Fees, fees, fees!!!

[3timesoccermom]

I am so irked about the numerous fees we are all paying on EVERYTHING.

My middle daughter returns to college soon. They offer early move-in one day early. She goes to apply, there is a $31 fee.

Get the tuition bill today, there is a $15 fee IF you make payments (we don't).

Check out the breakdown of fees from Spring 2011. Room/board, tuition and meal plan not included.

This color - I don't even know what these are.
This color - she didn't use the health center.
This color - she didn't play recreational sports!
This color - I guess we'd have to pay this regardless of whether she had her own computer. The "wireless" network didn't even work.
This color - why do WE pay an international education fee??

CLLA Instr/Equip Enhancement ...... $60.00
CLLA Instr/Equip Enhancement ...... $9.00
CLSC Instr/Equip Enhancement ...... $97.87
CLSC Instr/Equip Enhancement ...... $121.00
Health Center Fee .................... $71.25
Transportation Fee ................... $70.00
Recreational Sports Fee ............. $101.92
Student Center Complex Fee ....... $100.00
Environmental fee .................... $3.00
Library Use Enhancement Fee....... $237.00
Library Access Fee .................... $159.75
Computer Access/EIS Fee ........ $60.00
Computer Access/Instr Tech .... $72.00
Computer Access Fee .............. $244.95
Career Center Fee .................... $6.75
University Writing Fee ............... $8.00
International Education Fee ..... $4.00
Bursar Services Fee ......... $8.25
Advising Services Fee ...... $136.50
Student Services Fee ...... $179.64
Software License Fee ...... $18.75
Energy Fee .................... $60.00
Identification Card-Maint Fee..... $3.00

[mom25grls]

Yeah, they get you coming and going with college. I'm in and have fees that there are NO way I will use....I live in my own home, raising kids....LOL My daughters both lived in dorms one year..THAT was it. Was cheaper for them to rent an apartment, they were paying for meal plans which they couldn't use because their work schedules and class schedules didn't work with the cafeteria and they were REQUIRED to purchase the cafeteria plan. They were paying for food they didn't eat AND then having to pay for more food so they could eat! Is ridiculous! They should let the sports things be optional, not many really use the the equipment, like a punch card or something for those who want it and then THEY pay for it!

[Rene S]

Both an environmental and energy fee? WTH?

[clippyclippy]

That's for one semester???
Adds up to 1800+! So, 3600 for the whole year?

My dd goes off to college this coming w/e. I wasn't fretting over the fees, because they don't itemize them. Ignorance is bliss I guess!
But at least they are only 410.00 for the semester... 820.00 for the year, plus 150.00 parking.
It's probably a good thing I don't know what the fees are for.
But if I was paying for all that stuff, I'd be pretty hot too!

[3timesoccermom]

clippyclippy - ha! They don't send you the itemization - you have to hunt for it. I didn't add it up but yes, that's 1 semester. I deleted the fees for room and board, tuition and the meal plan. Thank goodness for her 2 scholarships. Best of luck to you and your daughter. Are you sad? This time last year I was a basket case - boo hooing all the time. I am soooooo thankful for modern technology though - email, text messaging and Skype - just a few years ago it was a whole other ball game on trying to stay in touch with your kid(s) you know?

Rene S - Who knows? And don't tell them but an "environmental fee" is one that I actually wouldn't mind paying more for.

mom25grls - several of her friends will be in apartments this year and I did some figuring but it was no cheaper and I didn't want to take a chance with a slacker roommate that didn't pay or do their share. I feel she's safer in the dorm too. Starting next year all new students (not those previously enrolled) that live on campus will be required to purchase a meal plan which I think is bunk! Supposedly if you have allergies or some kind of special situation you can get out of it. That said we do buy a meal plan but I don't think it's right for them to force students to buy it.

[clippyclippy]

Yes Renee, I am sad. Very sad, in fact! The only thing that keeps me from boo hooing every day is that she'll be 50 minutes away. Also, the campus is supposedly pretty dead on the weekends, and she see's herself coming home quite a bit. But still, she's my oldest and we homeschool - so from being together all the time to just every few weeks is still a drastic change! She's ready though, and I just have to accept this.

She did get an amazing scholarship, but it requires her to pay for the dorm and meal plan and of course, the fees... he can't save money by living off campus for the whole 4 years. But considering everything, I'm not going to complain about that!

[Rene S]

mom25grls - several of her friends will be in apartments this year and I did some figuring but it was no cheaper and I didn't want to take a chance with a slacker roommate that didn't pay or do their share. I feel she's safer in the dorm too. Starting next year all new students (not those previously enrolled) that live on campus will be required to purchase a meal plan which I think is bunk! Supposedly if you have allergies or some kind of special situation you can get out of it. That said we do buy a meal plan but I don't think it's right for them to force students to buy it.

I am not surprised that they are requiring a meal plan. It "guarantees" a certain number of participants to the food service company. My alma mater required it for freshman and sophomores.

FWIW, when I was a junior and senior, I took the lowest meal plan available for the fall semester only and dropped it for the spring. If I needed extra money on the plan, I'd buy them in $50 increments. Sort of a PITA but it saved me a ton of money!

[GJohnson39]

I feel your pain! I sometimes think fees are a way for publically finded schools to get around any legislative limits on tuition increases. I've heard that a couple of states out east have tuition of around $1500 per semester and fees of almost $5000 for the same semester. OUCH!

If the school provides a service, everyone will be expected to pay - thus the health center, recreational center/activity type fees. DD used the health center exactly once last year, but we were very grateful that it WAS there when she needed it.

We are counting down the days here till move-in day. DD took the 2-year room & board plan, which allows her to move in early without a charge. We did have her drop her mandatory meal plan to the smallest offered. Even with adding in dining dollars to cover the lunches she will miss due to class/team schedule, we will be $1,300 ahead of last year (premium plan which went to waste as much as it was used). FWIW, it took an accountant and an engineer to massage the vague numbers we got from Residence Office to figure this all out!

[Spanelli8706]

mom25grls - several of her friends will be in apartments this year and I did some figuring but it was no cheaper and I didn't want to take a chance with a slacker roommate that didn't pay or do their share. I feel she's safer in the dorm too. Starting next year all new students (not those previously enrolled) that live on campus will be required to purchase a meal plan which I think is bunk! Supposedly if you have allergies or some kind of special situation you can get out of it. That said we do buy a meal plan but I don't think it's right for them to force students to buy it.

I didn't live on campus, I rented a room in a really nice 3 bedroom townhouse. I was matched with two other random people. Our billing was individual. They sent each roommate their portion and it was all separate. So if one person didn't pay, it was between that individual & the office... didn't affect the other two roommates at all. Our rates were a flat fee for everything- room/board, energy, furniture rental (we rented a common area furniture package, so everything was shared), parking, internet, maintenance, security, gym, pool, etc. for like $410/month each. And I was 5 minutes from campus. Several of my friends paid soooo much more than that to live on campus and a lot of my friends rented apartments and tried to take care of the billing/dividing on their own... (and it was drama just about every month). My cousin is now living in a similar situtaion for school and loves it as well.

I had full scholarships that paid everything except room/board, and my parents weren't helping me out at all...so this was the best option for me. I'd definitely explore your options... those fees are ridiculous too by the way.