Hardin Simmons University now provides their students with an interactive educational tool that explains private loans, personal budgeting and debt management, using technology offered by Mapping Your Future.

By offering their "Private Loan Counseling and Money Management Tutorial", Hardin Simmons University is the first school, and joins several guaranty agencies and lenders to take advantage of Loan Counseling Powered by Mapping Your Future to provide private loan counseling. Loan Counseling powered by Mapping Your Future enables Sponsors, Friends and schools to offer an additional financial management and default prevention program to borrowers using state or private loans to help cover the cost of education.

"Over the past couple of years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of students that rely on private student loans to help finance their education. Hardin Simmons University is taking extra initiative by using this counseling to educate their students about private loans and providing information to manage this additional debt." said Cathy Mueller, executive director of Mapping Your Future. "We are pleased to work with Hardin Simmons University on this important initiative.

For more information about Loan Counseling Powered by Mapping Your Future, contact CariAnne Behr at or carianne@mappingyourfuture.org or (573) 634-8641.

Based in Round Rock, Texas, Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative, public-service organization of the financial aid industry--bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide services online. Since 1996, Mapping Your Future has received a number of awards, including recognition for its excellence in content and innovation in technology services.

Mapping Your Future provides step-by-step instructions on career, college planning, and financial aid. In addition, the site offers Online Student Loan Counseling, money management information and tools and online customer service for schools and their students.

Posted 04/10/09 to www.NASFAA.org. Posting of press releases is done as a service to Members and does not imply endorsement or support by NASFAA. NASFAA does not review this information for content or accuracy.