University
of Wisconsin-La Crosse was rated one of the top universities in the
Midwest. It has a very high graduation rate, and a moderately low
tuition capped at a 5.5% increase.
"Tuition"
is the total price we pay for credits, but in fact, "fees" account for a
quarter of the cost paid to attend a school and have access to
university activities.
UW-L’s
cost for a full time student, for one semester surpasses 4,000 dollars,
but 1,000 of the dollars are fees. That is not including the standard
charge for room and board.
College
education does not come at a small price, but students do not have a
choice. Tuition, according to the Federal Student Aid Department, rises
about eight percent each year. With constantly rising prices, paying for
a college education is getting tougher for students and parents.
Some
of the necessary costs of maintaining a university are subsidized by
these fees. For example, UW-L charges students per semester for things
such as an athletic fee of 39 dollars, a Health Center fee of 134
dollars, and a 94 dollar fee to utilize textbook rental.
Even
though these fees are not often recognized, most students do utilize
the resources financed by these costs, such as textbook rental, REC, and
the UW-L stadium.
One
resource students at UW-L pay for within their tuition that may seem
odd is the Child Care Center on campus. Many students never utilize or
even pay much attention to it, but $9 does go towards this amenity.
Students
are often surprised to find out what their money is actually paying for
but ultimately, what students are paying for is not only the education
but the entire college experience.
A complete bill is available for students to view. It can be accessed under WINGS on UW-L’s website.
While students oblige and pay the high price to learn, what they lack in knowledge is what they are actually paying for.
