Using a credit union for my private student loans was the best option that I could have chosen. I have another private loan with a non credit union and getting in contact with that company can take days for an answer and usually not an answer to questions I was asking! Any time that I need to get a hold of Directions they are personable and easy to talk to, all while providing me with real answers to my real questions! If I decide to go back to school for another degree, credit unions would be the only way I would go!