Welcome to the Whitman College loan comparison website

We are happy to be able to provide you with useful information that will allow you to select a lender who will meet your needs. You may select any of the lenders which are listed on the website, or choose one of your own.

If you do not see a lender through whom you wish to borrower, you will need to contact us directly at 509.527.5178 or at finaid@whitman.edu.

We are here to help you with questions or concerns you may have about loan processing or financial aid in general.

Sincerely,
Varga Fox
Director of Financial Aid Services

You may choose any Stafford, PLUS or Private student loan lender, but because there are such a large number of them in the Student Loan Business, we have provided you with a list of those with whom we are familiar, and who have provided excellent service to our students in the past. We have found that these lenders work with both families and Whitman College to resolve problems so that you, the student, will receive the funds necessary to pay for your college expenses, in a timely manner.

You are not obligated to select one of the lenders we have provided information for on the website. If you would rather borrow through a lender who is not listed here, please contact us directly at 509.527.5178 or email us at finaid@whitman.edu.

It is important to note that it may take longer for a loan to process if you do select a lender who is not listed on this website, but we are happy to work with you and your selected lender.

We encourage you to use this helpful website to compare lenders to make an informed choice when borrowing to help meet your educational costs.

Lender List Rationale

The lenders listed on the site have proven through many years of service to our students and to Whitman College, their commitment to helping students fund their college education. These lenders work well with our students and with the College to resolve issues as they arise, and strive to provide the best possible service before, during and after disbursement of the loan.

There has been much said in the news lately about abuses in the student loan business, but we can assure you that the majority of lenders and financial aid professionals (including those here at Whitman College) are all looking out for your best interests. We feel that it is important that you, the student, have an investment in your future, and you can do that through responsible borrowing. We do not want you to borrow in excess of what you will need to meet your educational costs, but do not feel that it is a bad thing to have a reasonable debt load when you graduate from Whitman.

The average loan debt for our students is just over $15,000, less than what most students borrow for a state institution. We feel that this is a realistic amount, and the fact that our current default rate for both Federal Stafford and private student loans is less than 1/2 of 1%, bears that out.