 TITLE: How to Get a Debt Consolidation Loan During a Recession CONTENT: What to Do Before Applying for a Debt Consolidation Loan\n--------------------------------------------------------\nThinking about applying for a debt consolidation loan? Your first step should be pulling your credit reports and checking your credit scores.\nIf they're in good shape, you can skip to the next section below.\nBut if they're \"fair\" or \"poor,\" you might want to improve your scores before moving forward. Doing so would likely open you up to more options and lower interest rates. If you're having a hard time getting qualified for a loan through traditional lenders, you may want to look into lenders such as Upstart or LendingPoint that factor in \"alternative data\" including job history, income and education when determining eligibility and interest rates. END