Yes, your student loan debt will affect both your credit score and your overall attractiveness to lenders. First, 35% of a person's credit score is based on bill-paying history, so making your loan payments on time will help your score. Paying late hurts your score. Second, consolidating loans:
1) will simplify the process of debt repayment by letting you make one payment (avoiding late fees and late payment dings on your credit report for any that might get missed in the 10 loan shuffle) and
2) could make your combined payment lower if you are able to get a lower interest rate on a consolidation loan than the rate you are currently paying. That, in turn, can help you lower your total debt-to-income ratio. Although this ratio is not part of your score, lenders look at this information in addition to your credit score when considering you for a mortgage, personal, business, or car loan.
If you pay off your debt, assuming that you do not take on any additional debt and you maintain or increase your income, your attractiveness to lenders will increase.
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