Meet Dolores

Your 24/7 Financial Aid Assistant 

Navigating financial aid just got easier. Get instant, accurate answers to your questions about scholarships, loans, the FAFSA, and more: anytime, day or night.

Text, Call, or Email

Phone is the preferred method to connect with Dolores, but she is happy to answer questions via text or email as well. Dolores is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week - and can speak many languages! 

Call or text Dolores at 424-395-3351

Email Dolores at finaid@pepperdine.educomms.com

Who is Dolores?

Dolores is Pepperdine’s custom autonomous AI agent. She is trained on Pepperdine’s unique financial aid policies, timelines, and processes. Whether you are a prospective student wanting to understand how financial assistance works at Pepperdine, an admitted student trying to understand your financial assistance package, or a current student managing federal loans, Dolores is here to provide immediate support.

How Dolores Can Help You

Dolores can instantly answer hundreds of questions regarding your financial aid. To get the most accurate answer, always specify if you are a parent, a newly admitted student, or a returning student.

FAFSA & Application Support

• Find Pepperdine’s Federal School Code
• Step-by-step guidance on completing the FAFSA
• Check key priority deadlines for application submissions

Financial Aid

• Explain how financial aid works at Pepperdine
• Walk through your individual aid package
• Answer questions about financial aid terms and conditions 

Scholarships & Institutional Aid

• Understand eligibility requirements for merit scholarships
• Answer questions about scholarship stacking rules and external awards
• Navigate institutional aid options
• Provide information on both private/restricted scholarships and outside scholarships

Loans 

• Explain the difference between various loan options
• Assist with the Parent PLUS loan application process and interest rates
• Provide information on Master Promissory Notes (MPN) and Entrance Counseling requirements
• Explain One Big Beautiful Bill regulations and PLUS loan borrowing

Disbursements & Billing

• Explain when financial aid funds will be released to your student account, how to check your balance or view your financial aid offer letter in WaveNet
• Provide basic timelines for financial aid refunds
• For questions about charges to student accounts, balances, or refunds, reach out to Student Accounts

Understanding Appeals

• Answer questions about the Special Circumstance appeal process, Professional Judgement adjustments, 5th year appeals, or Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals

Tips for Chatting with Dolores

To get the absolute best results when chatting with Dolores, keep these quick tips in mind:

• Be Specific: Instead of asking "When will I get my money?," try asking "When do financial aid disbursements happen for the Fall?"
• Ask One Question at a Time: Dolores processes information best when she is asked a clear, singular question rather than a long paragraph with multiple inquiries.
• Keep it Private: Dolores is smart - she does not need your highly sensitive data to provide assistance. Never share your Social Security Number (SSN), bank account numbers, or tax details.

Security and Data Privacy

Pepperdine University takes student data protection very seriously.

• FERPA Compliant: Dolores is fully compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Data Protection: Conversations with Dolores are encrypted and used solely to improve student customer service. Dolores does not have access to your personal academic records, disciplinary history, or sensitive tax transcripts.

When to See a Human Financial Aid Advisor

Dolores is designed to handle foundational, informational questions so that our human financial aid advisors can focus on deep, personalized counseling. You should still contact your the Office of Financial Assistance directly for:

• Specific WaveNet Account Discrepancies: If you believe there is a specific error on your personal financial aid award package
• Veteran or Employer Benefits: Specialized coordination regarding tuition reimbursement or complex military benefits.

If Dolores encounters a question she cannot answer, she will automatically provide you with the correct email, phone number, or calendar link to connect with a financial assistance advisor.

Dolores IRL

Dolores is a historic plaster and stone statue of a young girl that has served as an unofficial mascot and symbol of Pepperdine since 1941.

History and Origins

• 1941: The original statue was placed on a central fountain at the original George Pepperdine College campus in South Los Angeles.
• Naming: Students nicknamed her "Dolores" after Frank Sinatra's popular 1941 hit song.
• Pranks and Disappearances: Dolores was frequently targeted by student pranks, painted, dressed up, and occasionally stolen or hidden by rivals over the decades.
• Replacements: Because of damage and disappearances, the statue went through multiple versions or incarnations, including a replacement installed in 1967.
• The Move to Malibu: When the campus moved to Malibu in the 1970s, the tradition followed, and a commemorative new version of Dolores was installed on the Malibu campus in 2012 for the university's 75th anniversary.