This was interesting. I knew about the fee situation at The University of Massachusetts, but the fees charged by The University of Oklahoma were new to me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/education/edlife/those-hidden-college-fees.html
Fees might qualify as QEE for the American Opportunity Tax credit, along with books. So even if the student got a full tuition scholarship, if the family qualifies for AOTC they can claim up to $4000 of QEE (qualified education expenses) for a tax credit of up to $2500.
@mommdc
AOTC is a good thing if families qualify for the full deduction, however low income families may not get the whole benefit if they zero out their tax liability. In any case, I think it’s important that the fees are made clear at the outset so that students and their families are not blindsided by a bill after enrollment.
The AOTC is not a deduction. It is a credit.
I think she meant that only 40% or up to $1,000 of AOTC is refundable. So if there is no tax liability to reduce, the maximum credit they might qualify for is $1,000.
I did say that qualified fees might be able to be claimed for AOTC for up to $2,500, if family qualifies ( there are upper income limits that apply as well).
And I agree, the NPC and college aid letter should clearly outline those fees. And that tuition scholarship doesn’t cover them.
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The university’s fees are now $3,803 — 45 percent of its total tuition and fee charges. Mr. Hamilton is quick to add that students voted in favor of this approach.
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Lol…students voted…how many of them are actually paying those fees out of their own pocket (not parents, not aid, not loans)
Those fees aren’t “hidden” they are included in the estimated COA published by the university. All the fees, and there are several, are broken down on the school’s website.
I found OU’s fees to be hidden when researching. You have to known your student’s major and then tease out all the extra fees. Their fees are way too high and make the NMSF award not as great as it appears initially, especially for business and engineering students.