General Info

American Student Assistance, founded in 1956, is a private, nonprofit, federally funded organization that helps students and parents manage higher education debts. The organization offers counseling and education programs to college financial aid professionals, borrowers and lending institutions. It administers ASA Direct, which is a Web-based tool. American Student Assistance also provides blanket certificates of loan guarantee. The organization offers the Federal Family Education Loan Program. It provides default prevention, guarantee, origination and fund delivery services to schools and lenders throughout the United States. In addition, the organization manages a student loan portfolio of more than $40 billion. American Student Assistance offers debt management education programs.