Recently, student loan companies and their representatives have come under fire for questionable business practices ranging from collection methods to marketing efforts. For student loan borrowers, financing their college education and choosing the best lender for their funds often is one of the most important decisions they will face in their college career. Investing considerable time in researching the character, track record and reputation of a lender pays major dividends that immediately may not be evident, according to NextStudent, the Phoenix-based premier education funding company.

One of the prime criteria that borrowers may want to consider in their selection process is the lender's commitment to customer service, often exemplified in the training required of the company's phone representatives. At NextStudent, students or their parents are assigned their own personal Education Finance Advisor, or EFA, an individual to guide them from start to finish through the often-confusing landscape of student loans.

NextStudent's dedication to making student loan funding a simple, easy process through outstanding service, a priority reflected in excellent customer feedback, is no accident. In order to meet these demanding standards, EFAs are required to complete NextStudent's own rigorous six-month, on-the-job certification process, where they demonstrate mastery in each of four subject areas, including NextStudent's Student Loan Consolidation, Federal PLUS Loans, Stafford Loans and Private Student Loans.