 TITLE: Should You Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan or Private Loan? CONTENT: Building Credit Can Improve Your Options\n----------------------------------------\nIf you have time before you need to apply for a parent student loan—or if you don't but plan to borrow for future academic periods—improving your credit score can help you qualify for more favorable terms with private loans, giving you a better chance to save money.\nStart by checking your credit score and credit report to see where you stand. Your credit report will give you the information you need to understand where to focus your efforts as it alerts you to the risk factors helping and hurting your credit score. For example, it may help you realize late payments in your past or high credit card balances are affecting your scores, and encourage you to be more vigilant in the future.\nBuilding credit can take time, but the potential savings can be more than worth the effort it takes to get there. END