re: how do i go about consolidating student loans

I believe it really depends on what the rate is going to do. The rates are set each year and you would just consolidate to whatever the current rate is. By colidating them, you have a lot longer time to pay them back, which lowers your payment. When I graduated, back around 2000, rates were like 7-8% and most of my classmates consolidated then. I, however, tried to make normal payments till the rate was going to change. Luckinly the rates went down to like 5%, at which time I went ahead and consolidated.