GRAD PLUS Questions and Answers 2007

[Einstein]

Post all of your questions or helpful comments about Grad Plus loans here.

I have a couple of questions to start with..

When should we start applying for these loans, and how long do they take to come in to the schools.. and when are they usually dispersed?

What are the specific criteria that would make you elligible/inelligible for these loans?

[The Poster]

no one ever responded on this?

[katluva33]

I have no idea about eligibility, but I know most of my schools have said that we start applying for loans around Jun 15 and the dispersal comes at the beginning of the academic year directly to the school, which then issues you a refund for any amount in excess of tuition and fees (and it takes a couple of weeks to process, so don't rely on it for the first few weeks of living expenses)

[basal]

Which Sallie Mae lender offers a reduction for their Gradplus loans?

[The Poster]

so, it looks like some schools participate in the "direct gradplus program" where there is no private lender involved, it just goes right through the school and no shopping around. does that sound about right or am i missing something?

[basal]

No clue, but I think Wells Fargo has the best offer. Can you guys confirm?

http://wfefs.wellsfargo.com/jump/i_plusgrad.html

[Quail!]

So I at one point had a delinquent account 3.5 years ago (I was young and had little to no understanding of credit at the time) - which has since been cleared up.  Will that affect my eligibility?

[The Poster]

http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/0623HERAOPGradPLUSAttachDGradPLUSQA.doc

2.   What is considered to be an adverse credit history?
You are considered to have an adverse credit history if you are 90 or more days delinquent on any debt or if, within 5 years of the date of the credit report, you have been the subject of a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a Federal Student Aid debt (for example, a Direct Loan or Federal Stafford Loan).
3.   What are my options if I have an adverse credit history?
You may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you obtain an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the loan if you do not repay it.

[P.U.S.H]

http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/0623HERAOPGradPLUSAttachDGradPLUSQA.doc

2.   What is considered to be an adverse credit history?
You are considered to have an adverse credit history if you are 90 or more days delinquent on any debt or if, within 5 years of the date of the credit report, you have been the subject of a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a Federal Student Aid debt (for example, a Direct Loan or Federal Stafford Loan).
3.   What are my options if I have an adverse credit history?
You may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you obtain an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the loan if you do not repay it.

Does that apply to credit card debit? I think I'm completely screwed

[melisssasue]

http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/0623HERAOPGradPLUSAttachDGradPLUSQA.doc

2.   What is considered to be an adverse credit history?
You are considered to have an adverse credit history if you are 90 or more days delinquent on any debt or if, within 5 years of the date of the credit report, you have been the subject of a default determination, bankruptcy discharge, foreclosure, repossession, tax lien, wage garnishment, or write-off of a Federal Student Aid debt (for example, a Direct Loan or Federal Stafford Loan).
3.   What are my options if I have an adverse credit history?
You may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you obtain an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the loan if you do not repay it.

Does that apply to credit card debit? I think I'm completely screwed

I was concerenced that I would not qualify for GradPLUS so what I did was go to a lender site (I used sallie mae) and I applied for a GradPLUS loan to see if I would be approved.  (I should add that I am a current graduate student and applied as if I wanted the loan for the spring term.)  I was approved and I just didn't submit the app to my school because I just wanted to see if I could get the loan for the fall for law school.