One of the many things on University students’ minds is money and what they are actually investing their money into. Students tend to stress over finding ways to make money and stay away from being the typical “broke college student.”
Many students worry about being able to pay back their student loans and wonder if the University’s ever-increasing tuition and fees are actually worth it. The University should do a better job with explaining each fee in detail to avoid confusion with students about where their money actually goes.
The University’s tuition increases every year, and there is a huge difference between in-state and out-of-state fees. To some, it may seem unfair that you even have to pay extra to be a student coming from out of state when you are making the school more diverse. In addition to paying tuition and fees, students also have to pay for room and board, books and supplies.
A lot of students I have spoken to question why they even have to pay for books and subscriptions to classes. This raises the question: what does tuition actually cover? Students have paid thousands of dollars, and some are falling deep into debt that will take years to pay off.
Many students are both confused and blindsided by the lack of transparency on the fee bill. If the University allowed potential applicants to view the fee bill before having to pay the almost $50 application fee, it would clear up confusion among prospective students.
Aside from being blindsided by the fee bill, many students have to pay for “required” textbooks and subscriptions to online courses. Some of these books are used for just a semester and can cost over $100. The subscriptions basically equate to students paying to be in an online class, but still having to go to class two or three times a week. Most online subscriptions are better at instructing the students rather than the professors.
As a second-semester freshman, I am still learning about the college process. I found it strange that I had to pay for books and subscriptions in nearly every class. Even some extracurricular activities that I was interested in cost money. I wondered what I had paid for with my tuition money.
It would help students if professors allowed us to see their class requirements before we joined it. Every professor has a different syllabus and a different way of doing things. If we had better insight on this information, other than sites like RateMyProfessor.com, then it would make things easier for students. Doing this would allow students to be prepared for class by knowing the expectations and financial responsibilities associated with them.
It is understandable that these ways have been sewn into the University for years so changing the status quo won’t be easy. However, we can agree that no one wants to be confused on what they are investing their money into. Allowing us to know what we pay for helps us to make better fiscal and personal decisions in our path through college life. The University should make an effort to move toward these changes and be more transparent with what students are paying for. Let’s “debunk” the fee bill.
Te’Kayla Pittman is a 19-year-old mass communication freshman from Atlanta, Georgia.