SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES

We know financing a college education today can be challenging, but it does not have to be overwhelming. We are continually trying our best to give you accurate, timely, helpful assistance in obtaining the money you need to reach your educational goals. We want to work with you to create a financial aid package that will help you attend SWOSU. Paying for your education is primarily a family responsibility. Financial aid is generally not designed to replace family assistance, but to supplement it. Together we can make your college dreams come true. Over 70% of SWOSU students receive part of the $30,000,000 of financial assistance we pay out annually.

Applying for aid early helps to assure you are considered for limited funds and makes your enrollment process flow more smoothly. We know you have many things to think about during college. We strive to make schedules, exams, research, studying, pizza parties and Bulldog sports events your focus rather than administrative paperwork. So please be careful to note application procedures and deadlines.

We are glad you are choosing SWOSU for your educational experience and we are eager to help you succeed. It is our hope that this financial aid information will be useful for you. Should you have any other questions or need additional assistance give us a call, an email or a visit. We're here for you.

Our office is open Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are located in the Gen. Thomas P. Stafford Center, Room 224. You can also reach us by calling (580) 774-3786 or by email at sfs@swosu.edu.

Jerome Wichert
Director of Student Financial Services

Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Student Financial Services
Gen. Thomas P. Stafford Center, Room 224
100 Campus Drive
Weatherford, OK 73096
Phone: (580) 774-3786
Fax: (580) 774-7066
sfs@swosu.edu

Lender List Rationale

How Lenders are Selected

Federal Stafford or PLUS loan borrowers may choose any lender that participates in the Federal Family Education Loan Program. The basic terms of loans are set by the federal government. However many lenders offer special benefits to borrowers. The SWOSU Financial Aid Office encourages you to use the Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program’s SimpleTuition tool to compare the benefits offered by different lenders so you can make an informed choice.

In an effort to make the lender selection process easier for students, the Lender Selection Committee has identified a group of lenders for our lender list. You may use a lender from this list or choose any lender who participates in the federal education loan program. If you choose a lender from our lender list you can feel confident you will receive excellent borrower benefits and customer service. Borrowers should evaluate their lender to be sure they are receiving the benefits that are most important to them. The list of lenders shown is compiled based on submitted RFI’s (Requests for Information). RFI’s are reviewed by the Lender Selection Committee based on several factors. These factors along with others are carefully considered when lenders are added to the list.

• Borrower Benefits - Our preferred lenders offer competitive benefits such as zero origination fees for Stafford loans, interest rate reductions for borrowers who sign up for electronic payments and principal reductions for borrowers who make a certain number of consecutive on time payments. We review changes in benefits offered by each lender to make sure our lenders offer the best benefits available to borrowers.
• Customer Service – All of our lenders have consistently provided excellent service to our borrowers for many years. We listen carefully to feedback from our students and parents regarding level of service. These lenders have the ability to process and deliver funds in a timely manner.
• Variety of Types of Lenders – We know that some students and parents prefer to borrow from one type of lender vs. another. Some borrowers prefer small banks that are local and some large national banks. And some prefer banks with which they already have a relationship.
• Borrower Default Rate – We know that some students may have difficulty over time with the repayment of the loan. It is our goal to choose lenders who work hard for borrowers to ensure their loans do not default. We are trying to choose lenders and servicers who provided excellent service during the repayment period of the loan.