Colleges Say Competition from U.S. Making Banks Better Student Lenders

WASHINGTON - College students and financial aid officers are enjoying the competition between banks and the federal government in the student loan business.

"I believe that competition in student lending is a good thing and the result has been a greatly improved level of service, responsiveness, and accountability from both the public and private student loan makers," L. Diane Ryan, director of financial aid at California State University- Northridge, told members of a House educational opportunities subcommittee.

Prodded by a Department of Education direct loan program scheduled to take 40 % of the federally guaranteed student loan market this year, banks have streamlined loan application procedures and begun offering students more flexible loan terms, Ms. Ryan and other witnesses said.

Students accustomed to waiting 35 to 40 days for loan checks from banks now get them in 48 hours, according to Otto Reyer, director of financial aid at the University of California-Irvine.

Mr. Cahill writes for the Medill News Service.

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