay back. private loans ALWAYS cost more in the long run trust me

Before you abandon FAFSA completely, there are a few common issues with the parental information section that might be causing your problem: 1. Make sure both parents (if applicable) have created their own FSA IDs 2. Check that the parent SSN matches exactly what's on their Social Security card 3. Verify the parent marital status date is in MM/YYYY format 4. Double-check that you're using 2023 tax information for the 2025-2026 application I'd strongly recommend fixing the FAFSA issue since your son could miss out on thousands in grants, work-study, and subsidized loans with much better terms than private options.

I had the EXACT same issue last year with my daughter's FAFSA! Kept getting the same vague error about parent info. After weeks of frustration, I figured out it was because I entered my birthday in the wrong format (entered day first instead of month). Check every single date entry - that might be your issue!

ok but to answer ur actual question lol - my kid is at Michigan State and we use SoFi for the gap. got 5.8% fixed rate (had good credit tho) and payments start 6 months after graduation. Discover and College Ave were our runner-ups. def shop around cuz rates vary A LOT

Hey there, I actually had a similar issue with the FAFSA form this year. After days of frustration, I found a solution that might help you too. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a Federal Student Aid agent directly - they have this service where they actually wait on hold for you and call you back when an agent is ready to talk. I was skeptical but checked out their video demo (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) and decided to try it. The agent was able to see exactly what was wrong with my application (turns out I had conflicting income information in two different sections). Got it fixed in minutes after struggling for weeks! Just sharing in case you want to fix the FAFSA issue before pursuing private loans.

Financial aid advisor here. While fixing your FAFSA is the optimal solution, if you do need to go the private loan route, here's what to look for: 1. Interest rates: Currently, good private student loan rates range from 5.2%-9.5% depending on credit 2. Deferment options: Full deferment until graduation is best 3. Repayment terms: Look for 10-15 years 4. Fees: Avoid loans with origination fees over 1% 5. Cosigner release: Many loans allow removal of the cosigner after 12-48 on-time payments Top options to consider based on current rates: - Earnest: Good for excellent credit borrowers - SoFi: Competitive rates, good benefits - College Ave: Flexible repayment options - Ascent: Has non-cosigned options for juniors/seniors Don't forget to fill out the CSS Profile too, as many private universities require it for institutional aid that won't be affected by your FAFSA issues.

WHATEVER YOU DO DONT GO WITH SALLIE MAE!!! They started at 7.8% for my daughter and now its over 11%!!! Variable rates are EVIL and their customer service is nonexistent when you have problems!!

One thing I want to add - before finalizing any private loans, make one more attempt at the FAFSA. The Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan is often overlooked and is usually a better option than private loans. The current fixed interest rate is 6.43% (for 2024-2025 year), and while there's a ~4% origination fee, the benefits often outweigh this: - Fixed interest rate (never increases) - Income-Contingent Repayment options if you face financial hardship - Loan forgiveness possibilities in certain situations - Death/disability discharge protections - No prepayment penalties Most private loans lack these protections. You can apply for a Parent PLUS loan directly at studentaid.gov once your FAFSA is processed.

my son just graduated and we did both private loans AND fed loans. here's the thing - after 4 years we ended up with like 6 different loans all with different terms and payment dates and its a NIGHTMARE to manage. if u do end up needing private loans try to stick with ONE lender!! wish someone told us that 4 years ago lol

Has your son checked if Berkeley offers any school-specific financial aid options? My daughter's university had several engineering-specific scholarships that weren't part of the standard financial aid package. Worth asking Berkeley's financial aid office directly!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to try using Claimyr first to see if I can get our FAFSA issues resolved and speak to an actual human being at Federal Student Aid. If that doesn't work out, I'll look into the Parent PLUS loan option, and then explore private loans with SoFi and College Ave as backups. I really appreciate all the insights and warnings about variable rates and loan management - this community has been incredibly helpful!