FAP387: Ten tips to improve your credit rating, inducements, poll results, new vote, FAFSA stuff, Girls Stuff

Student Financial Aid News
+ I'm back!
+ From the NY Times: One student loan company has invited college and university officials, and their spouses, to attend an education conference â in the Caribbean this February, all expenses paid. Another pays universities bonuses based on how much their students borrow. Others gave away gifts like iPods at a recent conference for financial aid administrators.
+ With rising tuition and lagging government aid making private student loans a big and increasingly competitive business, these are some of the ways lenders are courting universities in hopes that they will steer students their way.
+ Congress made it illegal in 1986 for lenders to use inducements to get applicants for federally backed student loans, but the law does not apply to private loans.
+ Our private student loans are inducement-free!
+ Get our private student loans at AlternativeStudentLoan.com or call 866-229-8900
+ New FAFSA form for 2007-2008 has been published!
+ It'll be included in the feed for the show - you'll automatically get a copy
+ We're going to revise FAFSAonline.com with the latest changes as well

Scholarship Update
+ Vice Adm. Jerry O. Tuttle, USN (Ret.) and Mrs. Barbara A. Tuttle Science & Technology Scholarship
+ Scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded to students working full time toward an undergraduate Bachelor of Science technology degree at any fully accredited institution in the United States. Students must major in one of the following fields such as those offered by schools like ITT Tech, DeVry or Lincoln Tech: Computer Engineering Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, Computer Network Systems, or Information Systems Security.
+ Candidate must be a U. S. citizen enrolled full time in a technology major and be a sophomore or junior at the time of application - minimum second-year students please. Primary consideration will be given to a military enlisted candidate.
+ Deadline November 1, 2006
+ Details at our free scholarship search site
+ Scholarship Points drawing is 2 months away - crank up the referral machine to earn extra points

News You Can Use
+ Things you can do to improve your credit rating
+ #1: Pay Your Bills on Time.
+ #2: Keep Your Credit Card Balances Low
+ #3: Having a Good History Counts, So Don't Close Unused Accounts
+ #4: Only Apply for Credit When It's Needed, Then Shop for the Best Rates on Loans and Credit Cards
+ #5: Separate Your Accounts after a Divorce
+ #6: Correct Inaccuracies in Your Credit Reports, and Make Sure Old Information Is Removed
+ #7: Avoid Excess Inquiries
+ #8: Avoid Bankruptcy, if Possible
+ #9: Avoid Consolidating Balances onto One Credit Card. Unless you can save a fortune in interest charges by consolidating balances onto one credit card
+ #10: Do consolidate your federal student loans
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com or call 877-328-1565

Poll Results
+ How should a university prioritize financial aid?
+ Domestic students should have high priority: 58%
+ International students should have high priority: 8%
+ Both should have equal priority: 33%
+ New poll - what should we do for episode 400? Vote today!

Podsafe Music
+ Girls Stuff, It's You
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ My personal blog
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529. AIM: FinAidPodcast Add me to your iTunes by visiting http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe/

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