<p>For D's school, if you sign up late, you have to make the payments up front that you missed.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>can it be used for cost of board etc or only for tuition cost?>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>It can be used for any costs that normally would be paid directly to the bursars office at the school. So if your child lives on campus, then yes...room and board could easily be included. If your child lives OFF campus...this would not be efficient as you would pay the college, then have to get a reimbursement for your overage at the end of the term. We use it for all bills paid directly to the college..tuition, room/board (while on campus), all fees, health insurance, etc.</p>
<p>By the way...for Tuition Pay, the COLLEGE determines what kind of payment plans, not Tuition Pay. For example...for freshman and sophomore years, we chose the 12 month payment plan for DD. This year, her school doesn't offer that option. They are doing a quarter by quarter plan (4-3-3 for a total of 10 payments). Truthfully we would have preferred 12 payments...but that was NOT an option this year. Also, the school automatically renews...but when we got our renewal, we had to call because the school picked a very random dollar amount. We called and corrected it...no problem. </p>
<p>As noted above, if you enroll late, you just have to pay all the "missed" payments with your first payment. BUT if you wait too long, you won't be able to do it for that term.</p>
<p>We also use a 10 month payment plan for S2's tuition, room & board. It's easier for us than having to come up with 2 huge lump sums. Since they're usually administered by private companies, I'd assume that most colleges have a relationship with one of those companies. It's certainly worth checking a school's website or calling the financial aid office to find out.</p>
<p>We've experienced both - have had a college that allowed monthly payments and a college that used Tuition Management. Both were very efficient and easy to use.</p>
<p>We use Sallie Mae's Tuition Pay Plan through D's school. We have to determine how much we will finance, and it's broken into 10 payments ($90 charge annually). The first payment was due in May, but we didn't begin then ... we started in July, but we had to pay 3 payments at that time (May, June, July). Last year, D was at a different school which used another payment service ($40/year). Some of the publics in our state have payment plans that they administer themselves.</p>
<p>We use Tuition Management on a 10 month payment plan. They are easy to work with. When DD1 wanted a less expensive food plan we were able to call them to adjust our monthly amount.</p>
<p>The payment plan works very well. Instead of having to get a huge loan right from the beginning, we elected to get the payment plan and pay if we could or use home equity for a payment if need be. So far(fingers crossed) we have not had to tap home equity. There is something about 10 payments that makes if so much easier to manage!</p>
<p>We used this one year when we had 2 kids in college. It was helpful because even though you started the payments earlier in the year, you were able to finish later than if you only had 2 large payments. The admin fee was $50.</p>
<p>Our son's school, like everywhere else, broke down his financial aid award into an amount expected from us (parents) and an amount expected from him (summer earnings). We used Tution Mgmt. Systems to break out the amount we as parents have to pay into 10 monthly payments, but my son paid his portion upfront from his summer earnings. So it's worked out really well; he can pay in a lump sum late in the summer and we don't have to add his expected contribution into our monthly payments. It's very flexible and easy to work out however works best for your family.</p>
<p>At the other end of the payment spectrum, last spring I remember a letter from a school my son declined that offered me a "single payment" option, claiming many families appreciate the ease of writing just one check by July 1st to cover the entire four years of tuition, room, board and fees.... I wish.</p>
<p>It could save you thousands of $$ in the long run, what with COA going up 5-7% a year in some cases.</p>
<p>I have also heard that most schools do offer payment plans & you can check with the bursar or cashier's office, since it isn't financial aid. At my S's school, it was administered by the school for Y1 & Y2 & it cost about $80/year with NO interest. It also allowed you to make 2 changes in the $ amount to be paid without penalty. His school also allows you to charge the payments at no additional cost. We used the payment plan for the 1st 2 years, when he was living on campus.</p>
<p>This year, he's off campus & they have contracted with some private company to do the payment plan; they charge $80/semester and you can't pay the off campus room & board on the payment plan. We did not use the payment plan for S this year but will probably use it for D this January, when she joins him, since she will be living in the dorm & we will be paying 2 tuitions <yikes> + room & board.</yikes></p>
<p>The credit card we use for all school expenses (including the payment plan) gives us points that we redeem for free airline tickets & other benefits.</p>
<p>At their school, those who can afford it can prepay tuition & are guaranteed not to have to pay for any increases for years they prepaid. It is something that some families (I believe) have done & saved significant sums.</p>
<p>I've inquired about pre-payment of tuition at my daughter's school and it requires at least 2 full years of payment by the time you pay the second semester of freshman year in order not to have any increases for following the years.</p>