You just graduated college and are eagerly looking for your first job in the real world. It's important to recognize that you already have some real world issues to contend with - your student loans. Interest rates have been on a steady rise over the past four years making this a very real problem for recent college graduates. The good thing about student loans is that you have a lot of control over making your repayments. Here are five tips to consider as you start to take ownership of your college education by tackling the mountain of debt you now find yourself buried under:

1. Measure all your debt. It's important to map out all your loans and other areas of debt before you start making repayments. If you have credit card debt that is accruing interest at a rate of 17 percent versus a student loan that carries a 7 percent interest rate then it's important that you knock off as much from your credit card debt as you can. While you're dealing with your credit card debt it's wise to pay the minimum on your student loans.
2. Tack on a little bit each month. If you can add even $20 to your monthly loan payments you'll be much better off in the long run versus consolidating your loans. Prepaying will help limit the amount of interest you'll wind up paying over the life of your loan.
3. Open up the competition. With recent legislation passed that no longer requires you to consolidate your loans from the same lender that originally serviced your loans; you can shop around for the best deals out there. This allows you more freedom in finding a company that will make your payments lower.
4. Is the grace period a friend or a foe? The six-month grace period where you don't have to make any payments until six months after you graduate can be awfully enticing. However, if you have a chance to lock in a lower interest rate while you're still in school you should jump all over the opportunity even though it means you'll lose the six-month grace period and will have to start making your payments right after graduation.
5. Look around for discounts. There are repayment discounts out there for the taking. Some companies will set up a plan where if you meet your first so and so payments on time you'll receive a discount. Other companies will knock off some of the interest rate if you make your payments online versus mailing in a check each month.

Article by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of teaching certificate. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.