<p>My daughter was accepted ED to cornell, without financial aid. So I am "reviewing" my finances to make sure things come out OK. It turns out to be important to me when the fees are due - all at start or quarterly or what? Can someone give me an idea?</p>
<p>Check with Cornell because all schools are different. Most divide by semester: first semester fees due in August and second in December. They also mail you payment plan details - for example, you can sign up for a program that divides the payments into 10 parts that are withdrawn monthly from the bank. You should get all the details and choices in the mail this summer.</p>
<p>When my S was accepted to his college, we signed up for a monthly plan. You start paying in June and pay on a monthly basis through the following March. You can sign up in July or August and pay the previous instalments as well as the current one. It cost something like $40 to sign up, and we arranged for direct debit. That is one option. Another is the two instalments, as explained by nedad.</p>
<p>You should go to Cornell's site and search for "Cornell installment plan" and you will be able to find what you need to know.</p>
<p>Note that the installment plans don't save you anything. They actually cost, given both the fee to set it up, and the fact that a good part of your money gets to the college long before the regular bill is due. So they get the interest.</p>
<p>So do you math carefully and note that there is no such thing as a free lunch.</p>
<p>Newmassdad: sometimes there <em>is</em> a free lunch. But, man, the drinks are expensive.</p>
<p>TheDad... :)</p>
<p>School where son was recently accepted charges 8% (APR) if you want to make monthly payments. ouch.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. That is the info I needed.</p>
<p>"sometimes there <em>is</em> a free lunch. But, man, the drinks are expensive."</p>
<p>And the food is <em>spicy</em></p>