Education First at a glance, 2025
Every figure is from the lender's own HMDA filing. "vs national" compares with all lenders combined.
How the F grade breaks down
Each component is a percentile rank among 1,883 small mortgage lenders. Higher is better. Components the lender does not report are left out and the weights redistributed.
Approval oddsdecision denial rate, weight 45%
1st56.0% deniedProcesswithdrawn + incomplete share, weight 15%
9th26.2%Trend, 2023–2025
| Year | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Decision denial | Median rate | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 264 | 136 | 25.4% | 28.6% | 6.48% | $22M |
| 2024 | 178 | 91 | 36.5% | 39.2% | — | $17M |
| 2025 | 237 | 58 | 41.4% | 56.0% | — | $8.9M |
What Education First lends
Applications by purpose and loan type in 2025, with the denial rate for each. A lender's mix explains a lot of its headline rate: HELOCs and FHA loans are denied far more often than conventional purchase loans.
By loan purpose
By loan type
Also: 0 home-equity lines, 0 reverse mortgages, 0 manufactured homes, 12 investment properties.
Who gets approved at Education First
Decision denial rate by applicant profile. Groups with fewer than 20 applications are omitted.
| Applicant income | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 21 | 1 | 93.3% |
| $50k – $100k | 27 | 1 | 85.7% |
| $150k – $250k | 22 | 5 | 46.2% |
| Applicant age | Applications | Originated | Decision denial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | 38 | 6 | 63.6% |
| 35–44 | 63 | 8 | 67.4% |
| 45–54 | 45 | 14 | 48.6% |
| 55–64 | 36 | 13 | 43.3% |
| 65–74 | 22 | 5 | 63.2% |
Where Education First lends
2 states and 26 counties in 2025. Click a state for the lender's full record there.
| State | Applications | Originated | Denial rate | Median rate | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 236 | 58 | 41.5% | — | #387 |
Frequently asked questions
Education First denied 56.0% of the applications it decided on in 2025. The national figure across all lenders was 22.6%. On approval odds it ranks in the 1st percentile of small mortgage lenders.
In 2025, 39% of its applications were for home purchases, 56% for refinancing (including cash-out), and 5% for home improvement or other purposes. By loan type: 100% conventional, 0% FHA, 0% VA.
Every figure on this page comes from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Loan/Application Register published by the CFPB, which lenders are required by federal law to file. We add the grade and the comparisons; we do not add facts.