SoFi Blog

Tips and news—
for your financial moves.

Laptops on desk

How Colleges Are Preventing High Tech Class Cheating

In past generations, people who didn’t feel confident about their test-taking abilities might have taken to old-fashioned cheats like listing the answers on the insides of their wrists or on the soles of their shoes. Or, they might have been tempted to peek at the paper of the smart kid sitting next to them.

Whatever the temptation or the technique, these were low-tech methods in contrast to what’s possible and used today. Now, colleges are needing to deal with pretty high tech forms of cheating, occasionally so high tech that the FBI has been called in. Seriously. The FBI.

Here’s another challenge. Surveys show that cheating, including high tech forms, is much more common than we’d like to believe, which means colleges are having to expend plenty of time, energy and resources to combat this behavior to create an even playing field for honest, hardworking students who are earning their grades through studying.

This post will take a look at the extent of this problem, along with high tech methods being used today. We’ll also share how colleges are fighting back against cheating strategies that range from essay mills to cell phone cheating and more.

Read more
racing bike on wall

Super-Charging Your Garage for Cars, DIY, or Even Entertainment

If you have a passion for pimping your ride—whether that’s a car, truck, motorcycle, ATV or boat—then you already know how having a super-charged garage to work on, store or display your amazing vehicles would be ideal. Or, maybe it’s your dream to have a professional-level DIY workshop or garage for like-minded friends to enjoy.

Maybe the place where you park just needs a basic remodel or maybe you need to do more significant upgrading. Or, maybe your already-cool garage needs a brand-new look. Whatever your situation, possibilities are endless, doable by a creative person like you.

From shelving to flooring to lifts and more, creating a garage space that’s exactly right for your unique vision takes planning, and this post will take you from garage room ideas to finished product. Ideas to consider include how you’ll heat your garage, whether air conditioning makes sense, your water needs, preferences for garage lighting and more.

Discover what aspect of your garage remodel can provide close to a 100% return on investment, tips for working with professional remodelers, and ways to finance your project.

Read more

Home Improvement Loans – Block

Finance your Block renovation
with SoFi and earn a $200 bonus*
when your loan is disbursed.

Fund Your Project

Checking your rate will
not affect your credit score.

Borrow up to $100K, with no fees, to tackle your wish list with a home improvement
loan. Rates range from 8.74% APR to 35.49% APR (with AutoPay)5.

Why SoFi?

Easy Experience

No need to wait weeks for an appraisal. Get pre-qualified and receive your funds fast so you can get started right away.

No Fees

Unlike some home equity loans, there are no origination fees, no closing costs, and no costly home appraisals.

No Collateral

Without equity, it’s hard to get a HELOC on a new home. With SoFi, your home is not on the line.

Flexible Amounts

Borrow what you need—as little as $5,000 or as much as $100,000.

Fund Your Project

So Easy

Find Your Rate

Get pre-qualified online with no hidden fees and no obligation.

Select Your Loan & Apply

Choose the loan that works for you and complete your application.

Sign electronically and receive your funds

Sign your documents and funds are deposited to your account.


Get Started

Compare Rates and Terms

The following examples depict the APR, monthly payment and total payments during the life of a $30,000 personal loan. All personal loan APR rates below are shown with the Autopay Discount (0.25%)5. Your actual interest rate may be different than the rates in these examples and will be based on term of loan, your financial history and other factors. State restrictions may apply.

Payment Examples

Fixed Rate Loans

Term Origination
Fee
Rate
(APR)
No. of
Payments
Monthly
Payment
Total
Payments
2 Years None 8.74% – 35.49% 24 $1,366.97 – $1,763.32 $32,807.19 – $42,319.74
3 Years None 10.08% – 35.49% 36 $969.14 – $1,365.41 $34,889.14 – $49,154.90
4 Years None 10.93% – 35.49% 48 $774.35 – $1,178.04 $37,168.62 – $56,545.80
5 Years None 12.16% – 35.49% 60 $669.76 – $1,074.14 $40,185.69 – $64,448.26
6 Years None 13.16% – 35.49% 72 $604.76 – $1,011.27 $43,542.68 – $72,811.45
7 Years None 13.49% – 35.49% 84 $553.78 – $971.20 $46,517.72 – $81,581.10

< Back to Personal Loans

Questions? Call us for a free consultation at 855-456-7634

Fund Your Project

Read more
woman writing in notebook with coffee

5 Tips to Help Set Your Investment Goals

Making sure you’re financially secure in every stage of life is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself. But to do it well, it’s important to plan around how you’ll spend, save, and invest your money.

Keep your plan flexible, because things change all the time. And also think ahead a bit as you put your plan together, because time flies. (Just ask your parents.)

Most of us have the spending and saving parts pretty much figured out by the time we reach adulthood. It’s understanding how to invest our money that’s downright daunting. It’s easy to keep putting it off, but the sooner you jump in—even if it’s a small amount each month—the better.

Read more
woman with folder in office

What You Need to Know About Your First Post-Grad Job

You completed your courses. You walked across the stage in your cap and gown. You graduated! Now what? Leaving the comforts of college life behind for official adulthood is an uncertain time, and those last few months of school come with a long list of question marks: Where do I want to live? How much will it cost me to get there? What should my first job out of college be, and how do I find it? How much am I going to get paid?

When you add the stress of living expenses and the impending end of your student loan grace period, succeeding as an entry-level professional can seem like an insurmountable task. But as the saying goes, “Work smarter, not harder.” To help you make a smart post-grad start, we put together a list of considerations, to-dos, and tips, because landing the right first job after college is more important than you might think.

Read more
TLS 1.2 Encrypted
Equal Housing Lender