Author Topic: Is $850 too much to audit a class?  (Read 4090 times)

Unionville

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Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« on: January 16, 2015, 03:52:12 PM »
I have not been to college in decades so I don't know what things cost these days. I want to audit a 3 credit religious studies class at a theology school.  They said it would cost $750+$100 enrollment fee. When I heard this, I was shocked.  Have prices changed that much?  Since I'm just sitting in (and the professor won't have to grade my papers I won't write), does this seem like an outrageous amount of money?  I really want to take it but I'm not sure if this is the going rate, and if I should just suck it up and quit complaining inside my head.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2015, 03:54:52 PM by meteor »

dandarc

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2015, 03:56:42 PM »
Looks like from a brief google search, the standard is to charge the same tuition and fees as you would pay if you were enrolled for credit.

Suppose this is to keep the classrooms mostly full of for-credit students - if it were a good class and free (to take the reduced fee to the extreme), it would be full of folks like yourself.  They gotta protect that revenue stream!

LadyStache

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2015, 03:58:39 PM »
I had a friend in grad school who wanted to audit an undergrad language course. She approached the instructor of the class and asked if she could attend the classes without registering for it, since she didn't need the credit and didn't care whether or not it was reflected on her transcript. The instructor was totally fine with it. You can trying doing something similar.

sd85

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2015, 04:19:37 PM »
Just contact the instructor and ask if you can sit in on the course. There's generally no need to pay the university's fee.

thedayisbrave

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2015, 04:22:00 PM »
Um, YES that's outrageous. 

According to my college's website, you can audit a course - any course - for $20.  If you are already enrolled as a student and want to audit another course, it's free.

Maybe it's higher because it's a theology school? Dunno.

Gerard

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2015, 04:25:06 PM »
Acquiring knowledge of religious teachings without paying for it would be totally against the principles of- oh, wait.

Unionville

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2015, 04:27:37 PM »
Just to add: This school is very strict and a school official comes into the class to make sure everyone is registered.  The profession is overridden by the school.  Actually he used to let me sit in, in exchange for helping with paperwork.  That was under the table and is not an option anymore.

Rural

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2015, 04:50:29 PM »
Regular tuition is standard practice for auditors everywhere I've ever taught (which is quite a few places now that I think about it - all public).


Unless you're over 60? Most of the public places have free tuition programs for seniors - some credit, some audit only. Privates may as well; I don't know much about them.

Mr. Frugalwoods

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Re: Is $850 too much to audit a class?
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2015, 06:51:55 PM »
I'd find another school.  Most public universities won't care if you sit in during lectures... assuming there's an extra seat.  And many professors will happily give you a copy of the syllabus so you can follow along in the readings.