If you currently have a student loan then you probably know what I am saying when I tell you they are a double edged sword. On the one hand if you didn't get the loan you wouldn't have been able to complete college and have the degree that you now hold. On the other hand, if you didn't get the loan and you didn't have all those payments to make you might be able to pay all of your other bills on time or maybe afford a nicer car, maybe even perhaps live in a nicer house.

If you are truly having difficulty making your payments and even are at risk of losing your good credit standing because of them then you really may want to consider a college consolidation loan.

With this type of loan, just like a standard debt consolidation, you merge all of your high interest loans into a loan with a lower rate of interest that allows you to make one single payment. This really makes life a lot easier and more manageable.

This loan could really be a great solution for you. Especially if you are behind and have tried all of the options of deferment or forbearance that might be offered with your current loans. Many times with a direct student loan consolidation you get a clean slate with your loan. None of the old late payments or problems have bearing anymore.

With the new loan you get to, if needed, take advantage of deferments and forbearance once again. Hopefully though this won't be necessary because you, more often then not, get a lower interest rate which gives you a much lower payment. Another awesome benefit of securing this loan is that your other loans appear on your credit report as being paid off which is great for your score.

With this loan you have basically four different payment plans available for you to choose from.To understand what they are you really need to look at a student loan consolidation comparison so you will know which loan will fit into your needs and budget the best before deciding.