I go to a independent graduate school that shall remain unnamed.
I just found out upon starting my summer semester that tuition has gone up to $780 per credit. When I started two years ago, I was paying $695 per credit. They raised it about $40 last summer, but were kind enough ( :rolleyes: ) to notify us the day before we recieved our bill.
So my question is:
A. Is this ethical? Can they really just up the cost with no notification. I subsist entirely on loans and we had to decide how much money we were asking for MONTHS ago. I’m on a tight budget as it is (along with pretty much all of my fellow students) and even a $40 increase can throw that off. (Remember, this is per credit, so its not just 40 bucks, its an extra $200 this semester and $480 in the fall and spring.)
What do you think? Par for the course or bad business practices?
Thanks for letting me vent, dopers. In my short time here so far, I have really enjoyed the experience. Of course, I was waiting for my loan check refund so I could register, but with this, now, who knows. Bah. Stupid school.
The lack of notice doesn’t seem ethical to me, and I’m not sure whether it’s a good business practice. Depending on the type of school it is, they run the risk of students saying “Screw it, I’m not paying that” and dropping out.
This is pretty severe, but it’s not the first time a university considered themselves above common courtesy.
A friend of mine would never get his quarterly tuition bill on time. It always came weeks late. And it’s not like tuition was due at some fixed date, like 2 weeks before the start of the quarter, or the first day of classes, or something. No, it always shifted. So the only solution to his complaints after 3 or 4 $50 late fees was to watch the Cashier’s office website like a hawk for whenever they eventually decided to post the due dates. Suck.
I’d say more about my own problems with my university, but then the evil ninja monkey assassins will be after me.
Last fall I got a note in my tuition bill which stated (paraphrased) “The state budget hasn’t been passed yet so we don’t know how much we are going to raise your tuition but pay us $XXXX now and we’ll send you a bill when we figure out the raise”
I read the note and was therefore not surprised when the second bill came two monthes later (give or take slightly). Some of my classmates were peeved because they didn’t read the note and therefore had no warning and suddenly had two weeks to come up with $500 (or whatever, an amount which might have made a difference in how many credits they tried to take- or how many movies they watched or whatever.)
Now, admittedly, this was a state university and therefore not equivalent to your situation. But I fear in general that students get the short end of the stick when it comes to being treated with respect - especially where money is concerned. .
I was so busy comiserating that I only now thought of advice.
If you’re on a really tight budget, you might want to talk to them about how it will take a while to sort out your loans. It is just possible that they can work with you. Ask for what you would have paid now, get the rest later situation.
Here’s a similar story of hope I can offer without monkey wrath: I’m trying to get relabeled as a state resident so I can pay less tuition. I’ve been living here for 5 years and haven’t even been enrolled for the past year, so I should be a California resident by now. The University asked for some documenation, including copies of my parent’s taxes, and wanted everything in a week. I called and pointed out how there was no way I could get what they wanted given how far away my parents live. They said it was cool, just get it as soon as possible. Admittedly, I was floored by their sudden cooperativeness, but it might work for you too. Lightning can strike twice.