Calculate the school-year gap before borrowing.Start with the aid offer, not a loan advertisementCompare each school's cost of attendance with grants, scholarships and other support you can actually use. Distinguish money that does not need repayment from loans. Work-study is earned through work rather than automatically available as a tuition deposit.Build the remaining gap for the academic year and consider later years too. A first-year payment that seems manageable may sit alongside additional borrowing before graduation. Review federal eligibility with the school before evaluating private offers, including their repayment flexibility and co-signer obligations.Other arrangements to compareFederal student loansReview the school-based federal process and the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized borrowing.