The federal government requires all colleges and universities to offer Entrance and Exit Counseling for federal student loan recipients. Students only have to complete each of these once (for each federal loan type) while in attendance at Southwestern.
Stafford and Grad PLUS Loans:
- To initiate Entrance Counseling, click here.
- To initiate Exit Counseling, click here.
Perkins Loans:
- To initiate Entrance Counseling, click here.
- To initiate Exit Counseling, click here.
Students must complete entrance and exit counseling session for each of the various loan types they will receive.* Any questions may be directed to the Financial Aid Office.
Please do not use the Mapping Your Future website
for Stafford and/or GradPlus Loans.
The Combined Entrance Interview for the Stafford and Grad Plus loan is performed at the link above - click the Entrance Counseling link under Manage My Direct Loan. There is ONLY ONE entrance session for both loans.
Types of Entrance and Exit Counseling Available:
- Perkins Entrance Counseling
- Stafford and Grad PLUS Entrance Counseling
- Stafford Exit Counseling
- Perkins Exit Counseling
- Grad PLUS Exit Counseling
- Stafford and Grad PLUS Exit Counseling
*For example, if you received funds from Stafford and Grad PLUS, and Perkins loans and are receiving aid for the first time at Southwestern, you would complete the following Entrance Counseling:
Stafford and Grad PLUS Entrance Counseling
AND Perkins Entrance Counseling
Please note: If you are uncertain as to which loans you will be receiving, it is in your best interest to complete the counseling for Stafford, Grad PLUS AND Federal Perkins loans.
Income-Based Repayment (IBR)
Starting July 1, 2009, Income-Based Repayment (IBR) - a new way to make federal student loan payments more manageable - became available. Recent graduates may qualify for this new repayment plan. In some cases, borrowers who choose this plan may have a portion of their loans forgiven after 10 years of payments if they work in a government or other public service position. Click here to learn more.
