<p>Is this something new? DD got an invitation to attend an overnight stay at a college she has been accepted to attend. The catch is that they are charging $75. There doesn't seem to be anything special for the amount charged, typical overnight with a student, dinner & breakfast, and a classroom visit. I've never heard of such a thing but I'm wondering if this is a new trend. The message it send to me is that this school might nickel and dime us to death of the next for years. What do you think?</p>
<p>I had to pay for a one day tour at umich, a fee for myself and each of my parents.</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound right to me! My children have received these type of invites over the years & we weren’t charged anything! That is like charging you for lunch in the dining hall when you tour the campus, it should be no charge! They are recruiting the student after all.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of such a thing, either. It sounds like they are generating some $$. I would be curious to know what school…</p>
<p>University of Scranton invitation requires $75 payment w/ RSVP</p>
<p>Send a PM to Kitty56, whose 2 kids were very happy there, to see if htis is new and/or a sign of nickel and diming.</p>
<p>It seems odd to me, but perhaps they have the sense that many overnighters are not really interested in them.</p>
<p>I guess you have not “seenitall” until now!</p>
<p>If they wanted to raise funds or determine seriousness of students, they should have charged an application fee. I would have more willing paid money for that. This I will not pay.</p>
<p>You are right, I only thought I had seen it all :)</p>
<p>I just could not resist! ;)</p>
<p>I host prospective high school students at my ‘elite’ LAC – I get paid nothing from admissions and the students don’t pay anything to overnight. They even get free meal tickets, access to any courses, etc. This is definitely some nickle-and-diming.</p>
<p>I know that there was some sort of fee for Owl Days at Rice, but it was nowhere near $75!</p>
<p>I know of schools that charge something like $15 for their University Days (or whatever), but the kids usually get a T shirt or something! and a meal!</p>
<p>I’m guessing that with the economy so terrible and with so many students trophy hunting by applying to up to 30 schools, schools now are having to charge for services that they used to offer for free. Charging also is a way of weeding out the students who’d be happy to have a free weekend at the college, but have no intention of attending the college.</p>
<p>This was an already accepted student. I MAYbe could see charging for overnights, or better, not offering them, to prospective <em>applicants</em> but accepted students? Seems all wrong to me. This is when they should be really wooing the kids they accepted and hoping they will choose them. S did not visit any schools until he had been accepted, and each one was pretty eager to have him visit, some more generous than others as far as overnighting and meals and what not. Some just offered a tour and talks and to sit in on some classes; some offered an overnight stay in a dorm, and meals in addition to that. I can tell you, the ones where he got to stay overnight made the biggest impression and ended up being the ones he chose from. One just offered a student tour. We had to pull teeth to get him to be able to sit in on some classes. Not great feelings engendered with that one. Anyway, it seems foolish of the school but perhaps they have over-accepted. If they can’t afford housing all their accepted students, it seems they should offer the visit with an overnight with fee - maybe $25 - and a non-overnight visit without meals for free. Both versions should allow the student to sit in on a class or 2. I would think they will lose out on some of their accepted students. Guess they don’t care.</p>
<p>$75 is a way of getting a firm commitment that your student will attend. $75 is not too much but enough to insure that your kid will show up for the overnight program. You may get it waived if it is a hardship to your family. Call Admissions.</p>
<p>I vaguely remember my D being charged a “registration fee” of $25-$30 by one college for such an event last year. I think there was a field trip/restaurant meal included, so it seemed reasonable for the weekend.</p>
<p>I agree that schools charge it so that kids who aren’t serious about attending the school won’t just attend for the fun free weekend away from home. My kids both paid a fee for Owl Weekend at Rice, but I thought that it was a good way to limit it to serious candidates only. It is not a sign that the college is going to nickle and dime you to death, at least not at Rice.</p>
<p>One place where d applied “charged” a nominal amount but returned it after completion of the overnight - could that be the case here?</p>
<p>what’s worse than $75 is the tuition bill they send when you accept! shocking that they want money for their services:)</p>
<p>The University Of Scranton has been charging that fee for a while.</p>