$2340.20 for 2, 3 unit classes (6 units total)

AndrewS · 01-11-2012 at 11:45 AM

I'm registered for 2 classes (6 units altogether) this semester. I went to look at my payment agreement today and saw that I am suppose to pay $2340.20. It says tuition is $1499.72 which makes sense, but then I have $840.42 in supplementary fees, for a grand total of $2340.20. So that's $249.95 a unit ($1499.72/6 = 249.95. Although it says the courses are $178.54 and $177.69 on the website, is there at 29% tax or something?).

My last payment agreement was $6274.98. $5356.20 for 30 units and a $918.78 supplementary fee. First off, you're telling me that if I'm taking 10 courses, or 2 courses of the same worth, that I have to pay a supplementary fee that is only different by about 9%? So, it would also be the same for one course. So, if I took one course it would cost say $750 (cost of course) + $800 (supplementary fee), so I would be paying at least $1550 for 1 course whereas someone taking 10 courses would be paying $6274.98? $1550/$6274.98 = 0.247 x 100 = 25%. So for 1 class you would pay the equivalent of a quarter of paying for ten classes. Shouldn't a quarter of the cost of 10 classes be 2.5 classes?

Also, if I take the $5356.20 for 30 units and divide it by 30, I get $178.54. Which is what the website says the courses should cost me. So why am I being charged 29% more a class ($249.95 compared to $178.54) after a couple of months?

I'm fed up with the monopoly schools have. I am going to fight these costs. I suggest you look at your own payment agreement.

RyanC · 01-11-2012 at 12:11 PM

Okay first of all, could you clarify what you don't understand? You're throwing around a lot of numbers.

Regardless, from what I could glean: you don't understand the discrepency between listed price per unit, and don't agree with charging same supplementary fee regardless of # of units?

I don't know where you're getting 178 per unit from, because this site agrees with your actual cost per unit: http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...qXKq4Q&cad=rja

Also, yes, supplementary fees are a relative fixed cost.. full time students pay full time supp fees, part time students pay part time supp fees, and engineering overload caps the tuition (to some extent) once you're over like 30 units (I dont exactly understand this though)

AndrewS · 01-11-2012 at 01:57 PM

178 was what it cost me last term, now it is 250. The supplementary fees make some sense, but I guess I have to opt out of health and dental again if possible. Also, there is only a 9% difference in the supplementary fees from a 2 term full course load, to 2 courses in one term. Also, I paid a little bit more in supplementary fees last semester, dropped everything, got very little of my supplementary fees back, and now I have to pay pretty much the same amount for one term?

jhan523 · 01-11-2012 at 02:14 PM

Are you also taking into account the interest that's charged monthly?

RyanC · 01-11-2012 at 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewS

178 was what it cost me last term, now it is 250. The supplementary fees make some sense, but I guess I have to opt out of health and dental again if possible. Also, there is only a 9% difference in the supplementary fees from a 2 term full course load, to 2 courses in one term. Also, I paid a little bit more in supplementary fees last semester, dropped everything, got very little of my supplementary fees back, and now I have to pay pretty much the same amount for one term?

Your dispute then is: that the fee per unit has increased from 178 to 250, and supplementary fees.

I don't really pay that much to my tuition, but I did notice it going up. I know theres a max tuition increase but I'm not sure if anything is wonky.

What faculty and year were you in last year and what are you in now? Eng 1 to eng2? Commerce to eng?

Regardless if you drop all your courses, I don't think you ever get supplementary fee back.

Snowman · 01-11-2012 at 03:11 PM

i am pretty sure the supplimentary fees is independent from the number of courses you take (but you are grouped as full or part time). that means if you take 1 more course, you pay no more fees but you would pay the $178*(the number of credits of course).

This also caps costs. I have to take 40 units for my specific program in engineering, but i pay for 30. if i was to drop 2 courses, i would get no money back.

MacPack · 01-11-2012 at 04:06 PM

Actually supplementary fees are a mix of fixed and variable cost. Some parts are charge independent of #unit of courses while others are dependant usually to a max of 30 units. Tell us what year and what program you are in

Afzal · 01-11-2012 at 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan H.

i am pretty sure the supplimentary fees is independent from the number of courses you take (but you are grouped as full or part time). that means if you take 1 more course, you pay no more fees but you would pay the $178*(the number of credits of course).

This also caps costs. I have to take 40 units for my specific program in engineering, but i pay for 30. if i was to drop 2 courses, i would get no money back.

:/ Have you ever looked at your account statement?

Supplementary costs are a multiple of the number of units you take, sans only for SOME of the things.

AndrewS · 01-11-2012 at 04:34 PM

I'm in H. Sociology II, have always been in that program. Also, I just picked my courses on the weekend, so I don't see how I could have interest already. I probably do need to look at my account statement, but I know there isn't any past things I need to pay for. The one lady who works in student accounts and cashiers said I got some money back in supplemental fees, but it might have just been the dental and health which I had to opt out of. Thanks for all of your help and insight.

MacPack · 01-11-2012 at 05:11 PM

Dont have a clac plus im in class right now, but scroll down and add up using 6 units http://www.mcmaster.ca/bms/student/p...s_included.pdf

RyanC · 01-11-2012 at 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacPack

Actually supplementary fees are a mix of fixed and variable cost. Some parts are charge independent of #unit of courses while others are dependant usually to a max of 30 units. Tell us what year and what program you are in

For some reason when I read this I immediately assumed you're eng 2b03, then saw you were second year lol.

AndrewS · 01-12-2012 at 02:27 PM

I looked at my account statement, it was half of what it said on my payment agreement, and adds up correctly, it's all good now.

MacPack · 01-12-2012 at 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanC

For some reason when I read this I immediately assumed you're eng 2b03, then saw you were second year lol.

lol Im looking forward to the class. need a break from all this electricity

Kathy2 · 01-12-2012 at 03:43 PM

I didn't read all the posts on here so I don't know what courses you're taking and why, but here's some food for thought:
You can take 2 courses at Athabasca (online) for the same price. That way, you can take the courses you need and pay the same price, but do them on your free time (instead of coming into campus for lectures/labs). Not everything is offered at Atahbasca, but talk to an advisor because they have LOTS of courses. They cost about $1000 each.

RyanC · 01-12-2012 at 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy2

I didn't read all the posts on here so I don't know what courses you're taking and why, but here's some food for thought:
You can take 2 courses at Athabasca (online) for the same price. That way, you can take the courses you need and pay the same price, but do them on your free time (instead of coming into campus for lectures/labs). Not everything is offered at Atahbasca, but talk to an advisor because they have LOTS of courses. They cost about $1000 each.

I wouldn't advise anybody take an online course at the price of 1000$..unless maybe it wasn't offered at your school.