Mission and Philosophy

Mission Statement

The University Financial Aid Office strives to provide the highest quality service to undergraduate, graduate and professional students in pursuit of their academic goals. We are committed to providing exemplary service to our students and their families, the University, and the community at large.

Our primary objective is to assist students and families in planning and meeting expenses associated with attendance at the University.  We focus on establishing aid eligibility, packaging scholarships, waivers, grants, loans and employment to eligible students, and providing financial aid counseling to students and families for the resolution of problems associated with financing an education.  We serve as the primary advocate for students and families, assisting them in securing necessary financial resources.

We will continue to utilize our expertise to update our technologies, streamline and automate processes, while maintaining full compliance with Federal and State regulations, and effectively manage financial aid resources.  In support of the University’s recruitment and retention efforts, we consistently participate in a wide range of outreach events with students and their families, and the WPU community members.  We utilize sound research theories and analysis as it relates to student financial assistance and college affordability in order to provide the best possible packaging philosophy and strategies for our students.

Philosophy

The Financial Aid Office has developed a philosophy of awarding aid to accomplish several objectives given the resources available.

These objectives are:

  • to meet the needs of as many students as possible
  • to award each student a combination of funds including a certain amount of self-help (loan or employment) in each package
  • to spend the total amount of funds available during the award period
  • to limit the amount borrowed by students to a reasonable level

If you/your family feels there is a special circumstance (such as a loss of income, medical expenses, etc), please check our Eligibility Section for further instructions.

Purpose of Financial Aid

The primary purpose of financial aid is to provide assistance to students for expenses related to educational needs. The primary responsibility for meeting college costs lies with students and parents. Federal, state, and institutional programs are available for students who meet eligibility requirements.