SRU adds enhancements to net-price calculator
This summer, Slippery Rock University launched a new net-price calculator that provides prospective students and their families an estimate of the cost of their education.
Aug. 5, 2019
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — A common question asked by people considering college is, "How much is it going to cost?" Because the cost for tuition and fees can vary for prospective students based on their eligibility for federal and state aid, the answer isn't always clear-cut. But a new online tool now available on the Slippery Rock University website, www.sru.edu, can provide a more accurate assessment of how much students and families can expect to pay for one year of their SRU education.
SRU has offered a net-price calculator on its website for more than a decade, even before it was required by federal regulation as part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. However, earlier this summer, the University launched an enhanced version of the calculator, which can be found under "Related Links" at sru.edu/admissions or by clicking here.
"This tool guides prospective students and their families through the process by asking questions (about their situation) to give them an accurate picture of what they can expect for the cost and what aid they will be eligible to receive," said Alyssa Dobson, director of financial aid and scholarships. "The more accurate information they have the better decision they can make."
Dobson said SRU's previous net-price calculator, provided by Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, was adequate and compliant with federal regulations, but the new net-price calculator, developed by CampusLogic, a vendor contracted by SRU, asks a more thorough set of questions to get a more accurate estimate. The CampusLogic version figures in institutional aid and allows people to create an account so they don't have to start from scratch when they have updated information to input, such as a higher SAT score. The previous net-price calculator did not provide graduate school estimates.
"What we had before was more general while this one is more accurate based on the individual student," Dobson said. "The output is robust, providing cost estimates for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and room and board. There are also links to schedule a visit or request more information about the institution."
Dobson recommends that prospective students complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid form before entering information into the net-price calculator. She said undergraduates will need their SAT scores and, if under the age of 24, their parents' income information before using the calculator.
For more information about the calculator, contact the SRU Financial Aid Office at: 724.738.2044 or financial.aid@sru.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu