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What’s the secret formula to helping students avoid being crushed by student loan debt after graduation? Ken Ruggiero, the CEO of Ascent Student Loans, thinks he and his team of data scientists may have discovered a solution—and it’s probably not what you think it is.

Here’s the very short answer in two parts:

1. If you need a private student loan without a cosigner, but lack sufficient credit history and income, Ascent has an option based on your future earnings potential, and
2. If your lender doesn’t pony up all the money that you ask for, that might be a tremendous gift.

The prospect of paying for college can be overwhelming, even for the most well-prepared students. Tuition costs continue to rise, even though parental and post-graduate incomes haven’t followed the same trend. So who should pay for college? Viewpoints vary as to whether students or their parents should be responsible.

Let's take a look at some common viewpoints. 

If you’re new to the college funding process, you may find yourself a bit overwhelmed. That’s not unusual.

In fact, most people get pretty stressed out when they start thinking about how to pay for college. Your best bet is to use multiple approaches to fund your education. Let's take a look at your options.

College is expensive enough. Don’t make it pricier than it has to be by making choices about financial aid, classes, and college living that increase your costs even more.

Here are nine tips to help prevent simple, but expensive mistakes that can increase your college debt:

Going to college is one of the biggest milestones in your life. Between the decisions on where to go, how to pay for it, what courses to take, and where to live, a number of huge, life-changing decisions hang in the balance.

It’s only natural that you and your parents are feeling the pressure ... and that, perhaps, you're driving each other a little nuts. How you handle the process with your parents can mean the difference between smooth sailing or a huge stress bomb that’s just waiting to explode. 

If you're considering off-campus housing, you're probably wondering how paying for off-campus housing differs from paying for dorms.

Here's what you need to know before you sign off on the rental agreement.