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No, it should not be refunded. If you aren't serious about getting into a school, don't apply. If you get rejected to every school you apply to then maybe you should rethink your application strategy.
Since the internet has taken hold the college application process is very streamlined and really not all that difficult any longer. Fees are really not all that bad, many schools don't charge an application fee for online applications too. Those that do give pause to some students that may be applying just to apply. You know going into the game that there will most likely be a fee-$25-50 usually. Individually they are not all that expensive but collectively they add up. It is somewhat of a deterrent and no, I don't think they should be refunded if a student doesn't get in. There is time and expense on the college's side to process each and every application. That is what the fee is for.
Goodness. People can be very presumptious on CD. I didn't vote, but I posted yes. And yes, I did get into college. I thought that the money should be refunded so it could go to another use. The money that I used sending an application to another college could have been used for paying for books. But I am a cheap person anyways...so.
Goodness. People can be very presumptious on CD. I didn't vote, but I posted yes. And yes, I did get into college. I thought that the money should be refunded so it could go to another use. The money that I used sending an application to another college could have been used for paying for books. But I am a cheap person anyways...so.
The fees can be very expensive and add up. The educational costs at universities in the USA are obscene.
When I was a senior in high school, it was typical for a student to apply to four, or perhaps six, schools tops (one reach, one safety, and then two to four matches). These days, at least according to Internet forums and boards, teenagers are applying to 10, 11, 15+ colleges with five or six of those being reaches, "Just because you never know if you don't apply".
I can understand the sentiment of wanting a refund for a dejected admittance decision, I've been there. Then again, I knew full well that I was taking a chance by applying, and basically kissed that money good-bye.
It's just ridiculous to think that a school should give the money back. College is not a birth-right. Everyone applies on their own accord.
Do you think you should receive a refund if you do not win the Lottery? I mean, the Lottery sure does go out of its way "promising" that someone, you, will be a winner if you play.
Quote:
Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist
I don't think a return of fee would result in a rise in applications. College applications still take an enormous amount of time to complete, and for many students the fee is the least of their concerns.
I agree in part, but many kids just cut/paste information from one app to another, even though they should taylor each application to the specific school.
Besides, who is paying the fee? The 18 year old, or their parents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by poletop1
The fees can be very expensive and add up. The educational costs at universities in the USA are obscene.
As stated, no one is forced to apply to any university in the U.S. And, if the application fee is a burden, many universities offer application-fee waivers.
First, it would be unfair for the people who actually did get accepted, and paid the fee.
Second, the cost of tuition would have to be adjusted because something would ultimately have to cover the cost of processing all of the applications from people who weren't even paying to have their application viewed.
Third, application fees are an investment in a student's future. Without application fees, schools would be flooded with applications from students who had no hope of ever being accepted. This would be expensive, time consuming, and unfair to legitimate candidates.
When I was a senior in high school, it was typical for a student to apply to four, or perhaps six, schools tops (one reach, one safety, and then two to four matches). These days, at least according to Internet forums and boards, teenagers are applying to 10, 11, 15+ colleges with five or six of those being reaches, "Just because you never know if you don't apply".
I can understand the sentiment of wanting a refund for a dejected admittance decision, I've been there. Then again, I knew full well that I was taking a chance by applying, and basically kissed that money good-bye.
It's just ridiculous to think that a school should give the money back. College is not a birth-right. Everyone applies on their own accord.
Do you think you should receive a refund if you do not win the Lottery? I mean, the Lottery sure does go out of its way "promising" that someone, you, will be a winner if you play.
I agree in part, but many kids just cut/paste information from one app to another, even though they should taylor each application to the specific school.
Besides, who is paying the fee? The 18 year old, or their parents?
As stated, no one is forced to apply to any university in the U.S. And, if the application fee is a burden, many universities offer application-fee waivers.
I simply think the costs are outrageous here, especially when using an ounce of context and comparing to most developed or emerging countries. It is such a deplorable state that the business model has infected institutes of higher learning and that even so-called public universities are charging more than many foreign private universities. I think the combination of high cost and loan system is antithetical to the purpose of university.
First, it would be unfair for the people who actually did get accepted, and paid the fee.
Second, the cost of tuition would have to be adjusted because something would ultimately have to cover the cost of processing all of the applications from people who weren't even paying to have their application viewed.
Third, application fees are an investment in a student's future. Without application fees, schools would be flooded with applications from students who had no hope of ever being accepted. This would be expensive, time consuming, and unfair to legitimate candidates.
Maybe it should be the other way around and those that got accepted get a refund of the fee if they attend .
I simply think the costs are outrageous here, especially when using an ounce of context and comparing to most developed or emerging countries. It is such a deplorable state that the business model has infected institutes of higher learning and that even so-called public universities are charging more than many foreign private universities. I think the combination of high cost and loan system is antithetical to the purpose of university.
Universities in other countries, in particular Europe, are catching up to the U.S. (not all European countries/states/universities are free. And those that are generally come at the cost of high income taxes), maybe not as fast, but many changes are being made that will dramatically increase the cost of attending university.
Another thing to consider are average salaries and taxes. Just because the cost of higher education is cheaper in another country does not mean it is cheaper over-all for a resident of that country when you factor in wages and how much of their income goes towards taxes.
Besides, this thread is about application fees and whether or not they should be refunded if the student is denied admittance. There are plenty (emphasis on plenty) of other treads in this Forum discussing the high-cost of tuition in America.
Removing the application fee, or offering a refund if denied, would cause an increase in applications for many universities across the country. Why? Because the application fee is the check-and-balance of sorts for college admission in that it prevents students from applying to an asinine number of colleges/universities. Too many students these days are already applying to too many reaches (the buckshot effect). If applying was free, that number would increase. I mean, if you applied to every top school in the U.S., surely one would say yes, right
As Golfgal mentioned, some universities offer to remove the application fee if the student applies on-line. And, as I stated previously, many universities offer an application-fee waiver.
But, the bottom line is that if you do not want to waste your money, then don't apply. Then again, would you be wasting your money if you thought you actually had a chance with a particular school?
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Goodness. People can be very presumptious on CD. I didn't vote, but I posted yes. And yes, I did get into college. I thought that the money should be refunded so it could go to another use. The money that I used sending an application to another college could have been used for paying for books. But I am a cheap person anyways...so.
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