Hey, guys:

I am in graduate school. I make about 13k per year and pay all of my own bills, including rent and CCs. After my school gets paid, I have about $1880 left each semester. I am in need of a private loan. I live in Ohio and my Fico Scores are: EQ=707 with no baddies, EX= 630 with 2 unpaid collections (1 is in dispute), and TU=652 with 1 unpaid collection. My CC ut is at about 85% due to my paying for living expenses.

Does anyone know which CRA CITI uses to make student loan decisions?

Does anyone know which private lenders primarily pull from Equifax?

I appreciate the help!

The candid "help" I can give: don't take a private loan.

Thanks! That's what I keep hearing.

What aboud GRAD PLUS loans? That's the route I took. Citi did not pull my credit either time I applied/ they were dispersed.

All Plus loans are based on federal regs. Per HEA, they may not need to pull credit based on your answer to certain questions "good-faith".

Thanks, guys.

Has citi been a good company to borrow from? (i.e., have they rate jacked you or anything bad like that?) I need about 10k.

Thanks, Cynic, for the 'good faith' explanation - I didn't know that.

Citi has been fine - because they're federal the rate is set by law/regulation. It's locked in.
I probably have about 10K over two semesters and have had no problems. My stafford loans are with HSBC - more annoying because they have no method of monitoring them online whereas with Citi I can pay/view/etc. on line.

Thanks, SKINGLIST!

Did you already have both unsubsidized and subsidized SLs when you applied for the private loan?

Yep I have a consolidated undergraduate loan and had two semesters of sub/unsub Staffords for grad school when I applied for the PLUS to cover summer session.

what's wrong with taking the private loan, cynic?

For starters, the interest rates. High. No deferments other than your grad school deferment, no forebearance. No income sensitive payments. Non dischargable in BK.

Lots of horror stories in this forum.

I believe Sallie Mae is a EQ pull in Ohio.
I recently obtained a loan through them, they pulled EQ, and then EX. Not sure if that is standard procedure, or not.

Please please please please please please avoid private loans like migrant workers do border patrol.

yes please don't take out private loans. i took one out for a small amount (5000) and it's a headache because my co-signer defaulted on her private loans and they're coming after me!! (i'll tell you the story if you want to know)..you should talk to your school's financial aid counselor to see what route you can take.