<p>Is it just me or have you found unsibsidizied stafford loans to have higher rates and fees than most private loans thru banks.</p>
<p>I actually financed most of my undergraduate education with private loans (not the best idea) and I find that they tend to have higher interest rates versus unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Private loans really leave a student with limited options for pay-back and consolidation after they graduate. Few lendors will consolidate private loans, and they are very costly because they dont have a fixed interest rate. The amount that I ultimatly pay-back changes each time the prime interest rate increases or decreases. That makes it difficult to set up a stable payment plan. I believe that Stafford loans, although unsubsidized, can be consolidated easier than private loans.</p>