First Bank & Trust Company and College Ave Student Loans partner to offer higher education financing solutions

By Edlyn Cardoza

First Bank & Trust Company announces its partnership with College Ave Student Loans, a leading student loan FinTech lender, to offer student loan and student loan refinancing products. For local families pursuing higher education, the referral-based partnership provides access to college financing through a trusted partner in the student loan industry.

“Helping families in rural communities access higher education is vital to advancing the future of many of the regions we serve,” said Raleigh Hayter, Senior Vice President, and Chief Credit Officer at First Bank & Trust Company. “In regions with pronounced income disparities, many families can’t avoid borrowing to cover the cost of higher education. We’ve always offered options to save for college, but offering a reputable solution for our customers to access higher education loans is the next step toward ensuring we are able to serve the wholistic financial needs of our communities. By partnering with College Ave, we are able to connect our customers with a wide variety of solutions we wouldn’t otherwise be able to provide.”

College Ave’s student loans, parent loans, grad loans, and refinancing options feature competitive interest rates and flexible repayment terms. The company simplifies the student loan process with an application that takes less than three minutes to complete, on average. Like First Bank & Trust, College Ave offers a customer-centric approach to lending, providing resources and tools to help families plan and budget for the next stage of their child’s life.

“College is a big investment for families. Where students borrow and how graduates refinance matters,” said Joe DePaulo, CEO and Co-Founder of College Ave Student Loans. “At College Ave, we share First Bank & Trust Company’s commitment in providing innovative financial solutions and putting customers first. Through our great products, flexible repayment options and outstanding customer service, we deliver on supporting families’ goals for postsecondary education.”