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Allowance for Loan Losses - Allowance for Credit Losses and Recorded Investments in Loans (Detail) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) charge_off | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) charge_off | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) charge_off
Allowance for Loan Losses |  |  |
Beginning balance | $ 184,701 | $ 112,507 | $ 83,842
Total provision | 185,595 | 159,397 | 88,349
Charge-offs | (131,596) | (91,551) | (57,939)
Recoveries | 17,646 | 10,382 | 5,820
Net charge-offs | (113,950) | (81,169) | (52,119)
Student loan sales | (4,871) | (6,034) | (7,565)
Ending Balance | 251,475 | 184,701 | 112,507
Allowance: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 94,682 | 86,930 | 43,480
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | 156,793 | 97,771 | 69,027
Loans: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 990,351 | 612,606 | 265,831
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | 17,769,756 | 14,662,871 | 11,446,269
FFELP Loans |  |  |
Allowance for Loan Losses |  |  |
Beginning balance | 2,171 | 3,691 | 5,268
Total provision | (85) | (172) | 1,005
Charge-offs | (954) | (1,348) | (2,582)
Recoveries | 0 | 0 | 0
Net charge-offs | (954) | (1,348) | (2,582)
Student loan sales | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending Balance | 1,132 | 2,171 | 3,691
Allowance: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | 1,132 | 2,171 | 3,691
Loans: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 0 | 0 | 0
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | $ 927,660 | $ 1,010,908 | $ 1,115,663
Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans in repayment | 0.13% | 0.17% | 0.30%
Allowance as a percentage of the ending total loan balance | 0.12% | 0.21% | 0.33%
Allowance as a percentage of the ending loans in repayment | 0.15% | 0.28% | 0.45%
Allowance coverage of net charge-offs | charge_off | 1.19 | 1.61 | 1.43
Ending total loans, gross | $ 927,660 | $ 1,010,908 | $ 1,115,663
Average loans in repayment | 745,039 | 793,203 | 857,359
Ending loans in repayment | 746,456 | 786,332 | 813,815
Private Education Loans |  |  |
Allowance for Loan Losses |  |  |
Beginning balance | 182,472 | 108,816 | 78,574
Total provision | 178,542 | 159,511 | 87,344
Charge-offs | (130,063) | (90,203) | (55,357)
Recoveries | 17,635 | 10,382 | 5,820
Net charge-offs | (112,428) | (79,821) | (49,537)
Student loan sales | (4,871) | (6,034) | (7,565)
Ending Balance | 243,715 | 182,472 | 108,816
Allowance: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 94,682 | 86,930 | 43,480
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | 149,033 | 95,542 | 65,336
Loans: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 990,351 | 612,606 | 265,831
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | $ 16,441,816 | $ 13,639,069 | $ 10,330,606
Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans in repayment | 1.03% | 0.96% | 0.82%
Allowance as a percentage of the ending total loan balance | 1.40% | 1.28% | 1.03%
Allowance as a percentage of the ending loans in repayment | 2.00% | 1.88% | 1.57%
Allowance coverage of net charge-offs | charge_off | 2.17 | 2.29 | 2.20
Ending total loans, gross | $ 17,432,167 | $ 14,251,675 | $ 10,596,437
Average loans in repayment | 10,881,058 | 8,283,036 | 6,031,741
Ending loans in repayment | 12,206,033 | 9,709,758 | 6,927,266
Personal Loans |  |  |
Allowance for Loan Losses |  |  |
Beginning balance | 58 | 0 |
Total provision | 7,138 | 58 |
Charge-offs | (579) | 0 |
Recoveries | 11 | 0 |
Net charge-offs | (568) | 0 |
Student loan sales | 0 | 0 |
Ending Balance | 6,628 | 58 | $ 0
Allowance: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 0 | 0 |
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | 6,628 | 58 |
Loans: |  |  |
Ending balance: individually evaluated for impairment | 0 | 0 |
Ending balance: collectively evaluated for impairment | $ 400,280 | $ 12,894 |
Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans in repayment | 0.47% | 0.00% |
Allowance as a percentage of the ending total loan balance | 1.66% | 0.00% |
Allowance as a percentage of the ending loans in repayment | 1.66% | 0.00% |
Allowance coverage of net charge-offs | charge_off | 11.67 | 0.00 |
Ending total loans, gross | $ 400,280 | $ 0 |
Average loans in repayment | 119,606 | 0 |
Ending loans in repayment | $ 400,280 | $ 0 |

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- Definition Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.L.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74567-122707 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894903&loc=d3e15032-111544 + Details
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