UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

Commission file numbers 001-13251

SLM CORPORATION

(formerly USA Education, Inc.)
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(703) 810-3000
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Common Stock, par value $.20 per share.

Name of Exchange on which Listed:
New York Stock Exchange

6.97% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series A, par value $.20 per share

Name of Exchange on which Listed:
New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None.

        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o

        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ý No o

        The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 28, 2002 was approximately $14,802,593,807 (based on closing sale price of $96.90 per share as reported for the New York Stock Exchange—Composite Transactions).

        As of March 17, 2003, there were 151,641,590 shares of Common Stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

        Portions of the Proxy Statement relating to the registrant's Annual Meeting of Shareholders scheduled to be held May 15, 2003 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Report.

        Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

        This report contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on management's current expectations as of the date of this document. When used in this report, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those reflected in such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, changes in the terms of student loans and the educational credit marketplace arising from the implementation of applicable laws and regulations and from changes in these laws and regulations, which may reduce the volume, average term and costs of yields on student loans under the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP") or result in loans being originated or refinanced under non-FFELP programs or may affect the terms upon which banks and others agree to sell FFELP loans to SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries ("the Company"). The Company could also be affected by changes in the demand for educational financing or in financing preferences of lenders, educational institutions, students and their families; changes in the general interest rate environment and in the securitization markets for education loans, which may increase the costs or limit the availability of financings necessary to initiate, purchase or carry education loans; losses from loan defaults; and changes in prepayment rates and credit spreads.

GLOSSARY

        Listed below are definitions of key terms that are used throughout this document.

Consolidation Loans—Under the FFELP, borrowers with eligible student loans may consolidate them into one note with one lender and lock in the current variable interest rate for the life of their loan. The new note is considered a Consolidation Loan. Typically a borrower can consolidate his student loan only once unless the borrower has another eligible loan with which to consolidate with the existing Consolidation Loan. The borrower rate on a Consolidation Loan is fixed for the term of the loan and is set by the weighted-average rate of the loans being consolidated, rounded up to the nearest 1/8^th of a percent, not to exceed 8.25 percent.

Consolidation Loan Rebate Fee—All holders of Consolidation Loans are required to pay to the U.S. Department of Education ("DOE") an annual 105 basis point Consolidation Loan Rebate Fee on all outstanding principal and accrued interest balances of Consolidation Loans purchased or originated after October 1, 1993, except for loans for which consolidation applications were received between October 1, 1998 and January 31, 1999, when the Consolidation Loan Rebate Fee is 62 basis points.

Embedded Floor Income—Embedded Floor Income is Floor Income that is earned on off-balance sheet student loans that are owned by the securitization trusts that we sponsor. At the time of the securitization, the present value of Fixed Rate Embedded Floor Income is included in the initial calculation of the Residual Interest and the gain or loss on sale of the student loans. Embedded Floor Income is also included in the quarterly fair market value adjustments of the Residual Interest.

Fixed Rate Floor Income—We refer to Floor Income associated with student loans whose borrower rate is fixed to term (primarily Consolidation Loans) as Fixed Rate Floor Income.

Floor Income—Our portfolio of FFELP student loans generally earns interest at the higher of a floating rate based on the Special Allowance Payment ("SAP") formula set by the DOE and the borrower rate, which is fixed over a period of time. We generally finance our student loan portfolio with floating rate debt over all interest rate levels. In low interest rate environments, when our student loans are earning at the fixed borrower rate and the interest on our floating rate debt is continuing to decline, we earn additional spread income and refer to it as Floor Income. Depending on the type of the student loan and when it was originated, the borrower rate is either fixed to term or is reset to a market rate each July 1^st. As a result, for loans where the borrower rate is fixed to term, we may earn

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Floor Income for an extended period of time, and for those loans where the borrower interest rate is reset annually on July 1, we may earn Floor Income to the next reset date.

Floor Income Contracts—We enter into contracts with counterparties under which, in exchange for an upfront fee representing the present value of the Floor Income that we expect to earn on a notional amount of student loans being hedged, we will pay the counterparties the Floor Income earned on that notional amount of student loans over the life of the Floor Contract. Specifically, we agree to pay the counterparty the difference between the fixed borrower rate less the SAP spread and the average of the applicable interest rate index on that notional amount of student loans for a portion of the estimated life of the student loan. This contract effectively locks in the amount of Floor Income we will earn over the period of the contract. Floor Income Contracts are not considered effective hedges under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," and must be periodically marked-to-market through income.

GSE—The Student Loan Marketing Association is a federally chartered government sponsored enterprise ("GSE") and wholly-owned subsidiary of SLM Corporation. Under the Student Loan Marketing Association Reorganization Act of 1996, the GSE must dissolve by September 30, 2008. Management expects to effect the dissolution by September 30, 2006.

Managed Basis—We generally analyze the performance of our student loan portfolio on a Managed Basis, under which we view both on-balance sheet student loans and off-balance sheet student loans owned by the securitization trusts as a single portfolio and the related on-balance sheet financings are combined with off-balance sheet debt. When the term Managed is capitalized in this document, it is referring to Managed Basis.

Offset Fee—The Company is required to pay to the DOE an annual 30 basis point Offset Fee on the outstanding balance of Stafford and PLUS student loans purchased and held by the GSE after August 10, 1993. The fee does not apply to student loans sold to securitized trusts or to loans held outside of the GSE.

Preferred Channel Originations—Preferred Channel Originations are student loans that we originate and service on our proprietary platforms or through an affiliated brand, and are committed to us such that we either own them from inception or we acquire them soon after origination.

Preferred Lender List—To streamline the student loan process, most higher education institutions select a small number of lenders to recommend to their students and parents. This recommended list is referred to as the Preferred Lender List.

Residual Interest—When we securitize student loans, we retain the right to receive cash flows from the student loans sold in excess of amounts needed to pay servicing and other fees and the principal and interest on the bonds backed by the student loans. The Residual Interest is the present value of this excess cash flow, which includes the present value of Fixed Rate Embedded Floor Income described above. We value the Residual Interest at the time of sale and each subsequent quarter.

Retained Interest—In our securitizations the Retained Interest includes the Residual Interest plus reserve and other cash accounts that serve as credit enhancements to asset-backed securities issued in our securitizations.

Risk Sharing—When a FFELP loan defaults, the federal government guarantees only 98 percent of the balance plus accrued interest and the holder of the loan must absorb the two percent not guaranteed as a Risk Sharing loss on the loan. All FFELP student loans acquired after October 1, 1993 are subject to Risk Sharing on loan default claim payments unless the default results from death, disability or bankruptcy.

Special Allowance Payment ("SAP")—FFELP student loans generally earn interest at the greater of the borrower rate or a floating rate determined by reference to the average of the applicable floating rates

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(91-day Treasury bill rate or commercial paper) in a calendar quarter, plus a fixed spread ("the SAP Spread") that is dependent upon when the loan was originated and the loan's repayment status. If the resulting floating rate exceeds the borrower rate, the DOE pays the difference directly to the Company. This payment is referred to as the Special Allowance Payment or SAP and the formula used to determine the floating rate is the SAP formula. We refer to the fixed spread to the underlying index as the Special Allowance margin.

Variable Rate Floor Income—For student loans whose borrower interest rate resets annually on July 1, we may earn Floor Income or Embedded Floor Income based on a calculation of the difference between the borrower rate and the then current interest rate. We refer to this as Variable Rate Floor Income because we may only earn Floor Income through the next reset date.

PART I.

Item 1. Business

        Our business is to provide a broad array of education credit and related services to the education community including student loan origination, student loan and guarantee servicing, and debt management and collection services. We participate in all phases of the student loan process by holding and servicing the loan from origination and guarantee through ultimate collection, and in some cases, post default collection.

        We generate the majority of our earnings from the spread between the yield we receive on our Managed portfolio of student loans and the cost of funding these loans. This spread income is reported on our income statement as net interest income for on-balance sheet loans and servicing and securitization revenue and gains on student loan securitizations for off-balance sheet loans. Our earnings are greatly affected by the number and size of our new securitization transactions as we recognize a gain on sale each time we securitize a portfolio of student loans. We also earn fees from loan guarantee processing, student loan default management and collection services, and student loan servicing. We incur servicing, selling and administrative expenses in providing these products and services. Earnings growth is primarily driven by the growth in the Managed student loan portfolio and growth in our fee-based business lines, coupled with cost effective financing and operating expense control.

Student Lending Marketplace

        The student loan marketplace consists of federally guaranteed student loans administered by the DOE and private credit student loans issued by various private sector lenders. There are two competing programs that provide student loans where the ultimate credit risk is with the federal government: the FFELP and the Federal Direct Loan Program ("FDLP"). Student loans under the FFELP are provided by private sector institutions and are ultimately guaranteed by the DOE; student loans under the FDLP are funded by the taxpayers and provided to borrowers directly by the DOE on terms similar to student loans in the FFELP. The DOE also administers the FDLP. For the federal fiscal year ("FFY") ended September 30, 2002, the DOE has estimated that the FFELP's market share in federally guaranteed student loans was 72 percent, up from 71 percent in 2001. (See "Business—Competition.") Under the FFELP, student loans are generally originated by financial institutions that are on an education institution's Preferred Lender List. (See "Appendix B" to this document for a more complete description of the FFELP and the various federal loan types.)

        We manage the largest portfolio of FFELP student loans, serving over 7 million borrowers through our ownership and management of $79 billion in student loans, of which $73 billion or 92 percent are federally insured. We also serve a diverse range of clients that includes over 6,000 educational and financial institutions and state agencies. The growth in our Managed student loan portfolio, which includes both on and off-balance sheet student loans, is driven by the growth in the overall student loan

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marketplace, which is largely a function of enrollment levels and the cost of tuition, and by the growth in our market share. The size of the student loan market has grown steadily with student loan originations growing from $24 billion in FFY 1994 (the first year of the FDLP), to $45 billion in FFY 2002, an increase of 88 percent.

        According to the College Board, tuition and fees at four year public institutions have increased 38 percent on an inflation adjusted basis since 1992. Under the FFELP, students can only borrow up to fixed loan amounts per academic year. Loan limits have not risen since 1992. As a result, more students are turning to private credit student loans (described below) to meet their education financing needs. Approximately 60 percent of bachelor degree recipients in academic year ("AY") 1999-2000 borrowed a federal student loan compared to only 38 percent in AY 1992-1993. Also, the median amount borrowed for a graduating college student at a four year public university has grown from $6,449 in AY 1992-1993 to $15,375 today.

        The DOE predicts that the college age population will increase 13 percent by 2012 and that student loan originations will grow to $72 billion annually. Demand for education credit will be further increased by more non-traditional students (those not attending college directly from high school) and adult education.

        Our primary marketing point-of-contact is the school's financial aid office where we focus on delivering simple, flexible and cost-effective products to the schools and their students. The educational institution's financial aid office selects the preferred lenders and is therefore the main point of contact for our sales force. Our sales force is the largest in the industry, and they market our products and services on behalf of our own brands: Sallie Mae, Nellie Mae, Student Loan Funding and SLM Education Trust and on behalf of our lender partner brands, such as J.P. Morgan Chase ("Chase") and Bank One. We designed this sales coverage to maximize the potential that our brands will be placed on a school's Preferred Lender List. We also actively market the loan guarantee of United States Aids Funds, Inc. ("USA Funds") through a separate sales force.

        We acquire student loans from three sources—Preferred Channel, purchase commitments and spot market purchases. A key measure of the success of our marketing strategy is the growth in our Preferred Channel originations. Many of these loans are originated on behalf of other lenders, but are acquired by us shortly after origination. Preferred Channel student loans are our most valuable student loans because they cost the least to acquire and remain in our portfolio for a longer period of time.

        In 2002, we originated $11.9 billion of student loans through our Preferred Channel, of which a total of $8.8 billion or 74 percent was originated through our lender partners and $3.1 billion or 26 percent was originated through our own brands. Our largest lender partners are Chase and Bank One. Through our Chase joint venture, we purchase all student loans originated by Chase. In 2002, this arrangement resulted in $2.5 billion of origination volume. Our Bank One relationship is a strategic alliance under which we are the exclusive marketing and student loan origination agent for Bank One. Under a renewable, multi-year agreement, we service and purchase a significant share of Bank One's volume. In 2002, our relationship with Bank One resulted in $2.2 billion in origination volume.

        In 2002, we acquired five percent of our total student loan acquisitions through purchase commitments, which are student loans originated on another origination platform that are committed by contract to be sold to us. We also purchase loan portfolios in the spot market by competitive bid, though due to the high cost of acquisition, spot purchases accounted for six percent of total purchases in 2002.

        As the market leader in the education lending business, we supplement our marketing efforts with industry leading loan delivery systems that support our client schools. For instance, we were the first to introduce to schools an Internet-based, loan delivery system, which significantly reduced the turnaround time for student loan approvals. The current versions of this system provide real-time data linkage among schools, borrowers, lenders and guarantors, allowing our clients to transact business with us in a

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more efficient manner. In addition to loan delivery through the Internet, paper loan applications continue to be processed via our proprietary, internally developed origination system, ExportSS, and electronically transferred to CLASS, our proprietary, internally developed student loan-servicing platform. CLASS handles all aspects of the loan process including (a) data exchange between Loan Servicing Centers, schools, guarantors and lenders; (b) check and electronic disbursements; and (c) cancellations, returns and refunds. The benefits to our customers include shorter processing cycles, better customer service, and improved accuracy and efficiency.

Private Credit Student Loan Programs

        In addition to federal loan programs, which have statutory limits on annual and total borrowing, we offer a variety of private credit loan programs to bridge the gap between the cost of education and a student's aid package, which includes federal loans and grants and scholarships, plus self-financing resources. Over the last several years tuition has increased faster than federal student aid, resulting in private credit student loans becoming a larger percentage of the funding of the cost of education. We have also seen an increase in non-traditional education, such as career training, and have developed private credit loan products to meet this need. The growth in enrollment, tuition and loan products has fueled the growth of our private credit loan originations, which grew at a 43 percent annual rate from 2001 to 2002.

        Through SLM Financial, a wholly-owned subsidiary, we have substantially expanded our private credit loan products. These loans are not offered as a supplement to the federal program but rather an alternative to finance the needs of students in career training and lifelong learning programs. For instance, we offer the Career Training Loan^SM through partnerships with higher education associations, colleges and universities, technical and trade schools and other adult learning centers. This loan, which is made by lender partners, is available to borrowers enrolled in career training courses or distance learning schools; attending a two-year or four-year proprietary school; or attending a four-year college less than half time. At December 31, 2002, we had $1.1 billion of career training loans outstanding.

        Since we bear the full credit risk for private credit student loans, all private credit student loans are underwritten and priced based upon standardized consumer credit scoring criteria. In addition, we provide price and eligibility incentives for students to obtain a credit-worthy co-borrower. Approximately 46 percent of our private credit student loan volume has co-borrowers. At December 31, 2002, we had $6.0 billion of private credit student loans outstanding or 8 percent of our total Managed student loan portfolio. (See also "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Provision for Loan Losses.")

Guarantor Services, Default Management Operations and Collections

        FFELP student loans are guaranteed by various guarantee agencies with the DOE providing reinsurance to the guarantor. The guarantee agencies are non-profit institutions or state agencies that, in addition to providing the primary guarantee on FFELP loans, are responsible for the following:

•

Guarantee issuance—initial approval of loan terms and guarantee eligibility,



•

Account maintenance—maintaining and updating records on guaranteed loans,



•

Default aversion—assisting lenders in preventing default by delinquent borrowers,



•

Collection—post-default loan administration and collections.

        We provide a full complement of administrative services to student loan guarantors, primarily USA Funds (an unaffiliated entity), the nation's largest guarantor. For FFY 2002, the Company processed $8.2 billion in new FFELP loan guarantees for USA Funds and $2.5 billion for our other guarantor servicing customers. This represented 33 percent of the FFELP loan market or 24 percent of the combined FFELP and FDLP loan markets. All of these customers use our proprietary, internally developed guarantee processing system, EAGLE™. EAGLE tracks FFELP loan origination and

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guarantee activities. We perform most of the transaction processing ourselves, but in some cases we license the EAGLE system to guarantor clients who perform their own transaction processing. In addition to guarantor servicing, we also provide USA Funds and other guarantors with default aversion services as prescribed by the FFELP, as well as certain mutually agreed upon special default reduction activities. Guarantor servicing revenue was $140 million for 2002.

        We provide student loan default management and collections services to three types of collection segments: guarantee agencies, the DOE, and schools. Our Education Debt Services, Inc. ("EDSI") subsidiary specializes in collections for guarantors. In 2002, we acquired Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc. ("PCR"), which is one of the largest loan collections companies for the DOE and General Revenue Corporation ("GRC"), which is one of the largest school-focused collections companies. As of December 31, 2002, the total volume of uncollected student loans and other related debts was approximately $32 billion. Of this amount, approximately $15 billion is FFELP default volume managed by guarantee agencies, $14 billion is FFELP and FDLP default volume managed by the DOE, and the remainder is made up of Perkins, institutional and privately insured student lending. Our collections subsidiaries have contracts to collect on approximately 16 percent of the outstanding guarantee agency volume and 9 percent of the DOE volume. At December 31, 2002, GRC had contracts with various colleges and universities to attempt collections of approximately 15 percent of delinquent student loans from various campus-based programs, primarily Perkins Loans. Debt management and collections revenue associated with student loans was $160 million for 2002. Additionally, we perform default prevention services and provide a small amount of collections service for mortgages, credit cards, and other consumer debt. Total debt management and collections revenue was $185 million for 2002.

Competition

        Student Loan Originations and Acquisitions—Our primary competitor for federally guaranteed student loans is the FDLP which, in its first four years of existence (FFYs 1994-1997), grew market share from 4 percent to 34 percent. Since then, the FDLP has lost market share during each of the past three years. In 2002, FDLP student loans represented 28 percent, or $12.6 billion, of the total federally guaranteed student loan market. We also face competition from a variety of financial institutions including banks, thrifts and state supported secondary markets which, in some cases, eventually sell their origination volume to us. In 2002, we originated $9.5 billion in federally insured student loans through our Preferred Channel or 21 percent of total FFELP and FDLP loan volume.

        In the private credit market, the rising cost of education is leading students and their parents to seek additional sources to finance their education. We face competition for these loans from banks and other financial institutions marketing directly to financial aid administrators and, less directly, from other sources of consumer credit, such as banks, mortgage companies, credit card issuers, and other financial institutions.

        Guarantor Servicing and Debt Management—Guarantor servicing is a highly specialized industry with a limited number of service providers. Our largest customer is USA Funds which is the designated guarantor in eight states, and represents 90 percent of our guarantor servicing revenue. In addition, we provide services to nine other guarantors. Our primary non-profit competitors are ASA, PHEAA and Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation which are state and non-profit guarantee agencies that provide third-party outsourcing to other guarantors. Our primary for-profit competitor is Guarantec, which is an outsourcing company.

        In contrast, the debt management of student loans and related debt outstanding is highly fragmented with a number of competitors in the marketplace. Using DOE data, we estimate that there is more than $32 billion in uncollected student loans and related debt outstanding as of December 31, 2002. Of this total, our debt management operations, which include portfolio management, default advisory and collections work, service approximately $5.5 billion, or 17.4 percent of the market. Primary

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competitors in student loan collection and rehabilitation include the NCO Group and Outsource Solutions, Inc. ("OSI").

Privatization

        The GSE was established in 1972 as a for-profit corporation under an Act of Congress for the purpose of creating a national secondary market in federal student loans. Having accomplished our original mission and with the creation of a federal competitor, the FDLP, we obtained congressional and shareholder approval to transform from a GSE to a private sector corporation, and in 1997, SLM Corporation was formed as a Delaware corporation. To complete this "privatization" we intend to wind down the operations of the GSE by September 2006. During the period in which we wind down the GSE's operations (the "Wind-Down Period" or "Wind-Down"), we do not intend to conduct new business or enter into other contractual commitments in the GSE except in connection with student loan purchases through September 30, 2006. We will also not issue new GSE debt obligations that mature after September 30, 2006. We have transferred personnel and certain assets of the GSE to the Company or other non-GSE affiliates and will continue such transfers until the privatization is complete. During the Wind-Down Period, GSE operations will be managed under arm's-length service agreements between the GSE and one or more of its non-GSE affiliates. The Privatization Act also provides certain restrictions on intercompany relations between the GSE and its affiliates during the Wind-Down Period.

        The principal benefit of shedding our GSE status is the ability to originate student loans directly, reducing our dependence on other student loan originators. Privatization has also facilitated our entry into other fee-based businesses. The principal cost of privatization is the elimination of our GSE subsidiary which provides us with liquidity through its access to the federal agency funding market, and lower cost funding through the implicit guarantee of the federal government. Much of the GSE funding advantage was eroded in 1993 with the imposition of the Offset Fee on a portion of our student loan portfolio. To accomplish privatization, we have been reducing the GSE's liabilities and refinancing the GSE's assets through securitizations and holding company borrowings, and gradually funding new assets outside the GSE. The Offset Fee does not apply to Consolidation Loans, private credit student loans, or FFELP loans held outside of the GSE, including securitized loans. (See "Appendix A" for separate GSE financial statements.)

Financing

        We currently fund our operations primarily through the sale of GSE debt securities, non-GSE student loan asset-backed securities and non-GSE debt securities, all of which we issue in both the domestic and overseas capital markets using both public offerings and private placements. The major objective when financing our business is to minimize interest rate risk through match funding of our assets and liabilities. Generally, on a pooled basis to the extent practicable, we match the interest rate and reset characteristics of our managed assets and liabilities. In this process we use derivative financial instruments extensively to reduce our interest rate and foreign currency exposure. This interest rate risk management helps us to achieve a stable student loan spread irrespective of the interest rate environment. Our student loan spread is often under pressure from adverse legislative changes, changes in asset mix and other interest exposures, so we must continue to minimize funding costs to maintain our student loan spread. We are expanding and diversifying our pool of investors by establishing debt programs in multiple markets that appeal to varied investor audiences and by educating potential investors about our business. Finally, we take appropriate steps to ensure sufficient liquidity by financing in multiple markets, which include the institutional, retail, floating rate, fixed rate, unsecured, asset-backed, domestic and international markets.

        Another important objective is to refinance GSE debt with non-GSE debt to meet the timetable of the GSE Wind-Down. Under the Privatization Act, the GSE may issue debt with maturity dates

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through September 30, 2008 to fund student loan and other permitted asset purchases; however, we plan to complete the GSE's dissolution by September 30, 2006 with any remaining GSE debt obligations being defeased at that time. As of December 31, 2002, we funded 54 percent of our Managed student loans with non-GSE sources, principally through securitizations. Securitization is and will continue to be our principal source of non-GSE financing, and over time, we expect that 70 percent of our funding needs will be satisfied by securitizing our loan assets and issuing asset-backed securities.

        As we refinance GSE debt we continue to look for additional ways to diversify our funding sources. Our non-GSE funding programs include:

•

a securitization program, established in 1995 and through which we have issued $55.7 billion in asset-backed securities through December 31, 2002;



•

a commercial paper program, established in 1999;



•

a $10 billion global medium term note program, established in the fourth quarter of 2001 and through which we have issued $6 billion in global medium term notes by December 31, 2002; and



•

debt issued through a $1.5 billion Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") shelf registration that was completed by December 31, 2001.

        Our securitization trusts typically issue several classes of debt securities rated at the triple "A" level, and are not obligations of or guaranteed for repayment by the GSE. Our securitizations provide life of loan funding for our student loan assets. They have been structured as sales which provides capital relief and also removes the 30 basis point per annum Offset Fee applicable to FFELP student loans held by the GSE. During the fourth quarter of 2002, we diversified our securitization program by completing the first private credit student loan securitization and the first securitization consisting exclusively of Consolidation Loans.

        In 2003, we expect to establish an asset-backed commercial paper program, a retail medium term note program and a Euro dollar denominated medium term note program.

        As of December 31, 2002, the Company employed 6,705 employees nationwide.

Available Information

        Copies of our annual reports on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q are available on our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such reports with the SEC. Investors and other interested parties can access these reports at www.salliemae.com/investor/corpreports.html.

Disclosures Regarding the GSE

        By a resolution unanimously approved at its March 20, 2003 meeting, the Board of Directors of SLM Corporation has undertaken to include within this report and all future periodic reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, until such time that the GSE dissolves, certain disclosures with respect to the GSE.

        Specifically, the Board has undertaken to provide separate financial statements for the GSE (see "Appendix A") and certain disclosures specific to the GSE in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" ("MD&A"). In addition, the Board has undertaken that the commitment for additional GSE disclosure as described above will not be subject to change unless approved by unanimous action of all members then in office.

        These additional disclosures are being provided in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's publicly stated view that GSEs should operate within the Securities and Exchange Commission-administered corporate disclosure regime.

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Item 2. Properties

        The following table lists the principal facilities owned by the Company:

        The Company leases approximately 71,000 square feet for its debt management and collections center in Summerlin, Nevada. In addition, the Company leases approximately 87,748 square feet of office space in Cincinnati, Ohio for the headquarters and debt management and collections center for General Revenue Corporation. In the first quarter of 2003, the Company entered into a 10-year lease with the Wyoming County Industrial Development Authority with a right of reversion to the Company for the Arcade and Perry, New York facilities. The Company also leases an additional 10,000 square feet in Perry, New York for Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc.'s debt management and collections business. With the exception of the Pennsylvania loan servicing center, none of the Company's facilities is encumbered by a mortgage. The Company believes that its headquarters, loan servicing centers and debt management and collections centers are generally adequate to meet its long-term student loan and new business goals. The Company's principal office is located in owned space at 11600 Sallie Mae Drive, Reston, Virginia, 20193.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

        The Company and various affiliates are defendants in a lawsuit filed on September 16, 2002 by College Loan Corporation ("CLC") in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The complaint includes breach of contract and tort claims alleging that the Company failed to fulfill its loan servicing obligations to CLC with respect to consolidation loans, primarily by wrongfully relying on an erroneous interpretation of the Higher Education Act's "single holder" rule to divert to the Company itself loans that the Company should have consolidated for CLC. In addition, the complaint includes various antitrust claims, including a claim that the Company entered into or attempted to enter into a combination with three credit reporting agencies to boycott CLC by not providing lists of student loan borrowers.

        The Complaint seeks compensatory damages of at least $50,000,000, punitive damages of $350,000 and treble damages under the antitrust claims.

        The breach of contract and common law tort claims were significantly narrowed by the Court's ruling on December 10, 2002, partially granting the Company's motion to dismiss. The Court held that claims based on the Company's interpretation of the single holder rule were barred by the Higher Education Act.

        Management believes that, as a result of the December 2002 order, the scope of the case has been significantly narrowed and is not material with respect to the breach of contract and tort claims. Further, management believes that CLC's antitrust claims lack merit and intends to mount a vigorous defense. The case is scheduled to go to trial on May 5, 2003.

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        The Company, together with a number of other FFELP industry participants, filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of Education's interpretation of and non-compliance with provisions in the Higher Education Act governing origination fees and repayment incentives on loans made under the FDLP, as well as interest rates for Direct Consolidation Loans. The lawsuit, which was filed November 3, 2000 in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that the Department's interpretations of and non-compliance with these statutory provisions are contrary to the statute's unambiguous text, and are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law, and violate both the HEA and the Administrative Procedure Act. The Company and the other plaintiffs and the Department of Education have filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The Court has not ruled on these motions.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security-Holders

        Nothing to report.

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PART II.

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

        The Company's Common Stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SLM. The number of holders of record of the Company's Common Stock as of March 17, 2003 was 547. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices for the Company's Common Stock for each full quarterly period within the two most recent fiscal years.

COMMON STOCK PRICES

        The Company paid regular quarterly dividends of $.175 per share on the Common Stock for the first three quarters of 2001, $.20 for the fourth quarter of 2001 and the first three quarters of 2002 and $.25 for the fourth quarter of 2002 and the first quarter of 2003.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

Selected Financial Data 1998-2002
(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

        The following table sets forth selected financial and other operating information of the Company. The selected financial data in the table is derived from the consolidated financial statements of the Company. The data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, related notes, and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in this Form 10-K.

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Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Years ended December 31, 2000-2002
(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

OVERVIEW

        The Company is the largest private source of funding, delivery and servicing support for education loans in the United States primarily through its participation in the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP"). The Company provides a wide range of financial services, processing capabilities and information technology to meet the needs of educational institutions, lenders, students and their families, and guarantee agencies. The Company's primary business is to originate and hold student loans, but the Company also provides fee-based student loan related products and services and earns servicing fees for student loan servicing and guarantee processing, and student loan default management and loan collections. SLM Corporation is a holding company that operates through a number of subsidiaries including Student Loan Marketing Association, a federally chartered government-sponsored enterprise (the "GSE"). References herein to the "Company" refer to SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries.

        Our results can be materially affected by changes in:

•

Applicable laws and regulations, which may change the volume, average term and effective yields of student loans under the FFELP or result in loans being originated or refinanced under non-FFELP programs or may affect the terms upon which banks and others agree to sell FFELP loans to the Company;



•

The demand for education financing;



•

The competition for education financing;



•

The financing preferences of students and their families;



•

The general interest rate environment and credit spreads;



•

The funding spreads on our non-GSE financing activities;



•

Prepayment rates on student loans, including prepayments through loan consolidation;



•

The securitization market for fixed income securities backed by education loans, either by increasing the costs or limiting the availability of financing; and



•

Borrower default rates.

        The majority of our student loan purchases and on-balance sheet financing of student loans occurs in the GSE. We finance such purchases through the issuance of GSE debt obligations and through student loan securitizations. In a securitization, we sell student loans from the GSE to a trust that issues bonds backed by the student loans as part of the transaction. Once securitized, the GSE no longer owns the student loans and the bonds issued by the trust are not obligations of the GSE. In 1997, we transferred all personnel and certain assets of the GSE to the Company or other non-GSE affiliates and, as a consequence, the operations of the GSE are managed by us through a management services agreement. We will continue to transfer the GSE's assets throughout the Wind-Down Period. We also service the majority of the GSE's student loans under a servicing agreement between the GSE and Sallie Mae Servicing, LP. All student loans that we originate on our behalf are owned by non-GSE subsidiaries of the Company from inception.

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        We have provided the discussion of the GSE within the context of this MD&A because a substantial portion of the Company's operations is conducted through the GSE. MD&A disclosures applicable solely to the GSE are included at the end of this MD&A in the section titled "Student Loan Marketing Association." The discussion that follows regarding our interest income and expenses from on-balance sheet assets and liabilities is applicable to both the Company and the GSE. Likewise, because all of our FFELP securitizations to date have originated from the GSE, the discussion of the securitization gains and securitization revenue is applicable to both the Company and the GSE. On the other hand, the discussions of our off-balance sheet loans, our fee-based businesses, and our operations on a Managed Basis, as well as the discussions set forth below under the headings, "Selected Financial Data," "Other Income," "Federal and State Taxes" and "Alternative Performance Measures" do not address the GSE and relate to the Company on a consolidated basis. As of December 31, 2002, 85 percent of the Company's consolidated on-balance sheet assets were held by the GSE, and 93 percent of the Company's interest income was derived from assets held by and financed by the GSE. In addition, 50 percent of our private credit student loans were held by non-GSE affiliates. For the year ended December 31, 2002, 78 percent of our fee income was generated by non-GSE fee-based businesses. The GSE has no employees, so the management of its operations is provided by a non-GSE subsidiary of the Company under a management services agreement. During the year, the GSE transferred $3.4 billion in private credit student loans in a series of transactions to a non-GSE subsidiary of the Company and recognized gains of $165 million. All intercompany transactions between the GSE and the Company and its non-GSE subsidiaries have been eliminated in the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Financial Highlights for 2002

        Listed below are some of the additional performance measures that management uses to assess the business.

The main drivers of our earnings are:

•

the growth in the Managed portfolio of student loans;



•

the student loan spread including the effect of Floor Income;

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•

the number, size and mix of student loans in securitizations, which influence the level of securitization gains;



•

cost effective financing;



•

servicing and securitization revenue;



•

the derivative market value adjustment;



•

guarantor servicing fees, default management operations and collections services and other fee income; and



•

loan servicing, acquisition, and operating expenses.

        For the year ended December 31, 2002, our net income was $792 million ($4.93 diluted earnings per share), versus net income of $384 million ($2.28 diluted earnings per share) in 2001. The $408 million or 106 percent increase in net income can mainly be attributed to higher average balances in Managed student loans, securitization gains, the after-tax $161 million reduction in the loss on the derivative market value adjustment, and the $65 million after-tax increase in Floor Income.

        The growth in our Managed student loans benefits net income through the spread earned by student loans on-balance sheet, by gains on securitizing such loans, and by the residual cash flows earned as servicing and securitization revenue from the securitized student loans. The growth in our Managed student loan portfolio is therefore an important driver of future earnings. For 2002, our Managed student loan portfolio grew by $6.4 billion from $71.7 billion at December 31, 2001 to $78.1 billion at December 31, 2002. This growth in the student loan portfolio was fueled by the $16.5 billion in new Managed student loans acquired in 2002, a 15 percent increase over the $14.4 billion acquired in 2001. In 2002, we originated $11.9 billion of student loans through our Preferred Channel, an increase of 18 percent over the $10.1 billion originated in 2001.

        The Managed student loan spread which measures the spread earned on our portfolio of Managed student loans is an important driver of net income, and for the years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001, the Managed student loan spread, exclusive of Floor Income, was 1.88 percent and 1.81 percent, respectively. The increase in the Managed student loan spread is attributable to the increase in the proportion of private credit student loans, partially offset by the increase in lower yielding Consolidation Loans. The spread also benefitted from our financing activities.

        On a Managed Basis, in 2002, we earned $474 million of Floor Income, net of payments under Floor Income Contracts, an increase of $139 million or 41 percent over 2001. This increase was largely driven by lower average interest rates during the period.

        The $5 million decrease in servicing and securitization revenue for the year ended 2002 versus 2001 was mainly caused by the increase in the Constant Prepayment Rate ("CPR") assumption from 7 percent to 9 percent that was made in the second quarter of 2002 to reflect the impact of increased Consolidation Loan activity on student loans in the securitization trusts. Loans consolidated from the trusts are considered prepayments from the trust's perspective and shorten the average life of the trust. The shorter average life resulted in a $38 million other than temporary impairment of the Retained Interest asset that was recognized as a reduction to securitization revenue in the second quarter of 2002. This decrease was partially offset by the increase in revenue from the average balance of securitized loans and Floor Income earned on the securitized loan portfolio.

        Under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities" (see "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Derivative Accounting"), some of our derivatives, primarily Floor Income Contracts and basis swaps, are not considered effective hedges because they do not extend to the full term of the hedged item and are therefore required to be valued at fair value while the hedged item is not. The losses from the

15

derivative market value adjustment are mainly due to declining interest rates and narrower spreads between LIBOR and Treasury bill indices, that caused the market value of the Floor Income Contracts and basis swaps to decrease.

        The losses on sales of securities are primarily due to losses from the early termination or expiration of Eurodollar futures that did not qualify for hedge treatment under SFAS No. 133. Included in the Eurodollar futures losses are losses incurred where we, in connection with our interest rate risk management and capital planning activities, terminated several hedges and subsequently replaced them with longer term and more economically advantageous hedges which will benefit earnings spreads in future periods.

        We continue to expand our fee-based businesses, primarily guarantor servicing, debt management services, and loan servicing. During the first quarter of 2002, we acquired two debt management companies that added $69 million in fee revenue. In total, the debt management businesses generated gross revenue of $185 million in 2002, an increase of 53 percent from 2001. Guarantor servicing fees increased by 4 percent in 2002 versus 2001.

        We actively manage our operating expenses, which despite the acquisition of two debt management companies and the continued growth of the business, decreased to $690 million for the year ended December 31, 2002 from $708 million in 2001. The reduction in operating expenses that offset the increased costs from the new businesses and internal growth is mainly due to the realization of synergies from the USA Group acquisition and increased operating efficiencies.

        In 2002, we repurchased 7.3 million shares in connection with our common stock repurchase program. This was accomplished mainly through the settling of equity forward contracts. The share repurchases netted against the 4.4 million common share issuances related to benefit plans reduced common stock outstanding by 2.9 million shares. In recent years, the pace of our share repurchases has decelerated as we build capital in connection with the GSE Wind-Down.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

        Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discusses the Company's consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting periods. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under varying assumptions or conditions. Note 2 of the "Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements" includes a summary of the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.

        On an on-going basis, management evaluates its estimates and judgments, particularly as they relate to accounting policies that management believes are most "critical"—that is, they are most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and they require management's most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. These accounting policies include: securitization accounting, provision for loan losses, and derivative accounting.

Securitization Accounting

        We regularly engage in securitization transactions as part of our financing strategy. In a securitization, we sell student loans to a trust that issues bonds backed by the student loans as part of the transaction. When our securitizations meet the sale criteria of SFAS No. 140, "Accounting for

16

Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities—a Replacement of SFAS No. 125," we record a gain on the sale of the student loans.

        To meet the sale criteria of SFAS No. 140, we structure our securitizations using two-step transactions with a qualifying special purpose entity ("QSPE") that legally isolates the transferred assets from the Company, even in the event of bankruptcy. Also, each transaction is structured to ensure that the holders of the beneficial interests issued by the QSPE are not constrained from pledging or exchanging their interests, and that the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets. All of our securitization structures through 2002 have been accomplished by issuing the loans in QSPEs; however, in January of 2003, we structured a securitization of Consolidation Loans such that the requirements of being a QSPE were not met, and the securitization vehicle was considered a variable interest entity and was accounted for on-balance sheet.

        We calculate gains on our securitizations by taking the difference between the fair value of the assets sold and their carrying value. When determining the carrying value of the student loan portfolio being securitized, we must estimate the student loan premiums, loan loss reserves and borrower benefits that are applicable to the portfolio of student loans being securitized.

        The Retained Interests in each of our securitizations are treated as available-for-sale securities in accordance with SFAS No. 115, "Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities," and therefore must be marked-to-market and unrealized gains and losses must be recognized, net of tax, in other comprehensive income in stockholders' equity. Since there are no quoted market prices for our Retained Interests, we must estimate their fair value both initially and each subsequent quarter using the key assumptions listed below that are considered when estimating the securitization gain on the sale of student loans:

•

The projected net interest yield from the underlying securitized loans;



•

The calculation of the Embedded Floor Income associated with the securitized loan portfolio (see below);



•

The compound rate of student loan prepayment—referred to as the constant prepayment rate (or "CPR");



•

The discount rate used to calculate the Residual Interest commensurate with the risks involved;



•

The projected average life or remaining term of the securitized loan portfolio; and



•

The expected credit losses from the underlying securitized loan portfolio.

        The fair value of the Fixed Rate Embedded Floor Income earned on securitized loans is estimated for the life of the loan and included in the fair value of the Residual Interest at the time of the sale and each subsequent quarter. This estimate is based on a discounted cash flow calculation that considers the current borrower rate, SAP spreads and the term for which the loan is eligible to earn Floor Income as well as time value, yield curve and volatility factors. The Variable Rate Embedded Floor Income, which is earned until the July 1 reset date of the loans, is estimated and included in the quarterly mark-to-market valuations of the Residual Interest.

        The estimate of the CPR affects the estimate of the average life of the securitized trusts and therefore affects the valuation estimate of the Residual Interest. Prepayments shorten the average life of the trust, and if all other factors remain equal, will reduce the value of the Retained Interest asset and the securitization gain on sale. Student loan prepayments come from three principal sources: actual borrower prepayments, reimbursements of student loan defaults from the guarantor and consolidation of loans from the trust. We use historical statistics on prepayments, borrower defaults, and trends in Consolidation Loans to estimate the amount of prepayments. When a loan is consolidated from the trust either by us or a third party, the loan is repurchased from the trust and is treated as a

17

prepayment. In cases where the loan is consolidated by us, it will be recorded as an on-balance sheet asset. Due to the historically low interest rate environment, we have experienced an increase in Consolidation Loan activity for several quarters. We believe that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. As a result, in the second quarter of 2002, we increased the estimated CPR from 7 percent to 9 percent per annum. The change in the CPR assumption resulted in a $59 million after-tax other than temporary impairment of the Retained Interest asset, of which $38 million ($25 million after-tax) reduced securitization revenue in the second quarter of 2002, and $34 million was an after-tax reversal of previously recorded unrealized gains in other comprehensive income as a component of equity. The change in the CPR assumption also reduced the gains on the loan portfolios securitized during the second, third and fourth quarters of 2002 relative to previous transactions.

        We record interest income and periodically evaluate our Retained Interests for other than temporary impairment in accordance with the Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") Issue No. 99-20 "Recognition of Interest Income and Impairment on Purchased and Retained Beneficial Interests in Securitized Financial Assets." Under this standard, on a quarterly basis we estimate the cash flows to be received from our Retained Interests. In cases where our estimate of future cash flows is below our initial estimate when the asset is acquired, the Retained Interest is written down to fair value through earnings as an other than temporary impairment. Interest income is recorded using the effective interest method using the most current cash flows.

        We also receive income for servicing the loans in our securitization trusts. We assess the amounts received as compensation for these activities at inception and on an ongoing basis to determine if the amounts received are adequate compensation as defined in SFAS No. 140. To the extent such compensation is determined to be only adequate compensation, no servicing asset or obligation is recorded.

Provision for Loan Losses

        The provision for loan losses represents the periodic expense of maintaining an allowance sufficient to absorb losses, net of recoveries, inherent in the portfolio of student loans. We evaluate the adequacy of the provision for losses on our federally insured portfolio of student loans separately from our non-federally insured portfolio of private credit student loans.

        A large percentage of our private credit student loans have not matured to a point at which predictable loan loss patterns have developed, so to calculate the private credit student loan loss reserve, we must rely on a combination of our own historic data, such as recent trends in delinquencies, the credit profile of the borrower and/or co-signer, loan volume by program, and charge-offs and recoveries. We use this data in internally developed statistical models to estimate the amount of losses, net of subsequent collections, that are projected to be incurred on the portfolio of private credit student loans.

        When calculating the private credit student loan loss reserve, we subdivide the portfolio into various categories such as loans with co-borrowers, months into repayment, and type of program. We then estimate defaults by cohort (loans grouped by the year in which they entered into repayment status) based on the borrower(s) credit profile, net of an estimate of collections by cohort for both new and previously defaulted loans. Private credit student loans are charged off against the allowance when they are 212 days delinquent depending on the type of loan and historic patterns of losses. This policy is periodically reconsidered by management as trends develop. Private credit student loans continue to accrue interest until they are charged off and removed from the active portfolio. Recoveries on loans charged off are recorded directly to the reserve.

        The loan loss reserve attributable to federally insured loans consists of two components: the Risk Sharing reserve and a reserve for rejected guarantor claims losses, caused mainly by servicing defects. The Risk Sharing reserve is an estimate based on the amount of loans subject to Risk Sharing and on

18

the historical experience of losses. The rejected claims loss reserve is based on the historical trend of ultimate losses on loans initially rejected for reimbursement by the guarantor. Since FFELP loans are guaranteed as to both principal and interest, they continue to accrue interest until such time that they are paid by the guarantor. Once a student loan is rejected for claim payment, our policy is to continue to pursue the recovery of principal and interest, whether by curing the reject or collecting from the borrower. We attempt to cure the reject by engaging in extensive collection efforts including repeated and methodical mail and phone contact with borrowers and co-borrowers. We have a history of successfully curing rejected claims within two years and, as a result, our policy is to charge off an unpaid claim once it has aged to two years

        Accordingly, the evaluation of the provision for loan losses is inherently subjective as it requires material estimates that may be susceptible to significant changes. Management believes that the provision for loan losses is adequate to cover probable losses in the student loan portfolio.

Derivative Accounting

        We use interest rate swaps, interest rate futures contracts, interest rate cap contracts, and Floor Income Contracts as an integral part of our overall risk management strategy to manage interest rate risk arising from our fixed rate and floating rate financial instruments. We account for these instruments in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," which requires that every derivative instrument, including certain derivative instruments embedded in other contracts, be recorded at fair value on the balance sheet as either an asset or liability. We determine fair value for our derivative contracts using pricing models that consider current market and contractual prices for the underlying financial instruments, as well as time value and yield curve or volatility factors underlying the positions. Pricing models and their underlying assumptions impact the amount and timing of unrealized gains and losses recognized; the use of different pricing models or assumptions could produce different financial results.

        Many of our derivatives, mainly standard interest rate swaps and certain interest rate futures contracts, qualify as effective hedges under SFAS No. 133. For these derivatives, we document the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged items, as well as the risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions at the inception of the hedging relationship. We link each derivative to either a specific asset or liability on the balance sheet or expected future cash flows, and designate them as either fair value or cash flow hedges. Fair value hedges are designed to hedge our exposure to changes in fair value of a fixed rate asset or liability ("fair value" hedge), while cash flow hedges are desired to hedge our exposure to variability of either a floating rate asset's or liability's cash flows or expected fixed rate debt issuance ("cash flow" hedge). For effective fair value hedges we mark-to-market both the hedge and the hedged item with any difference recorded immediately in the income statement. For effective cash flow hedges, changes in the fair value of the cash flow hedge are deferred in other comprehensive income, net of tax, and recognized in earnings in the same period as the earnings effects of the hedged item. The assessment of the hedge's effectiveness is performed on an ongoing basis, and is tested on at least a quarterly basis. When it is determined that a derivative is not currently an effective hedge or it will not be one in the future, we discontinue the hedge accounting prospectively and cease recording changes in the fair value of the hedged item to market.

        We also have a number of derivatives, primarily Floor Income Contracts, certain Eurodollar futures contracts, interest rate caps and basis swaps, that we believe are effective economic hedges, but are not considered effective hedges under SFAS No. 133. They are considered ineffective under SFAS No. 133 because they are hedging only a portion of the term of the underlying risk or hedging an off-balance sheet financial instrument for which the hedged risk is retained in our Residual Interest. These derivatives are classified as "trading" for GAAP purposes and as a result they are marked-to-market through GAAP earnings with no consideration for the price fluctuation of the hedged item.

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SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

Condensed Statements of Income

Condensed Balance Sheets

20

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

NET INTEREST INCOME

        Net interest income is derived largely from our portfolio of student loans that remain on-balance sheet. The "Taxable Equivalent Net Interest Income" analysis set forth below is designed to facilitate a comparison of non-taxable asset yields to taxable yields on a similar basis. Additional information regarding the return on our student loan portfolio is set forth under "Student Loans—Student Loan Spread Analysis." Information regarding the provision for losses is contained in Note 5 in the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements."

        Taxable equivalent net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2002 versus the year ended December 31, 2001 increased by $136 million while the net interest margin increased by 26 basis points. The increase in taxable equivalent net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2002 was primarily due to the lower interest rate environment in 2002, which led to an increase of $100 million in Floor Income (see "Student Loan Spread Analysis"), and the $3.1 billion increase in the average balance of student loans. The increase in the net interest margin reflects the higher average balance of student loans as a percentage of average total earning assets, the increased proportion of higher yielding private credit student loans and the increase in Floor Income. This increase was partially offset by the increase of lower-yielding Consolidation Loans.

        Taxable equivalent net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2001 versus the year ended December 31, 2000 increased by $225 million while the net interest margin increased by 30 basis points. The increase in taxable equivalent net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2001 was primarily due to the lower interest rate environment in 2001 which led to an increase of $119 million in Floor Income. The net interest margin increase is reflective of the higher average balance of student loans as a percentage of average total earning assets and the increase in Floor Income. This is partially offset by the increase in our portfolio of lower-yielding "in school" loans obtained through our Preferred Channel, which has decreased the average SAP in the student loan yield.

Taxable Equivalent Net Interest Income

        The amounts in the following table are adjusted for the impact of certain tax-exempt and tax-advantaged investments based on the marginal federal corporate tax rate of 35 percent.

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Average Balance Sheets

        The following table reflects the rates earned on earning assets and paid on interest bearing liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2002, 2001 and 2000.

Rate/Volume Analysis

        The Rate/Volume Analysis below shows the relative contribution of changes in interest rates and asset volumes.

Student Loans

        Our student loan balance consists of federally insured student loans, private credit student loans and student loan participations. We account for premiums paid, discounts received and certain origination costs incurred on the acquisition of student loans in accordance with SFAS No. 91,

22

"Accounting for Nonrefundable Fees and Costs Associated with Originating or Acquiring Loans and Initial Direct Costs of Leases." The unamortized portion of the premiums and discounts are included in the carrying value of the student loan on the consolidated balance sheet. We recognize income on our student loan portfolio based on the expected yield of the student loan after giving effect to the amortization of purchase premiums and the accretion of student loan discounts including borrower incentive programs. When student loans are sold in a securitization, the unamortized premium or discount relating to such loans is allocated between the assets sold and the Retained Interest with the portion allocated to the assets sold included in the gain calculation (see "Securitization Program"). Origination fees charged on private credit student loans are deferred and in effect become a student loan discount, which is amortized to income over the lives of the student loans. In the table below, this amortization is netted with the amortization of the premiums.

Student Loan Spread Analysis

        The following table analyzes the spread on student loans both on-balance sheet and those off-balance sheet in securitization trusts. For student loans on-balance sheet, the amortization of premiums or discounts, the Consolidation Loan Rebate and Offset Fees, and yield adjustments from borrower benefit programs are netted against student loan interest income on the consolidated statements of income. For student loans off-balance sheet, we earn interest on our Retained Interests in the trusts, Floor Income from securitized loans not recognized in the gain on sale calculation and servicing and administration fees for servicing the securitized student loan portfolios. These revenue streams added together constitute servicing and securitization revenue. (See "Securitization Program—Servicing and Securitization Revenue.")

        The student loan spread has increased in each of the last three years from 1.82 percent in 2000 to 2.40 percent in 2002. Exclusive of the effects of Floor Income, the student loan spread increased by 25 basis points in 2002 versus 2001. This increase was due to several factors. First, we have lowered our funding costs for on-balance sheet loans through lower funding spreads and through the refinancing of some higher rate debt. Losses on such refinancings are included in losses on sales of securities in other

23

income. Second, the percentage of private credit student loans in the on-balance sheet student loan portfolio increased to 12.2 percent in 2002, from 10.2 percent in 2001. These loans are subject to credit risk and therefore earn higher spreads which average 4.51 percent for the private credit student loan portfolio versus a spread of 1.93 percent for guaranteed student loans, before Floor Income. These positive effects are offset by the continued growth in our Consolidation Loans, which are lower yielding due mainly to Consolidation Loan Rebate Fees. The 19 basis point increase in the student loan spread from 2000 to 2001 is primarily due to higher Floor Income.

Floor Income

        For on-balance sheet student loans, Floor Income is included in student loan income. For off-balance student loans, Fixed Rate Embedded Floor Income is estimated using a discounted cash flow of Floor Income and included in the Residual Interest. Variable Rate Embedded Floor Income, which by definition is earned in less than one year, is recognized as earned in servicing and securitization revenue.

        Due to the low average Treasury bill and commercial paper rates in 2002, we earned $219 million of Floor Income from on-balance sheet student loans, net of payments under Floor Income Contracts (see "Student Loan Floor Income Contracts"), of which $104 million was Fixed Rate Floor Income and $115 million was Variable Rate Floor Income. In comparison, in 2001, we earned $119 million of Floor Income from on-balance sheet student loans, net of payments under Floor Income Contracts, of which $43 million was Fixed Rate Floor Income and $76 million was Variable Rate Floor Income. Higher average interest rates in 2000 decreased our Floor Income from on-balance sheet student loans, net of payments under Floor Income Contracts, to $3 million, of which $2 million was Fixed Rate Floor Income and $1 million was Variable Rate Floor Income.

Student Loan Floor Income Contracts

        With the adoption of SFAS No. 133 on January 1, 2001, the upfront payments from Floor Income Contracts are no longer amortized to student loan income, but are accounted for based on the change in their fair market value and reported as a component of the derivative market value adjustment in other liabilities. At December 31, 2002, the notional amount of Floor Income Contracts totaled $23.6 billion, of which $7.2 billion are contracts that commence in October 2004.

        The following table analyzes the ability of the FFELP student loans in our Managed portfolio of student loans to earn Floor Income at December 31, 2002 and 2001, based on current interest rates versus the last Treasury bill auctions applicable to those periods (1.21 percent in 2002 and 1.74 percent in 2001 for fixed and variable rate loans). Commercial paper rate loans are based upon the last commercial paper rate applicable to those periods (1.30 percent in 2002 and 1.81 percent in 2001). The table includes only Floor Income Contracts that are economically hedging Floor Income in the current period.

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Activity in the Allowance for Student Loan Losses

        The provision for loan losses represents the periodic expense of maintaining an allowance sufficient to absorb losses, net of recoveries, inherent in the portfolio of student loans.

        An analysis of our allowance for student loan losses is presented in the following table: