The term “sequester” may seem so 2013, but the truth is that these automatic spending cuts are still in play – and the next round is scheduled for October 1^st.  Whether you’re currently financing an MBA or other grad school program with Direct PLUS loans or you’re considering using them in the future, these new sequester cuts may have an impact on the amount of money you’ll end up spending on your loans.

So what exactly do you need to know about student loans and the sequester?  Here’s the scoop:

Most people understand the importance of establishing and maintaining a good credit score.  For student loan borrowers, this means treating that debt responsibly – for example, paying on time, every time.  But that’s old news.

The new news is that FICO is making changes to the way it calculates credit scores. Because FICO’s credit scoring metric is by far the most widely used in consumer lending decisions, it’s worth exploring what this might mean for you.

If there’s anything clear about student loans, it’s that the terminology associated with student loans is often far from clear.  Take the words “consolidate” and “refinance,” for example.  Both of these fall into the category of “things you can potentially do with your student loans” and as a result they’re often used interchangeably.  But the terms can have different implications based on the context in which they’re being used.

So here’s the scoop:

Jennifer Beall, Founder & CEO of Tot Squad, does not have the average startup story.  As she puts it, “Everyone else wanted to start the next Facebook, while I was working on cleaning baby poop off of car seats.”  But Jennifer, Kellogg MBA ’10 and Duke ’05, and her business are about more than just stroller and car seat cleaning/installation.   She and Tot Squad are on a mission to make moms happier, kids safer and the world a better place.