Credit Cards no longer accepted for tuition @ UofC - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Torture · 03-19-2008, 01:29 PM

I know there's a lot of people that attend UofC on this board, so I figured I'd bring this up.

Personally I think it's downright ridiculous, I've paid my tuition every year on credit card...is there anybody here that doesn't?

The only thing I could think of that they'd rationalize this with is that the credit card fees are probably exorbitant on likely hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition every year.

http://ucalgary.ca/registrar/node/301

FlamesAddiction · 03-19-2008, 01:32 PM

A lot of universities don't.

I'm surprised that UofC did until this point, to tell you the truth.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 03-19-2008, 01:32 PM

That kinda sucks.
I paid for all 4 years of university on my GM credit card (and paid it off the next day), just so I could get the points.
That method of doing things saved me quite a bit of money when I bought a new car.

Not really supprising though, as the credit card fees can be pretty steep for the university, and I'm sure there are enought people doing it now that the fees are substantial.

Sainters7 · 03-19-2008, 01:34 PM

Same with UofA, where I go. It was in our school paper last week with a funny cartoon caption of some student saying he'd like to pay his student loans while holding two huge, overflowing bags of coins. I always pay with credit card too, it's crazy.

Apparently the school board is claiming that the extra money they'll make with the switch will go back into the university, but the Student Union says they have no idea how that would be possible, and refuse to back it. From the sounds of it, this is becoming a trend for universities across North America, and the UofC and UofA are just jumping on board.

Russic · 03-19-2008, 01:37 PM

wow, I had no idea that was becoming the norm. I'll add this to the stack of reasons I'm happy to be out of post secondary.

MarchHare · 03-19-2008, 01:37 PM

Does this apply to Continuing Education programs as well? I'm currently taking a Business Management certificate and enroll and pay for my courses online at the UofC website using my credit card.

Locke · 03-19-2008, 01:43 PM

Weak.

Its nice that you can still pay by debit and bank draft, because I usually keep about $3000 in liquid cash in my account at all times.

MarchHare · 03-19-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

Weak.

Its nice that you can still pay by debit and bank draft, because I usually keep about $3000 in liquid cash in my account at all times.

Not to mention most banks have a limit on the maximum daily amount that can be withdrawn via debit/atm that is usually far, far lower than what a full-time student would typically pay for a semester's tuition.

This move just seems really backwards to me. Wouldn't the university be serving students better if they allowed them to pay their tution and fees online via credit card? Wouldn't that reduce the volume of people who wait in line?

Tyler · 03-19-2008, 02:00 PM

Wow - sure am glad UBC accepted them while I went there.

Would be tough to do without using CC's

Sainters7 · 03-19-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Not to mention most banks have a limit on the maximum daily amount that can be withdrawn via debit/atm that is usually far, far lower than what a full-time student would typically pay for a semester's tuition.

This move just seems really backwards to me. Wouldn't the university be serving students better if they allowed them to pay their tution and fees online via credit card? Wouldn't that reduce the volume of people who wait in line?

That was my first thought when I read about this last week. I can't wait to see what the line-up is going to look like when I go to pay for tuiton this fall, may as well bring a sleeping bag...

There's a reason why the Student Union(at least at the UofA) refuses to support this.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 03-19-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Not to mention most banks have a limit on the maximum daily amount that can be withdrawn via debit/atm that is usually far, far lower than what a full-time student would typically pay for a semester's tuition.

This move just seems really backwards to me. Wouldn't the university be serving students better if they allowed them to pay their tution and fees online via credit card? Wouldn't that reduce the volume of people who wait in line?

To your first point, that is easy enought to fix. All you have to do is call the bank and explain what you're doing, and they'll up that limit permanetnly or they can do it for a day or two, I've done this a few times when paying for bit ticket items.

To your second one, yeah, the service is a little worse, but there are a lot of options still available to the students. They can pay online or at their bank branch without having to go to the office, or they can drop a cheque in the dropbox, it's just that these have to get taken care of a few days in advance of the deadline. As for increasing the lineups, this is really the people's own fault, as I pointed out there are at least three other options that don't include standing in line. The majority of people who will be standing in line are those who don't plan ahead by even a few days.

That all being said, it does suck, but it will save the university some money, and given the # of alternatives available to students, and not really causing much of an inconvienience, I'd say this is a pretty good way to save some money for an institution that is greatly in need of some savings opportunities.

burn_this_city · 03-19-2008, 02:05 PM

Just another sign the university is more interested in making money than anything else.. I guess thats how they afford to let the profs roll around in Land Rover's and G35's on the university's dollar.

Ozy_Flame · 03-19-2008, 02:10 PM

That sucks. I remember paying with my credit card on good ol' Infonet, no muss, no fuss.

Speaking of which, I had to log back on to U of C system as an alumni the other day. Man, that whole Peoplesoft-based EuID thing is downright ridiculous. Give them Infonet back!! So much easier!!

FlamesAddiction · 03-19-2008, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Just another sign the university is more interested in making money than anything else.. I guess thats how they afford to let the profs roll around in Land Rover's and G35's on the university's dollar.

How does the university make more money by not accepting credit cards for tuition payment?

Incinerator · 03-19-2008, 02:13 PM

looks like the banks are gonna be swarmed with personal line of credit applications this summer...

Incinerator · 03-19-2008, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

How does the university make more money by not accepting credit cards for tuition payment?

they gotta pay somewhere between 1.5% to 3% of whatever they take in to the credit card companies.

Locke · 03-19-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

That sucks. I remember paying with my credit card on good ol' Infonet, no muss, no fuss.

Speaking of which, I had to log back on to U of C system as an alumni the other day. Man, that whole Peoplesoft-based EuID thing is downright ridiculous. Give them Infonet back!! So much easier!!

Dont even get me started on Peoplesoft. That was mistake of collossal proportions. Its almost as bad as Blackboard.

The people who pull the trigger on these kinds of decisions must be high.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

How does the university make more money by not accepting credit cards for tuition payment?

Some of the money being paid goes to credit card fees.

Torture · 03-19-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

How does the university make more money by not accepting credit cards for tuition payment?

Cause they don't have to pay the credit card companies x% of all the tuition that's paid on credit cards.

On Peoplesoft: Yeah...it's pretty lame, although Infonet really wasn't all that great either. At least Peoplesoft doesn't shut down after 11

Bring_Back_Shantz · 03-19-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incinerator

looks like the banks are gonna be swarmed with personal line of credit applications this summer...

Is that such a bad thing?
Seriously, anyone who actually uses their credit card to pay for tuition because they need to, SHOULD have a personal line of credit instead if at all possible.
Why carry a debt at 18% interest when you could do it at 7% instead?

Sure some people may not be able to get one, but ANYONE who need to pay for university on credit, should find any alternative they can to paying with a credit card. (That actually goes for pretty much any kind of debt)

FlamesAddiction · 03-19-2008, 02:19 PM

OK, so they don't have to pay the CC company their cut, but I highly doubt that is why they stopped using it. If anything, out of 10,000 students, probably a few won't be able to pay because they don't have the money. If anything, the university will lose a little bit of money.

The universities are just tired of seeing students running themselves into an oblivion of debt.