NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To help families navigate the college journey and plan for the significant financial investment required, Sallie Mae today announced the relaunch of CollegeAnswer.com, a one-stop saving, planning and paying for college destination. The site offers information and free, easy-to-use tools to help parents, students, and new college graduates.
“College represents one of the most significant financial investments a family can make in their children, with the potential of enormous economic return over a lifetime,” said Joe DePaulo, executive vice president, Sallie Mae. “There are many considerations in determining how best to pay for college, and Sallie Mae is committed to providing responsible tools to empower Americans to make informed choices appropriate for their family financial situation and career aspirations.”
Sallie Mae also partnered with U.S. News and World Report, the recognized leader in college rankings, to connect visitors to a free database of institutions searchable by zip code, campus size, major, and cost, among other factors.
“As a parent of one child in college and one who will soon be headed there, paying for my children’s college education is a top priority,” says Ellen of Indianapolis, Ind. “Now I have a single go-to place to find answers for all my questions about planning and paying for my children’s college education."
Using CollegeAnswer.com, students and parents can:
- Design a savings plan whether college is 18 years away or just around the corner, as well as learn about 529 college savings plans.
- Follow the college preparation timeline designed to ensure high school juniors and seniors don’t miss a step in the application process.
- Build a personalized budget with the Education Investment Planner, and compare college costs at 5,500 colleges around the country. If you’re considering a loan, you can estimate monthly payments and the starting salary needed to keep payments manageable.
- Search for scholarships among a database of 3 million scholarships worth $16 billion.
- Access loan repayment, banking and insurance tips geared for the college student and new college grad.
Visitors may register for the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship drawing conducted each month.
Sallie Mae’s College Answer Sweepstakes is part of its commitment to helping students and families to follow a 1-2-3 approach to paying for college: first, tap college savings and maximize scholarships and grants. Second, explore federal student loans. Third, fill the gap with a responsible private education loan with your choice of in-school payment options to help you save money.
Join the conversation on how to save, plan and pay for college at Facebook.com/SallieMae and Facebook.com/Upromise.
Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s No. 1 financial services company specializing in education. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae turns education dreams into reality for its 25 million customers. With products and services that include college savings programs, scholarship search tools, education loans, tuition insurance, and online banking, Sallie Mae offers solutions that help families save, plan, and pay for college. Sallie Mae also provides financial services to hundreds of college campuses as well as to federal and state governments. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.