I graduated from a small private college in Ohio this past May. As you can imagine I've been receiving the letters telling me that my student loan payments are coming due this December. At first I started looking to Consolidation. When I applied in July I was denied the agreement because I didn't have a co-signer. No problem some might say, just get a co-signer. I must explain my deal with co-signers. During my third year in school I took out a private alternative loan and had an aunt who VOLUNTEERED to be a cosigner. One of the biggest mistakes of my life because I have her constantly on my back about paying the 10,000 off so that I can get her name off of the loan. Mind you I just graduated and have only worked part time jobs so that I could pay the $100 a month interest payments. That I have been faithful in paying on time since the start of the loan. So even if I did consolidate my federal loans and that private loan can't be combined anyway.
Beginning of September I lost my job. A job that I worked for for three years and had planned on being with for a very long time. Haven't been able to find anything substantial since. So I'm turning the idea of going to grad school just to defer my payments. Is that crazy? I just need some advice because I really don't believe I'll be able to make the payments starting next month. I had planned on going to grad school anyway it was just in the earlier plans I imagined having a job that would help me pay for it. Also is there anyway I could refinance my private loan to free myself of my aunt?