Parent PLUS Loan vs. Private Student Loan: Which Is Right for Your Family?

Debbie Schwartz

Debbie Schwartz is a former financial services executive and founder of Road2College and the Paying For College 101 Facebook group. With an expertise in personal finance, analysis, and marketing, she's working to give families the information and tools they need to make smarter financial college decisions.

Articles by Debbie

Parent PLUS Loan vs. Private Student Loan: Which Is Right for Your Family?

June 1, 2026

When federal grants, scholarships, and your student’s Direct loans still leave a funding gap, most families face the same fork…

What Are Private Student Loans for College?

May 30, 2026

As your student looks at options to finance a college education, you may be struggling to keep everything straight. There…

Parent PLUS Loan Limits: What Every Family Needs to Know

Parent PLUS Loan Limits: What Every Family Needs to Know

May 17, 2026

Parent PLUS loans now have annual and lifetime borrowing caps for new borrowers. If your family has relied on Parent…

How Do Student Loans Work: Guide to Federal, State and Private College Loans

How Do Student Loans Work: Guide to Federal, State and Private College Loans

May 15, 2026

Students and parents often must borrow money to help pay college tuition and other educational expenses. However, understanding how student…

We Applied to 24 BFA Acting Programs. Here’s Everything We Spent, Every School We Tried, and What We’d Do Differently

We Applied to 24 BFA Acting Programs. Here’s Everything We Spent, Every School We Tried, and What We’d Do Differently

May 7, 2026

One Massachusetts mom in our Paying for College 101 Facebook group shared an inside look at what it really takes…

If I Could Do It Over: Hard-Won College Planning Advice From Parents Who’ve Been There

February 20, 2026

When it comes to college planning, hindsight really is 20/20. I went back to the parents in Paying for College…

How to Get Merit Scholarships for College: The Institutional Strategy

December 20, 2025

About the author: Debbie Schwartz founded Road2College in 2014 to help families navigate the realities of paying for college. She…

Scholarships with October Deadlines

August 11, 2025

  Chicago Culinary Museum and Chef’s Hall of Fame Scholarship Amount: $500 Apply by: October 1, 2025 Description:  Open to…