Tuition costs favor part-time students
Analysis of tuition rates shows flat-rate tuition is more costly than per-credit tuition rates
By: Eric Aikin
Issue date: 1/21/10 Section: News
While undergraduates at Webster University with one to 12 credit hours pay tuition at the rate of $550 per credit hour, full-time undergraduates with 13 to 18 credits pay a flat tuition fee of $10,528.
Paul Carney, vice president of enrollment management at WU said that this concept of flat-fee tuition is practiced at many private universities in the area, with the goal of undergraduates taking more credit hours and becoming full-time students.
"We want you to be a 13 hour student," Carney said.
Carney said that flat rate tuition fees are usually designed for full-time students to be charged less tuition per credit hour than part-time students, but that Webster is an exception in this regard.
Because of the flat fee, WU undergraduates with 13 to 18 credit hours are charged between $585 and $810 per credit hour, depending on how many credits they're taking. However, students with fewer credits pay only $550 per credit.
Carney said that the part-time rate is as low as it is because of the extra struggles part-time students often endure, as they tend to be financially independent and need to work more to support themselves.
"The part-time rate probably hasn't been increased to the extent that the full-time rate has, and that is in the advantage of the part-time students," Carney said. "So that's how we're trying to even the playing field, if you know what I mean."
Drake Scott, a junior math major taking 15 credit hours, said that although it can be difficult for part-time students to attend school, WU's tuition system is unfair to students with more credit hours.
"It's not exactly fair, but some people do have to pay it unfortunately," Scott said. "Although if it were $550 all the way up, it would be a fairer system, probably."
Sebastian Alvarez, a freshman international business major taking 18 credit hours, said that WU should give a discount to students with more credit hours and reject the current tuition fee system.
Paul Carney, vice president of enrollment management at WU said that this concept of flat-fee tuition is practiced at many private universities in the area, with the goal of undergraduates taking more credit hours and becoming full-time students.
"We want you to be a 13 hour student," Carney said.
Carney said that flat rate tuition fees are usually designed for full-time students to be charged less tuition per credit hour than part-time students, but that Webster is an exception in this regard.
Because of the flat fee, WU undergraduates with 13 to 18 credit hours are charged between $585 and $810 per credit hour, depending on how many credits they're taking. However, students with fewer credits pay only $550 per credit.
Carney said that the part-time rate is as low as it is because of the extra struggles part-time students often endure, as they tend to be financially independent and need to work more to support themselves.
"The part-time rate probably hasn't been increased to the extent that the full-time rate has, and that is in the advantage of the part-time students," Carney said. "So that's how we're trying to even the playing field, if you know what I mean."
Drake Scott, a junior math major taking 15 credit hours, said that although it can be difficult for part-time students to attend school, WU's tuition system is unfair to students with more credit hours.
"It's not exactly fair, but some people do have to pay it unfortunately," Scott said. "Although if it were $550 all the way up, it would be a fairer system, probably."
Sebastian Alvarez, a freshman international business major taking 18 credit hours, said that WU should give a discount to students with more credit hours and reject the current tuition fee system.
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