Private student loans
Private student loans (also known as alternative student loans or personal student loans) can help you pay for college, generally at better interest rates than other lines of credit.
You should only use private student loans as supplemental funding after you have exhausted all other sources of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, Work-Study, and federal student loans.
As with any student loan, be conservative and only borrow what you absolutely need.
Private student loans are step 3 in Sallie Mae's 1-2-3 approach to paying for college.
If you do not have an established credit history, you may still qualify for private student loans by applying with a creditworthy cosigner.
If you have a creditworthy cosigner with a credit rating that is better than yours, it may lower your private student loan interest rate and loan fee.