If you are a parent and getting ready to start looking for college loan information for your child's college education, then you certainly have a big job in front of you. In an ideal world, we would all be able to save ahead of time for our children's education, but in reality, most of us don't do that. The cost of a college education far outstrips the rate of inflation and the money you save, even over the course of eighteen years is unlikely to cover even one year of college for your student.

There are numerous places to look online for college loan information, but one thing is abundantly clear - you have to be careful of scams. There are many companies who promise to put you in touch with companies that will provide grants, scholarships, or loans, but they do it at a cost. The truth is, that you don't need anyone's help to do this and that most of the scholarships, loans, and grants that are available can be found online very easily.

In order of priority, you should first try and look for scholarships. Most of these are not based on need, but rather on an ability, an interest, or an affiliate that you or your child may have. If your child is an athlete, then of course you know that scholarships might be available. But, they might also be available if you are a firefighter, a police officer, a government employee, or even a member of a certain religion.

The next choice would be a grant which never needs to be paid back, but failing that, you should start looking for college loan information right away. It can sometimes take several months to line up a loan for your student, so don't delay their education by starting too late.