A&M-Corpus Christi Receives Recognition for Low Student Loan Debt Per Student Borrower
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Once again Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has been recognized as having one of the lowest rankings of federal loan debt per student borrower. In a recent study by LendEDU, the Island University was ranked 11 out of 50 colleges and universities in the entire Southwest region to have the lowest average student loan debt per borrower. This new ranking comes as no surprise because Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was recognized in a December 2017 study by The Student Loan Report as having one the lowest student loan debt average per graduate in Texas colleges and universities.
“Our recognition validates our mission to become one of the leading centers of higher education in the Gulf of Mexico region while providing a sound financial platform to assist our students with paying for college,” said Jeannie Gage, Director of the Office of Student Financial Assistance at A&M-Corpus Christi.
According to the LendEDU study, the Island University’s average debt per student borrower was $17,804, and the number of students graduating with debt was 64 percent. This recent study also showed that in the entire Southwest, the lowest debt per borrower was $6,102, and the highest debt per borrower was $26,925. The lowest number of students graduating with debt at a university was 27 percent, and the highest percentage of students graduating with debt was 83 percent.
“The Island University is dedicated to providing an affordable education because students, and their educational success, are our number one priority,” Gage said.
Committed to the success of every student, the University awards $135,428,109 in financial aid and scholarships to students each year. According to the Planning and Institutional Research Internal Resource quick facts for 2016 page, 95 percent of the 12,202 enrolled Islander students received some type of financial aid.
A&M-Corpus Christi’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) currently educates prospective students on financial aid and scholarships that are available to them through a financial assistance outreach advisor who presents to high schools all over the state of Texas. OSFA also presents at every Island Day to give families the complete financial aid picture, which includes discussing grants, scholarships, loans
“It is extremely vital to educate students on the importance of borrowing only what they need to finance their education, so students do not begin their post-graduation life buried in debt,” Gage said.
OSFA encourages all students to complete free applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and scholarship applications. Students who need help filling out applications can visit the FAFSA lab in the Student Services Center during normal business operating hours.
