Going rates for summer sessions

Parents Forum
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<p>My son will have to take chemistry this summer, as a prerequisite for next year's engineering course. </p>

<p>Since state cutbacks are not giving us the option of a local public university, and I really wouldn't want to send son there anyway, we've got the option of the selective private university, or the small Catholic university. We prefer the small Catholic university because son attended an enrichment program there, and he liked the campus. He didn't apply because they don't have an engineering program.</p>

<p>However, we are shocked to find that it will cost us close to 6K for him to attend both sessions of summer session, to get a full year of chemistry.</p>

<p>I attended summer sessions 30 years ago when I was in college, at a private university, and I was able to pay for it by working full time on campus during the summer. I know tuition rates have gone up since then, but this is ridiculous!</p>

<p>Since son attends an OOS flagship, he is considered a transient student, and therefore, does not qualify for financial aid. So, we're having to do this out of pocket. </p>

<p>I was wondering what the going rate is for courses at y'all's neck of the woods. We do not have a community college, which I know some other states have that students can take cheaper courses at, so we don't have that option, either.</p>

<p>For those of you who do have community colleges that offer courses such as chemistry, for science majors, how much do you have to pay?</p>

<p>And those of you who go to your local public or private university, how much does a summer course run you?</p>

<p>Chemistry is a four credit class, three hours of lecture, plus one hour of lab, plus I'm sure there will be lab fees and textbook costs as well.</p>

<p>I know I'm experiencing sticker shock here, but I'm wondering if the price is the norm, or I'm a victim of the "beggers can't be choosy" philosophy.</p>

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<p>Would he get financial aid if he stayed at his OOS school over the summer?</p>

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<p>I think that Community College is around $150/credit hour and then there are a few small fees. So Chem 1+2 would be $1,200 + probably around $150 in miscellaneous stuff + books. Local state university would be $2,590 ($320/credit + $30 registration). So your private school is more than double the local state u here which, to me, isn’t that surprising.</p>

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<p>I looked at Boston University and it came to $4,800.</p>

<p>I just looked at Boston College and it comes very close to your $6,000 number.</p>

<p>Wow! These are expensive for summer courses. I recall taking summer courses at Boston College for $300 - $400.</p>

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<p>D is taking a 5 credit course at our local CC this summer. Tuition and fees are $530. Back in the day I took a couple summer courses at a local Catholic private and I paid the same per credit tuition that was charged during the year. Back then it wasn’t bad; today it would be ridiculously expensive.</p>

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<p>Five chemistry credits (class and two labs) plus fees at our local big state school branch: $2795.00.</p>

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<p>My daughter took 12 credits at our local CC last summer and I paid just under $2000 plus books. They waived the parking fee for her. Over the winter break, she took a 4 credit online course at a different CC for which I paid $648. It was a science class on ornithology and she had the idea of contacting our public library, which was able to obtain the $150 textbook and the $400 videotapes that she needed on inter-library loan for free. The videos were fun - the entire family watched them and we learned a great deal about birds.</p>

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<p>^^^It looks like it will be close to 6K including fees and books. But at least he’ll live at home. If he stays at OOS, I don’t know if he’ll get financial aid, but he’ll be charged a similar per credit rate, plus, have to pay room and board. </p>

<p>In past years, the local Catholic gave reduced summer rates to entice students to attend their school rather than the other private or even the local public. But since there aren’t many options available because of cutbacks for local kids in the public arena, I don’t think they’re going to make those offers. There are, so far, only 5 students enrolled in the 30 seat class, so I’m wondering if they’ll cut the cost to lure more students. Class starts in less than a month, but the bill hasn’t been posted, as the school is closed for Easter holidays. I’m wondering if I should look into taking out a loan just to take this class, as not taking it will set him back a year in his engineering curriculum, which will be much more costly in the long run than paying this amount right now.</p>

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<p>Our community college is $40 per unit. Chem is 4 units plus 1 unit lab. $200 no other fees, parking is relatively cheap $25 for the year, free for the summer. Books used on ebay or craig’s list.</p>

<p>Local 4 year with an engineering school $119 per credit, chem with lab 4 units ($480). Parking pass for the year $99. Same text as CC. And sometimes the same teacher. School of engineeering one of the better ones.</p>

<p>Tution during the summer is more per unit at the 4 year than during the regular academic year because after 12 unit mark tuition is one lump sum. So son who took 22 units was charged less than the $119 per unit. However, the $119 for engineering units is still a good deal.</p>

<p>Some of the other campuses in the state system charge less than the $119 per unit for the summer. Varies depending on the campus. State flagship is a little more, but not by much.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>^^^Wow, kat, what state do you live in? </p>

<p>Here in Louisiana, we pay minimal property taxes, so we get what we pay for. Education is on the bottom of our state’s priority list, so those who do want to send their kids to college, even a decent high school, pay dearly for it. We paid close to 8K a year for son’s high school, just Catholic, not selective private, and it’s killing me I’m going to have to pay close to a year’s high school tuition for two sessions of one course. Our selective private high schools are close to 20K/year. </p>

<p>I’m so grateful son took the full ride to the OOS flagship rather than the 30K/year Midwest Catholic. He still would have had to take chemistry during the summer, so we would be looking at an even bigger loan for freshman year. We only have one child because we couldn’t afford to educate more than one. I can’t imagine how people with multiple children do it.</p>

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<p>Public higher education in the Northeast is faily expensive too compared to a few states in the West. I believe that California Community College courses run around $30/credit hour but their state has a huge budget problem. A few people that I work with send their kids to a private school about 30 minutes away and tuition costs about $20K/child/year. It’s a good private school but I wouldn’t call it in the most selective category. Parochial schools used to be very inexpensive in our area but they’ve moved up quite a bit in price too. The Catholic priests scandel in Boston may have had something to do with that.</p>

<p>Since you don’t have other higher education costs, can you make use of the American Opportunity Tax Credit to offset the costs of the summer courses? This credit provides you with $2,500 for $4,000 in education expenses.</p>

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<p>It’s been two years but S1 stayed and took classes for the first summer term at his out of state public, and it was about $3000.</p>

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<p>^^^Whoa, thanks, BCEAgle! We will look into that tax credit. I guess we would use that when we pay our 2011 taxes? </p>

<p>^^^And mom3boys, that’s about right. I checked out son’s OOS summer cost, and it would be about 3K per session. He would need to take two. Add room and board on top of that, and it’s cheaper to stay at home. Not that I could get him to go away for the summer, anyway.</p>

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<p>NC- So our state flagship is UNC-Chapel Hill, state system has 16+ campuses
And our property taxes are very low compared to NE</p>

<p>Reason why we moved here from CA 8 years ago, had 5 children to educate. All attended local public school for high school and had many options for undergrad and now grad school.</p>

<p>One of son’s options for med school this fall is UNC and med school tuition in-state is $13,652 per year. Vet school for daughter is $11,989 per year.</p>

<p>Cost of living is relatively low, so that also helps. </p>

<p>Glad we moved, esp. with the increase the UC’s are looking at.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>Yes, it would be claimed on your 2011 return.</p>

<p>The credit applies to books too. It’s too late to use it on your 2010 return unless you file a corrected form - I don’t know if it’s worth your while to do that.</p>

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<p>^^^We were able to use some expenses on this year’s return, even though son had a full scholarship. Fees and books do add up. Thanks for the heads up on this tax credit, as we will definitely use it for next year’s return.</p>

<p>^^^North Carolina. I hear it’s a beautiful state. Never been. Those are excellent prices for vet and grad school. Good info to keep in mind when son gets married and settles down, to try to settle in areas with good public higher education.</p>

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<p>General Chemistry? Community college is the way to go.</p>

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<p>Bemidji State -
$230 per credit hour, and it’s the same whether you are in state or out of state.
[Tuition</a> & Fees :: Admission & Registration :: Summer Session :: Academics :: Bemidji State University](<a href=“http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/summer/admission/tuition/]Tuition”>http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/summer/admission/tuition/)
And the weather is nice in Bemidji in the summer!</p>

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<p>Local state college, about $1000 for a three credit class.</p>

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<p>In WA, two 5-credit (quarter system) courses would cost $870+fees at a community college, at the University of Washington, 2-3 undergrad courses cost $2,860+fees. Wash State U (semester system) charges $2,580+fees for two undergrad courses ie $430 per credit.</p>

<p>Assuming I take summer courses, I’m taking them in Nevada since all students pay the in-state rate and undergrad courses are $174.75 per credit (Chem is 4, but most courses are 3) and graduate courses are 252.50 per credit, fees included. I’m quite okay with paying $757.50 for a graduate level course that would cost tuition + $230 in fees at my home university.</p>