# recommendations for student loan consolidation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 8, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679 "2003-02-08T07:03:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/1 "2003-02-08T07:03:47Z")

</div>

I want to consolidate my student loans. I need some help choosing a company. So, Dopers tell me–what companies do you use, and what are your experiences.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/2 "2003-02-08T07:18:36Z")

</div>

I consolidated mine with Sallie Mae. I already had one loan through them, and it was really easy to apply for the consolidation through their website.

So far, so good: I pay my bills, they haven’t sent anyone around yet to break my thumbs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/3 "2003-02-08T16:55:51Z")

</div>

I did mine through the U.S. Dept. of Education; they are very user-friendly, and gave me as good a rate as anyone else at the time. They also were quite decent about giving me a forbearance when I needed one for medical reasons.

Besides, if someone is going to make money off my debt, I’d rather have it be the Dept. of Education than a private company.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/4 "2003-02-08T17:15:42Z")

</div>

Another vote for Dept. of Ed. Everything can be done online, once you have a PIN–I was sent one in the mail while I was still in school, so you may already have one; if you don’t, you can request it on the site. It’s super easy and convenient. [http://www.dlssonline.com/](http://www.dlssonline.com/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/5 "2003-02-08T17:31:18Z")

</div>

I’ll check that out. Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-student-loan-consolidation/153679/6 "2003-02-08T19:19:16Z")

</div>

Just want to get in line and recommend the U.S. Department of Education. If you go a certain period without any late payments, they’ll decrease your interest rate.