Time to start a new year! To do our part to help, we wanted to let you know about a couple of new resources for those of you returning to college this month. The first is a free downloadable ebook: How To Find Cheap College Textbooks, available online at http://www.campusx.com/college-textbooks/. The second is a new student credit card offer we have secured exclusively through CitiBank: The Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card for College Students and available only at www.StudentPlatinum.com.  This offer includes: “Promotional 10% cash back reward program; no annual fee; and a 0% introductory rate for all transactions”!

For up to date on new and improved resources for students looking for ways to pay for college, visit: http://www.studentloannetwork.com/student-resources/

Do you have ideas for new products, services or ebooks? Send us your ideas in the comments below.

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Consolidation is a great debt management tool. It allows you more time to repay your loan(s). You can generally extend your loan terms out to 25 or 30 years from the initial 10-year marker, which means you can dramatically lower your monthly payment.

Another good thing these days are the lower interest rates. When the economy is slumping interest rates tend to get cut. As a byproduct of these rate cuts (lower interest rates) you the consumer benefit, which is why it’s a great time to consolidate your private student loans.

With one convenient low payment, no prepayment penalties, and lower interest rates it is the perfect time to consolidate.

If you are seeking private loan consolidation (click here).

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Citi® has recently launched a back-to-school promotion for a couple of their student credit cards which knocked our socks off. We already had rated them really high on our website and they happen to be two of the most commonly applied for cards on our site too.

When they contacted us and made this offer available to our customers we were thrilled. You should be thrilled too, here’s why:

• You’ll only find one student credit card site authorized to offer this deal- us.
• 10% cash back on gas purchases with the Citi® Dividend Card for College Students
• Double points for three months with the Citi® mtvU Student Credit Card
• Both cards offer 0% interest for the first 6-months!

So now we want to know which card you think is the best, we think both are pretty good deals. Especially since you’ll probably have lots of unplanned expenses at the beginning of the semester, the 0% interest offer can really come in handy.

Here’s what you do, review each card description below. Then at the bottom of this post follow the survey link and tell us which card you think is the best choice for students. If you’re a ScholarshipPoints Member we’ll give you 20 points for your vote.

Citi® mtvU Student Credit Card

For a limited time, Citi® is offering the Citi® mtvU™ Platinum Select® Visa® Card for College Students in this special back-to-school offer. The ® mtvU™ Platinum Select® Visa® Card for College Students is designed specifically for students and offers a unique reward program that awards students for using credit wisely and for receiving good grades.

Through the reward program, cardholders earn five points for general purchases and ten points for every dollar spent at restaurants, bookstores, record stores, movie theaters, and video rentals during the first 3 months of having the card. These points can be redeemed for gift cards, CDs, a VIP mtvU™ Spring Break Pass, tickets to the MTV Video Music Awards, and airline tickets. There is a 75,000 yearly limit to the number of points that may be earned, and points expire in five years.

This card has no annual fee, but the interest rate for purchases and balance transfers is above average for a student card. However, there is a 0% introductory rate that applies to all transactions for the first six months (a rare benefit for a student credit card).

The card provides platinum cardholder benefits that include up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance, and various travel and emergency assistance services. Cardholders also receive a 10% discount on purchases made at the MTV online store and at the MTV New York City Store.

Students who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) and plan to take advantage of the reward program will benefit most from what the Citi® mtvU™ Platinum Select® Visa® Card for College Students has to offer.

Citi® Dividend Card for College Students

For a limited time, Citi® is featuring the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card for College Students as part of this great back-to-school offer. Through the reward program, cardholders earn a 10% cash back rebate on purchases made at gas stations, supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, and utilities including cable for three months and 2% thereafter, and they earn a 1% cash back rebate on all other purchases as well as on cash advances and convenience check transactions taken at the standard cash advance rate.

Cardholders will receive $5 Dividend Dollars for each balance transfer transaction of $1,500 or more. Rebates earned on purchases through the Citi Bonus Cash Center(SM) are unlimited, but the rebates earned on all other purchases are subject to a $300 maximum per year. A $50 check will be issued upon request once $50 Dividend Dollars have been earned.

This card has no annual fee, but it does have an above average interest rate for purchases (for a student card). However, there is a 0% introductory rate that applies to all transactions for the first six months (a rare benefit for a student card).

The card also offers several platinum benefits and services such as up to $1,000,000 in travel accident insurance, lost and stolen card reporting, and identity theft solutions. However, it is the reward program that proves to be the best benefit available to cardholders.

Students who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) and plan to spend enough to take advantage of the rebate program will benefit most from what the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Card for College Students has to offer. Those who plan to spend less on the credit card or plan to carry a revolving balance may want to consider a credit card with a lower interest rate.

Tell us which card you like best and earn 20 Scholarship Points.

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