hi guys,
i just got a letter from sallie mae and it shows my outstanding loan balance and outstanding interest

im a little confused, even though they say that im not responsible for paying anything right now, they recommend that i pay the interest because it will keep accumulating and get added to the principal eventually.

initially i was planning on not paying anything while im in college and consolidating/refinancing once i graduated. but would it make sense for me to make those interest payments now?

thanks.

IMHO - It just depends if you can afford to make those payments now. If you can, I would suggest you pay the interest now...maybe even some of the principal balance. This will reduce what you owe later...as eventually you will have to pay all that money back...

can i refinance the loan now or do i have to wait for graduation because right now my loan is at 12.25%

you cannot consolidate a student loan while still attending school.
it used to be possible, but i believe that changed in 2006.
imo, paying interest and even small payments to the principal while attending will greatly lower your post-graduation debt.