Financial Aid

How satisfied are you with the Financial Aid Office in the following areas?

5 = very satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 3 = neutral/no opinion; 2 = not satisfied; 1 = very dissatisfied

5 4 3 2 1

Financial aid package
1996-97 ave. = 3.87, std. dev. = 1.09
1997-98 ave. = 3.73, std. dev. = 1.02
1998-99 ave. = 3.60, std. dev. = 1.09
1999-00 ave. = 3.36, std. dev. = 1.14

31%
22%
22%
16%

43%
43%
38%
35%

08%
23%
22%
23%

15%
08%
15%
21%

02%
04%
03%
05%

Timely service
1996-97 ave. = 4.09, std. dev. = .97
1997-98 ave. = 3.75, std. dev. = 1.05
1998-99 ave. = 3.81, std. dev. = 1.08
1999-00 ave. = 3.71, std. dev. = 1.11

39%
26%
31%
29%

41%
40%
35%
31%

12%
22%
20%
26%

06%
08%
12%
10%

02%
04%
02%
04%

Comments:

(representative comments)

Very helpful, especially Troy Martin.
I think the Validation process is very stressful. This is the only college I know of that makes the parents do this. Most do things on the computer and send you how much you owe or is owed to you.
Families are punished if they save for college
What timely service?
Send the financial aid packets home earlier.
We need more help financially.
More grants/scholarship should be offered.
Frustrated with non-reciprocating state aid (PA), late service.
We need more aid.
It is ironic that a Christian college should make it so difficult on families financially
We never knew what we were paying for it was confusing
We don't appreciated receiving notices that do not reflect the correct financial status of our child. Misinformation is common. Departments need to be on the ball between themselves in communication.
It's too bad Houghton isn't more open to matching offers from other colleges. Some of the paperwork that parents are required to fill out is unnecessary ó the Financial Aid Office could obtain the same info from other paperwork. Instead in gets dumped on the parents. There is a need form some flexibility with payment deadlines. I had a bad experience last January with the rigidity of the Financial Aid Office. I had to contact the President's office to resolve the situation!! Student Accounts need to be handled individually and more effort needs to be put forth in that respect.
We can always use more.

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