SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2012 Dividend declared Common Stock	Apr. 30, 2012 Dividend declared Series A preferred stock	Apr. 30, 2012 Loan sale transaction Student loans	Apr. 13, 2012 Loan sale transaction Student loans	Mar. 31, 2012 Common stock repurchase Common Stock
Subsequent events
Dividend payable (in dollars per share)			$ 0.10	$ 20.00
Total loans held for sale per call option						$ 150,000,000
Net gain from sale of loans held for sale during the period	4,600,000	4,300,000			5,100,000
Repurchase of common stock	$ 100,978,000						$ 13,700,000