Warning: That hidden cost they don't tell you about

[RushnStudies]

I suppose I could have written this in the Academics forum, but I read Harry's message there stating that that forum was meant for curious questions and encouraging answers. This isn't an encouraging or a disparaging post; I could probably best classify it as a gripe and an informative warning.

We moved my older son into his dorm on campus last week. This week, he's been enjoying First Flight and going to run the track at Pohl every day. He likes his roommate well enough; they won't be OMG-besties, but they get along fine. He's been hanging out with some new friends, playing basketball and stuff like that. So far, he is really glad of his decision to stay near home and attend UNT.

Today, my husband took our boy to the bookstore to buy his books. He's taking 16 hours total; two one-hour classes don't have books, and he's in a remedial course thanks to the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). While he excels in some areas-- for example, he's all but fluent in the foreign language he studied for 4 years in high school-- he struggles in one area in particular. He has to take this remedial course, which counts towards his semester hourly course total and his GPA but *not* towards core requirements for UNT, before he can take the next level of course that *will* count towards his core.

Imagine our surprise when we looked at his fee statement and found a charge for $600 for that remedial class. Not $30 to $40 for the language lab, not $40 to $50 for an online class, but a SIX HUNDRED DOLLAR instructional fee for ONE class. In addition to the tuition for the course, mind you. And at the bookstore this morning, he learned that the two books he needs for this class cost over $350 total. And of course, these are books that he can't use for any other course at UNT. We then learned that these remedial classes aren't taught by UNT faculty; they contract the course out to instructors from NCTC and pass along that fee to the students and their families. You really mean to tell me that you can't find some doctoral students in the departments to teach those remedial classes?

There are certain costs that are associated with college attendance, yes. I saw my husband through his advanced degrees and I'm getting one at UNT now. It would just have been very nice... and prudent... for us to be told that we were going to have to pay an additional $600 (and if you add in the books, it's almost $1000) for *one* (ONE!) course that he is required to take before he can take his core (and thereby also required) course in this area.

So, fair warning to those of you who have almost college-aged kids who may struggle in one TSI area... save up some additional cash just in case they don't achieve the scores they need to on the SAT/ACT/TSI.

[UNTFan23]

I wonder if that $600 fee in part pays the salary of the imported professor from another institution.

[RushnStudies]

16 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

I wonder if that $600 fee in part pays the salary of the imported professor from another institution.

I'm sure it does. I'm not opposed to class-related fees; I just don't like that I've had to pay tuition and fees to UNT twice, once for UNT and once for NCTC *through* UNT.

[UNT90]

Could he have still enrolled at UNT while taking that class at the JC? That would no doubt save money, which means it probably isn't allowed.

[FirefightnRick]

5 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Could he have still enrolled at UNT while taking that class at the JC? That would no doubt save money, which means it probably isn't allowed.

Was gonna ask the same thing?

 

Rick

[LongJim]

Sure he can.  Kids do it all the time.  I would encourage him to take any "core" stuff at nctc and transfer it to UNT.  It'll save him a lot of $.

[oldguystudent]

Unless you're getting a full ride, it's kinda a financial fool's game to go freshman/sophomore years at a four-year university anymore.  What does that extra $20,000+ a year get you?  Football tickets?

[Green P1]

Drop now.  Get all your monies back.  Take remedial math at NCTC. Sleep through it.  Next go ahead and take College Algebra at NCTC. Sleep through it as well.   

Problem solved and you're welcome.