Poll of the Day > Online college tuition

(+) Yeah! (+)

Online college tuition

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private institutions can charge whatever they want to

people should just not go if its a ripoff (And be able to do that without penalty)

On one hand, they're unambiguously providing a lesser service, especially when you look at the more prestigious schools who can really only justify their inflated costs with the networking opportunities they aren't currently able to offer. On the other hand, though, their operating costs haven't really changed (they're saving some money because buildings aren't being used, but organizing online learning takes some extra resources, so I expect they roughly break even), so they still need normal amounts of revenue to sustain themselves.

So while online classes probably shouldn't cost the same amount as in-person ones, I can understand that the university kind of needs to charge the same amount, and to that end, I think it's okay. Provided students won't be penalized for skipping this year if they decide the online experience isn't worth the full cost, a solution to the problem is already available.

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No. As someone who's faced financial problems while attending college, I can appreciate the reduced cost of online tuition and hot having to pay room and board. If studying online is the only way for people to gain an education,colleges should make it as accessible for as many people as possible, even if there is a bit of a tradeoff with not being able to interact with other students and faculty in the same way as with in-person learning.

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depends on the course's worth for employers

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I think the tuition is fine but some places are still charging up front for room and board when some places aren't even having students live in the dorms yet. I don't think they should be charging for that.

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No, because the university isn't incurring the same costs or providing the same experience. And, as it is, most schools ALREADY charge far too much because they've done a piss-poor job of controlling costs and have allowed administrators to rake in obscene salaries.

And if a student had sent in a check and they switch offline to online, they should be willing to refund the damn thing if the student (rightfully) decides not to bother attending.

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