<p>i found a list of student lenders online here:</p>
<p>Private</a> Student Loans</p>
<p>does anyone know which lender is best to use?</p>
<p>I’ve used Wells Fargo for all of my private loans and it’s been a fairly good process, they have been quick, communicate well with my school,I get access online, and they are secure with my information. </p>
<p>I’ve heard a lot of bad things about Sallie Mae, but I don’t have any first hand experience to back up that bad opinion.</p>
<p>Wells Fargo always asked me for 2 co-signers and made it difficult, even though I only needed 1 co-signer everywhere else. I did not go with WF. </p>
<p>Chase has EXTREMELY high interest rates. My one Chase loan is roughly 14% variable. It was a last-minute decision after I found out The College Loan Co. lost its funding and I didn’t get the loan I needed from them. Shame, CLC was only 3.25% interest on the one loan I got from them</p>
<p>I also have Sallie Mae smart option loans. Eh, they’re okay. But the smart option loan cannot be deferred or put in forbearance after you begin the payments because they are “smart option” - meaning you pay it back quickly to decrease interest. That’s great most of the time, but not for those pursuing grad school.</p>
<p>Actually, many of my lenders changes their policies lately and I found out that CLC and Chase will no longer defer long enough for me to go to grad school, even though they said they would a few years ago when I first got them. <em>Sigh</em> Such is life.</p>
<p>I also use PNC for my Stafford Loans, but it’s a bit different than taking a private loan from them. Max out your Stafford options before taking others. All of my Staffords went into forbearance because I am having some financial difficulty. None of my other lenders would allow me to, and one actually told me to “just default” on another loan so I could pay THEM. Nice advice =/ But since my Staffords deferred I am doing fine and will be able to pick up those payments when the forbearance ends.</p>