It's getting into college that's expensive
Tue, 2008-02-12 05:24
#1
rural - Francesca
It's getting into college that's expensive
Tue, 2008-02-12 05:24
#2
rural - Francesca
Cost to apply to 5 colleges: $85.00
Pre Admissions exam: $35
Pre Admissions exam: $45
Proctoring of both exams: $150
Total cost without any admissions: $315
The cost of watching my daughter get upset as each college produces more and more upfront fees: beyond painful
They are killing me. I have a very tight budget and the colleges are throwing these "must write and exam and THEN we'll consider you" exams at us with exam fees etc.
She wants to go to college and use to get excited as the mail was coming in addressed to her with all the information about the colleges. Now she sees the mail as another cash grab by the college.
I can see them saying "yes we want you but first write this exam", but they aren't they are saying "pay for this exam and we'll consider you".
Tue, 2008-02-12 06:04
#3
I see this as a hangover from the days of the Harrisite vandals, who put a stranglehold on everyones spendng from Social Services to Education and more. Institutions which could, had to get pretty creative about finding user fees they could stick on anything.
When I started at York as a mature student, many decades ago, I had to do some testing, having virtually no highschool. Didn't cost me a thing. I passed the test, and by the time they found out how mature I really was, the cheque had cleared and it was too late.
I should admit that during the hard financial time of the Rae years, he started the practice of expanding user fees for gov't services.
[ 12 February 2008: Message edited by: oldgoat ]
Tue, 2008-02-12 06:08
#4
rural - Francesca
It just frustrates me as she's stressing like crazy over the cost of things.
I just got some advice as to how many of these exams should she take, one is from her top two the other is from her bottom two. But they said to take them all just in case she can't get into her top two.
It's all a big cash grab, and I hate it, hate it hate it.
I don't mind paying my way, but service fees should be for services.
Tue, 2008-02-12 06:23
#5
Quick question? Who administers these exams? I'm going to be facing that with my oldest next year and I want to know what I'm going to be facing.
Tue, 2008-02-12 07:11
#6
What types of exams are your kids taking? I feel old. I applied for universities in 99 and don’t recall having to write any kind of entrance or placement tests. I did have to pay application fees of course. Other than the TOEFL for ESL students and the SAT for US schools, I can’t think of any pre-admission tests.
Tue, 2008-02-12 10:42
#7
rural - Francesca
Due to the distance she can write the exams at the High School.
I think it depends on which schools your kids apply to, if they do this pre-admission cash grab.
These are all general knowledge exams! I would have thought with the Grade 10 literacy test these things would be irrelevant
Fri, 2008-02-15 09:01
#8
I wanted to do Lakehead's three year college diploma to an degree program in two year's time after graduating community college. There were a handful of universities able to do this at the time. The only thing that stood in my way was the outrageous cost at the time. The cost isn't outrageous today, it's insane and contributing largely to the two-tiered access to post-secondary ed based on ability to pay not academic merit.
Fri, 2008-02-15 22:18
#9
As one of the purposes of college is to help children transition into adulthood, what could be more adult than a fistful of mail with your name on it, saying "You owe us..."
Just wait for the sticker shock upon your first visit to the Uni bookstore with reading list in hand. [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img]
Sat, 2008-02-16 11:14
#10
quote:
Originally posted by Fleabitn:
[b]As one of the purposes of college is to help children transition into adulthood, what could be more adult than a fistful of mail with your name on it, saying "You owe us..."Just wait for the sticker shock upon your first visit to the Uni bookstore with reading list in hand. [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img] [/b]
I remember a business statistics "Text Book" I was forced to buy (many, many, moons ago). It was a compilation of poorly photocopied articles and pages of other text books that 2 of our University's professors had "authored". It was mandatory for the course, about 50 - 100 pages of plagiarism and about $25.00 To this day I amazed at how blatant this unethical behavior was and how oblivious their colleagues and the University Administration was to the hypocrisy and unethical nature of their behavior. That experience sums up my view of higher education, and to a certain extent, the nature of any bureaucracy and the business world in general.
[ 16 February 2008: Message edited by: Yibpl ]
[ 16 February 2008: Message edited by: Yibpl ]