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Mark Kantrowitz

Nationally recognized student financial aid expert

 

Mark Kantrowitz is publisher of PrivateStudentLoans.guru, a free website about student loans. Mark is an expert on student financial aid, the FAFSA, scholarships, 529 plans, education tax benefits and student loans. His mission is to deliver practical information, advice and tools to students and their families so they can make smarter, more informed decisions about planning and paying for college.

Mark has been quoted in more than 10,000 newspaper and magazine articles about college admissions and financial aid. Mark has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Reuters, MarketWatch, Huffington Post, U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes, Newsweek and Time Magazine.

Mark is the author of five best-selling books about scholarships and financial aid and holds seven patents. He also writes extensively on student aid policy. His most recent book is "How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid."

Mark serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Student Financial Aid, the editorial advisory board of Bottom Line/Personal and is a member of the board of trustees of the Center for Excellence in Education. He previously served as a member of the board of directors of the National Scholarship Providers Association and as publisher of the FinAid, Fastweb, Edvisors, Cappex and SavingForCollege.com web sites. Mark has two Bachelor's degrees in mathematics and philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Master's degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

Mark's latest articles

  • Best boat loans of November 2024

    A boat loan gives you the money to purchase a boat. You can use either a loan specific for boats or a personal loan. Bankrate reviewed and compared the best boat loans.

    12 min read Oct 06, 2021
  • Excellent Credit Personal Loan Rates

    An excellent credit score comes with many perks, including access to some of the best personal loan APRs available. Explore Bankrate’s expert picks for the best personal loans for excellent credit.

    12 min read Oct 06, 2021
  • Best emergency loan rates for March 2024

    Maybe your car broke down or a pipe in your home burst. Maybe you had a stay in the emergency room. Regardless of the reason, you might need an emergency loan to cover the cost of a sudden or unexpected expense.

    17 min read Oct 06, 2021
  • Medical Student Loan Rates

    Explore Bankrate's expert picks for the best medical school loans available and discover how the right rate can help you meet the costs of a medical degree.

    13 min read Oct 06, 2021
  • Best student loans for bad credit in May 2024

    Even if you have bad credit or no credit, it's still possible to get a student loan. Bankrate examined lender fees, APR ranges and eligibility requirements to see which lenders kept costs as low as possible for bad-credit borrowers.

    12 min read Oct 06, 2021
  • Graduate Student Loan Rates

    Graduate school loans are a great option for people who don't have the money to pay for college out of pocket and who have exhausted scholarship and grant opportunities.

    13 min read Oct 06, 2021