New online loan-counseling tool offers flexibility, convenience
USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide provides memorable loan guidance
INDIANAPOLIS — USA Funds®, the nation’s leading education-loan guarantor, announces the introduction of a new online Stafford-loan entrance-counseling tool. USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide helps campus financial-aid offices conveniently meet federal loan-counseling requirements and also provides students with memorable guidance about their rights and responsibilities as student-loan borrowers.
“All first-time Stafford-loan borrowers are required to receive entrance counseling, but the challenge is to make the information interesting and memorable for students, while also accommodating large numbers of students who must complete counseling,” said Denise B. Feser, USA Funds vice president, customer relations. “USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide delivers engaging and easy-to-understand content highlighted by vivid graphics in a self-paced program that students can view online at their convenience.”
USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide demystifies the process of borrowing and repaying Stafford loans through the use of simple language and the illustration of the “big idea” of key student-loan concepts, which are reinforced with more detailed interactive content and the generous use of graphics.
The online counseling program was designed to appeal to today’s college students. Students who tested the program provided the following comments: “I learned more than I did with in-person counseling because of all the detail,” and, “This was better than the online entrance counseling I took because of the graphics.”
To make the program more convenient for financial-aid administrators, USA Funds built in flexible reporting features and the ability for campus personnel to customize counseling questions and add their school’s logo and name.
“USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide goes beyond minimum federal loan-counseling requirements to equip students to take control of their education loans,” Feser said.
USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide is one component of a suite of online loan-counseling tools that USA Funds is developing. View additional information about USA Funds Stafford Loan Guide.