Don't Borrow More Than You Need

Limiting the amount of money you borrow is a basic principle of good money management. College students who are able to finance their education through federal student loans, are fortunate to have access to low interest rate educational funding that puts earning a degree within their reach.

However, just because money is available to borrow does not necessarily mean that you should borrow it. If you are eligible for more student loan money than you really need, you may want to limit the amount you borrow. After all, even though the interest on a federal student loan tends to be lower than on other types of debt, it is still debt.

Additionally, you shouldn’t stop looking for scholarship resources just because you are able to access student loans. If you can get a scholarship to cover some of your expenses, you can reduce the amount of money you need to borrow and will ultimately have to repay. Many scholarship programs are available only to upper division students, so you should definitely keep your eyes open for funding opportunities even after you enroll in college.