Sort your loans into federal and private
Federal loans come with income-driven repayment, forgiveness programs, and generous forbearance. Refinancing them with a private lender ends all of that permanently. Read the current Federal Student Aid guidance before you decide whether that trade makes sense for you.
Compare total repayment, not the payment
A longer term lowers the monthly bill and raises the total interest. Use the same balance with every lender and look at both the monthly payment and the amount you'd pay by the end.
Read the hardship terms before you need them
Ask what happens if your income drops, whether you need a cosigner, and how cosigner release works. Treat fixed and variable rates as two different products with two different risks.
What would the payment be?
A fixed-rate loan with equal monthly payments.
For illustration only. Leaves out fees, assumes the rate never changes, and assumes no extra payments. Not an offer from any lender.
Now put it to use
Take these questions to the comparison and see which company answers them best.
Compare Student Loan Refinance