So I signed up to take an online class at a community college over the summer. I didn’t pay immediately because I did not know if I wanted to take the class for sure. About a week before the class started, I decided that I did not want to take the course. I unfortunately got super busy with work, a funeral, military business, and I never got to dropping the course until a day after the course started. Hours after I dropped the course, I received an email saying that I need to pay a late fee on top of 50% of what the course costs (even though I dropped it and never started it). In addition to that, they said they sent me two warning emails (which they never actually did).
The total cost is over $1000 and the situation does not seem fair (yes, I know life isn’t fair). I wasn’t even allowed to access the course (because I didn’t pay) so I don’t see why they are charging me so much in the first place. The college is charging me for something I didn’t even take. I said that I would be willing to pay the late fee (because I understand I took way too long to drop the course), but no response yet. Is the college in the right to charge so much money for a course that I didn’t even start? It almost makes me want to pay the late fee and ignore the rest. What would happen if I do that? Any advice? Is it worth just paying up…?
What is the school’s policy on course withdrawal? it would say so on the website. If you don’t withdraw by the deadline you have to pay.
If you withdraw on the first day of the summer session, 100% refund. If you withdraw on the second day of the summer session, 50% refund.
If their policy says they can do it then they can.
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never got to dropping the course until a day after the course started.
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You owe the money.
Look at it from their perspective: they’ve hired a prof to teach the class. They have to pay that person.
What isn’t fair? They had an explicit policy and now they’re enforcing that. Very straight-forward.
So it’s fair to have me pay over $1000 dollars for a course that I’m not even taking? To claim to send out multiple emails about the dates when they really never sent any emails? They notified me of the 50% refund on the day of the 50% refund. Fair? I don’t think so but it’s one way to get money from students.
Go into the bursars office and talk to someone there. If the funeral and military business were required…not elective (funeral,was a family member…military was required with no internet access)…take documentation of this with you…and see if they will adjust for your lack of meeting the deadline.
If the class has limited seat, is it fair that you hold a seat and do not pay anything? You are late to drop the class and you owe them money. It does not matter if they send you the email or not.