Is Cedar Education Lending legit and safe? A Friendly Review

Cedar Education Lending is a company that helps students and graduates find ways to manage their education loans more easily. It connects people with lenders who offer student loan consolidation, refinancing, or private loan options. They also run a small scholarship program called “Because College Is Expensive,” giving students a chance to win financial support. Cedar isn’t a direct lender—it mainly acts as a referral service. From what I’ve seen, Cedar Education Lending seems genuine and transparent about its process, but like with any financial service, it’s smart to double-check loan details before making any decision.

Yes, Cedar Education Lending is a legitimate company — but it’s best understood as a referral/marketplace brand for student loans (and a simple scholarship) rather than a bank or direct lender you’ll make payments to. Its site routes you to well‑known partners for refinancing and private student loans, and it publishes clear scholarship rules and past winners. That said, like any financial site that collects your info, you should read the fine print on privacy and security, and remember that the actual loan terms and protections come from the lender you ultimately apply with, not from Cedar itself.

What It Means: Who (or What) Is Cedar Education Lending?

First, let’s define what we mean by Cedar Education Lending. From what I gathered, “Cedar Education Lending,” sometimes styled Cedar Ed Lending or Cedar Education Lending LLC, markets itself around student loan consolidation, refinancing, scholarships, and referring users to lenders.

They also run a scholarship program called “Because College Is Expensive” ($500) which is promoted on their site. Their own site states: “Cedar Education Lending is not affiliated by ownership with any Lender or Scholarship provider, but is compensated for the referral of the Lenders’ respective loan customers as well as Scholarship providers.”

So, in simple terms: Cedar acts more like a middleman or referral service. They’re not necessarily a primary lender issuing money themselves (or at least not primarily). They direct users to lenders or consolidation/refinance services. That means your direct contract will often be with whichever lender you are referred to, not necessarily with Cedar itself.

Because of that setup, judging whether “Cedar education lending is legit” depends heavily on how transparent they are, how they manage referrals, and whether the lenders they refer you to are legitimate and regulated.

How It Works: What You Do, What They Do

Here’s my understanding (and you can think of it like a user journey):

1. You land on Cedar’s website. You might see options like “Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinancing” or materials about scholarships.
2. You submit your info / request. You might provide details about your student loans, your credit, your school, etc., so Cedar can match you with a lender or refinancing option.
3. Cedar refers you to lender(s). Because their website explicitly states they are “compensated for the referral of the Lenders’ respective loan customers, they likely receive a commission or fee from the lender for matching you. In other words: they introduce you. They may not bear the risk of the loan.
4. You go to the lender. The actual contract, rate, terms, and risk are with the lender you accept. Cedar presumably steps back at that point.
5. Scholarship aspect (optional). They run a sweepstakes/scholarship (“Because College Is Expensive”) to offer small awards to entrants. Entry may be free (with basic info), and winners are randomly selected.

That’s the general flow. Because of that, when assessing safety or legitimacy, we not only look at Cedar itself but also at whether they vet the lenders, whether they misrepresent, hide fees, or lead users into traps.

Features & Services: What They Do Offer

Let me list what Cedar claims to do — the features, services, benefits — so you can see what they promise (and where potential issues may lie):

• Private student loan consolidation / refinancing: They present “Easy Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinancing” as a service.
• Scholarship / “sweepstakes” offerings: The “Because College Is Expensive” scholarship is an ongoing program.
• Educational content / blog: They host blog posts, guidance on scholarships, financial literacy, etc.
• Referral network: Their business model suggests they refer you to external lenders rather than directly offering the funding themselves.

Some user testimonials quoted on their site claim good experience (“getting my loans consolidated has been awesome”) though these could be self-selected.

From a feature perspective, it’s not wildly complex — just matchmaking, educational content, and small scholarship draws.

Is Cedar Education Lending Legit? — The Good Signs

Okay, time for the strength side. Yes, there are signs that Cedar education lending is legit, or at least not obviously a scam. But “legit” does not always imply “safe in all contexts.” Let me list what leans toward legitimacy:

1. External trust tools / ratings

• Scamadviser (a site that auto-checks websites) flags cedaredlending.com as “legit and safe for consumers to access.”
• The site is relatively “known” via scholarship aggregator and education resources (CollegeXpress, etc.), which helps with visibility and accountability.

2. Transparency (some)

• Cedar’s site does state that it is not affiliated by ownership with the lenders it refers to, but is compensated for the referrals. That’s a decent disclosure.
• Their scholarship rules are posted (with dates, sponsor address, and terms).
• Their blog and site have up-to-date content, suggesting some ongoing maintenance.

3. No obvious red flags (so far)

• I did not find credible reports (in my search) showing that Cedar Education Lending has defrauded many people or has large regulatory judgments against it.
• Their model (referral service) means they may not hold the risk and therefore might avoid problems like default or enforcement against them (that said, that can also reduce accountability).

Given these, I lean to say: yes, Cedar education lending is legitimate (in the sense of existing, operating, referring), but with important caveats. It’s not obviously “scammy” from what I found — nothing screaming “fraud” yet.

Is Cedar Education Lending Safe? — The Risks & Caveats

Saying “legit” is one thing; saying Cedar education lending is safe is trickier — because safety depends on many factors. Let me unpack potential risks, things you should watch, and whether I believe it is “safe enough.”

1. Referral / middleman risk

Because Cedar refers to other lenders, your safety heavily depends on which lender you end up with. If Cedar refers you to a shady or high-fee lender, that’s a problem — and Cedar’s responsibility is partly in how rigorous they vet referrals.

If a lender misbehaves (hidden fees, unfair terms, default traps), you might point back to Cedar, but Cedar may disclaim liability (because they say they are not affiliated, and you leave their site). In fact their terms say explicitly that by clicking a link to any lender you are leaving Cedar’s site and Cedar “is not responsible for the content of any such linked site.”

Thus, even if Cedar is not malicious, one weak link in the referral chain could break safety.

2. Commission bias / incentive misalignment

Since Cedar is compensated for referrals, there is a possible incentive to refer to lenders that pay more (regardless of whether they’re ideal for you). That could push you toward lenders with higher rates or more fees. This is common in affiliate/referral business models. Always check whether Cedar discloses how they pick lenders (do they pick the best option for you or best payout for them?). I did not find strong evidence that Cedar fully discloses exactly how they rank or select lenders (beyond “referral compensation”).

3. Hidden fees, fine print, or unfavorable terms

Any time you deal with student loans, refinancing, or consolidation, there may be hidden costs — origination fees, administrative fees, variable interest, recalculated balances, prepayment penalties, etc.

If Cedar (or the lender they refer) hides unfavorable terms or glosses over disclaimers, you could end up with worse terms than you expect. Always read the fine print of the actual loan agreement (not Cedar’s marketing).

4. Lack of regulatory oversight / uncertainty

I did not see evidence that Cedar itself is a federally regulated lending institution (like a bank or credit union). It seems more like a private company doing referrals. That means the strong consumer protections that apply to banks or certain financial institutions may not apply (or be weaker). Also, if Cedar refers you to a lender outside your country (or outside your jurisdiction), enforcement becomes harder.

5. User complaints / skepticism

I saw at least one Facebook mention claiming “This company is a Scam” in a comment thread. That doesn’t necessarily mean the claim is valid, but it shows that some users are suspicious or feel burned. Always take anecdotal complaints seriously enough to investigate, but not as definitive proof.

Also, on Reddit, a user asked whether a scholarship tied to “Cedar Education Lending” looks sketchy — meaning some people are wary or uncertain.

6. Scholarship/sweepstakes caveats

Their scholarship program is a “sweepstakes” model: entrants submit, and winners are randomly selected. So there is an element of chance. Sometimes these scholarship promotions are used as marketing tools rather than purely altruistic. The fact that Cedar states they are compensated for referrals from scholarship providers might mean the scholarship is tied into a business loop.

Also, in some scholarship listings, terms vary: some sources say an essay is required, others say “no essay.” That inconsistency is slightly worrying.

In short: scholarships are not the main risk, but should not be taken as proof of credibility alone.

Security & Safeguards: What to Check / What Should Be Present

To feel confident that Cedar education lending is safe, you should look for certain security markers and safeguards. Here’s a checklist you (I) would use:

1. SSL / HTTPS and good web security. The site must use secure connections (https) and have no red security warnings.
2. Clear, accessible terms & conditions / privacy policy. You should be able to see how your data will be used, who gets your data, what disclaimers there are. Cedar has such pages (they publish scholarship rules, etc.).
3. Transparent disclosure about referral commissions / business model. Cedar does have a disclosure saying they are compensated for referrals. That’s good.
4. Proper licensing (if required). If lending/refinancing is regulated in your jurisdiction, check whether Cedar or the referred lenders hold any licenses. I found no obvious licensing claims from Cedar itself in my research.
5. Vetting of referred lenders. Cedar should (in principle) vet the lenders it refers you to. It should disclose criteria (creditworthiness, regulatory compliance, etc.). I did not find strong evidence that Cedar publicly discloses how it vets lenders.
6. No demand for upfront fees (before service). Legitimate consolidation/refinance/referral firms typically don’t require you to pay just for the referral. They may take a commission later from the lender. If Cedar or any partner asked you to pay just to “get matched,” that would be a red flag.
7. Good reviews / user feedback. Look for reviews from independent sources, not just site-testimonials, to see whether users got what they expected without hidden surprises. I saw some positive and some skeptical feedback.
8. Mechanism for dispute or recourse. There should be contact info, customer support, and some way to raise a complaint. (Cedar’s site has contact and an address in their scholarship rules: “463 Livingston Ave Ste 102-100, Norwood, NJ 07648” as their sponsor address)

If a service passes many of these checks, it leans safe — but nothing is absolute.

Red Flags & Warning Signs: What to Watch Out For (Scam Indicators)

Even though I lean toward saying Cedar is legitimate (with caveats), it’s good to be alert. Here are some red flags that could indicate problems — either from Cedar or its referrals:

• Pressure tactics or urgency: If you’re told “act now or lose this deal,” that’s often a sales tactic.
• Requests for your sensitive credentials (FSA ID, social security, etc.) in unusual ways or before formal agreement. Genuine lenders rarely need your full credentials until a proper loan application.
• Asking for upfront “processing fees” just to match or refer you. That’s often a scam tactic. Legit referral services typically don’t charge you up front.
• Vague or shifting terms: If interest rates, fees, or repayment terms are not clearly spelled out (or seem to change later), that’s risky.
• Non-verifiable lenders or lenders with bad reputations. If you click through and the lender is obscure or has no credible track record, that’s a red flag.
• Requests to pay via weird methods (gift cards, crypto, wire to unknown accounts, etc.) — genuine lenders usually use bank transfers or credit card systems.
• Hidden fine print buried deep in disclaimers that contradict the main marketing claims.
• No customer support, online presence, or difficulty verifying the company.

If you see any of these, back off and investigate.

Cedar Education Lending — “Legit & Safe” Pros and Cons

Pros

• Legit presence: Acts as a real referral service for student loan options.
• Time-saver: Helps you find consolidation/refinance choices quickly.
• Transparent model: Discloses that it earns referral fees.
• Low commitment: You can compare offers and walk away.
• Extras: Runs a small scholarship, plus simple guidance content.

Cons

• Not a direct lender: Your actual loan—and risks—come from partner lenders.
• Safety varies: Experience depends on which lender you’re matched with.
• Potential bias: Referral fees can influence which offers you see.
• Data sharing/marketing: Your info may be passed to partners.
• Federal loan caution: Refinancing federally may forfeit federal protections.

Bottom line: I’d call it legitimate and reasonably safe—if you compare offers, read the fine print, and vet the lender.

My Verdict: Is Cedar Education Lending Legit and Safe Enough?

So, after all that, here’s what I conclude (from a friendly “I/We” perspective):

• Yes — in my view, Cedar Education Lending is (likely) a legitimate entity. It’s not obviously a scam, and I found credible signals that they operate openly, run a scholarship program, and have disclosure about referrals.
• Is it perfectly safe? Not guaranteed. Because its safety depends on who the referred lenders are, how clearly terms are presented, and how much due diligence you do, there is risk.

So my verdict becomes: Cedar education lending is genuine enough to consider using, but only if you proceed with caution.

Cedar Education Lending — FAQ

1. What is Cedar Education Lending?

Cedar Education Lending is a service that helps students and graduates find loan options for consolidation, refinancing, or private student loans. Rather than being a direct lender, Cedar typically refers you to other lenders. It also runs a scholarship program called “Because College Is Expensive.”

2. How does Cedar’s referral model work?

• You provide information about your student debts, credit, etc.
• Cedar matches you to one or more partner lenders who may be able to help.
• If you accept a lender’s offer, your contract will be with that lender (not Cedar).
• Cedar may earn a commission or referral fee from the lender for making the introduction.

3. Is “Because College Is Expensive” a real scholarship?

Yes — it’s a $500 scholarship (sweepstakes style) offered by Cedar Education Lending.
Important details:

• Open to U.S. residents and eligible visa holders aged 13 or older.
• Only one entry per person per quarter.
• Winners are selected by random drawing.
• No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

4. What are the eligibility requirements to enter the scholarship?

To enter, you must:

• Be a legal U.S. resident (or valid visa holder) aged 13 or older.
• Be in high school, college, graduate school, or plan to enroll within 24 months.
• Submit only one entry per person per quarter.

5. Does Cedar charge me for using its services?

From what I found:

• Cedar does not require that you pay just to be matched.
• They make money via referral compensation from lenders and scholarship providers.
• Be cautious: if you are asked for large upfront fees (just to be matched), that’s a warning sign.

6. Can I consolidate both private and federal loans through Cedar?

Cedar markets a “Private Student Loan Consolidation & Refinance” product, which allows you to consolidate multiple private and/or federal student loans.
However, note that federal student loan programs have special rules and protections (e.g., income-based plans) that private consolidation may eliminate. Always verify whether a consolidation refinance will affect your federal benefits before proceeding.

7. Is Cedar Education Lending legitimate / safe?

• Cedar publicly discloses it is not affiliated by ownership with its partner lenders, and that it is compensated for referrals.
• I found no major regulatory lawsuits explicitly against Cedar.
• Some users online (on Reddit, etc.) express skepticism about the scholarship or company.
• As always: legitimacy doesn’t guarantee perfect safety. Your safety depends on the lender you end up with, the transparency of terms, and your own due diligence.

8. What should I watch for / what are warning signs?

• Lenders with opaque or hidden fees.
• Requests for large upfront payments just to match or refer you.
• Vague contract terms, shifting interest rates, or confusing language.
• A referred lender that has poor reviews or no clear licensing.
• Loss of federal student loan protections if you refinance a federal loan via a private route.

9. What rights do I have / how can I dispute something?

• Keep all emails, screenshots, and agreements.
• Ask the lender (not just Cedar) for a copy of full loan terms.
• If the lender misbehaves, you may have recourse through your local consumer protection agency or regulatory body.
• For scholarship issues, review the official rules (Cedar’s scholarship rules page) which is subject to laws of New Jersey (for disputes) according to their published terms.