Is total college tuition cost capped the same between 12-18 hours?

[Aster]

I was talking to a colleague at another university recently. He was explaining how students at his university have to pay extra tuition if they take more than 18 credits per term.

Me: "Well sure. More credits cost more tuition."
Colleague: "Yeah, they're on overload."

Me: "It can't be much more cost. They're already at 18 credits. What's another 3 credits really going to do?"
Colleague: "It's way more expensive. And the cost of tuition is the same for anyone regardless of how many hours they're taking."

Me: "Wait, What??"
Colleague: "Yeah, the cost is the same if they're taking anywhere from 12 to 18 credits. If you're a full time student you don't pay tuition per credit hour beyond the minimum 12 credits."

Me: "Uh... I've never heard of this before."
Colleague: "Yeah. All colleges do this."

Me: "My college most certainly does NOT do this."
Colleague: "Well, maybe not community colleges I suppose. But all of the 4-year universities do this."

Me: "Uh... okay."

Is this really how tuition costs are assessed at most U.S. universities? Granted, attending college myself I usually took a full load and just paid whatever the bill was. But I just sort of assumed that I was paying tuition on a per-credit basis. Now my worldview is in doubt.

[Puget]

I think it is definitely the norm for 4-year residential colleges/universities in the US for full-time tuition to be flat rate (not per credit)-- certainly my undergrad, grad, and employing university all function this way. Doesn't mean there aren't places where that's not true, but it would be rather an nightmare to administer I would think (what happens when a student adds or drops a class?).

[fast_and_bulbous]

There was a similar deal in play when I was an undergrad at an R1 and it still holds today; 12-18 credits costs the same. Once you go above 18 it goes up per credit.

With HS foreign language retrocredits and overloading (18 credits was my worst semester) I graduated in 7 semesters and my last semester was only 8 credits. It probably didn't help my GPA but things worked out in the end and I started grad school the following January at the same institution.

However at my last job (regional R2) there was a cost per credit hour. If a student dropped a class early enough they could get fully refunded. As the semester went on you could only get a percentage back, steadily decreasing to 0% by about 1/3 the way into the semester IIRC.

[secundem_artem]

Below 12 CR, students at my uni do not receive whatever financial aid package they were offered.  Over 18 CR, they pay an overload charge per credit hour.

[AvidReader]

There was a similar deal in play when I was an undergrad at an R1 and it still holds today; 12-18 credits costs the same. Once you go above 18 it goes up per credit.

With HS foreign language retrocredits and overloading (18 credits was my worst semester) I graduated in 7 semesters and my last semester was only 8 credits.

I had the same experience at a Southern SLAC. 12-18 credits was the same cost; overloads had a fee per credit. We were also allowed up to two Audits for free per semester, which was a real gift.

A mid-Atlantic SLAC I attended offered up to 22 credits for the same ($$$$) tuition, but overloads over 19 credits had to be approved by the Dean.

AR.

[saffie]

Same here at large urban U, there is a flat rate for full-time, state resident, undergraduate students taking 12-18 credits.

[EdnaMode]

At my medium-sized undergraduate directional state university in the Midwest, students were charged per credit hour for under 12 hours, a standard fee for 12-18 hours, and there was an additional charge for anything over 18 hours. We do the same thing where I work now, at a Northeastern US medium-sized R2.

[pigou]

My alma mater had a flat fee for full-time status and no extra charge for overloading by a class, but you had to get permission for it. I had a great adviser who signed off on an extra class every semester.

[onthefringe]

R1 state public flagship. Charge per credit up to 12 hours, no extra charge for credit hours between 12 and 18. Students need permission to register for >18 hours, and are charged for each credit hour above 18.

This means the cost for 19 credits is the cost for 12-18 + one additional credit, so in response to the OP, yes, other places do the flat fee for 12-18 credits, but at least where I am, 19 credits is a pretty nominal upcharge over 18, since we are charging them functionally 13x one credit hour, not 19x one credit hour.

[spork]

Private non-profit four-year institution, rough numbers:

$1,350 per credit up to 12 credits (part-time student).

$20,000 flat rate 12-17 credits (full-time student, cut the dollar amount in half to reflect discount rate).

$1,350 per credit for anything in excess of 17 credits (overload).

[Aster]

Thank for all of the responses.

So my next question is, if total tuition costs are the same whether or not someone is taking 12 or 18 credits, why would any full-time students not take the maximum load every term?

'Cuz I know tons of full-time college students at 4-year universities that take just the minimum full-time load. I just had always assumed that they did this cuz they were slackers, overwhelmed by work/family commitments, or trying to save money. But now it looks like the saving money argument has to be tossed out.

Dammit, I should have taken more classes during my last term. I only took 12 credits to wrap up my degree but I could have taken an extra class or two for basically the same price. Waaaaaaaa.

Oh wait, maybe that's why some students only take 12 credits. Because we're ignorant.

[wwwdotcom]

So my next question is, if total tuition costs are the same whether or not someone is taking 12 or 18 credits, why would any full-time students not take the maximum load every term?

Because some students know their capabilities and limits.  It's better to pay for 12, take 12, and pass 12 than to pay for 12, take 18, and pass 12.

[kaysixteen]

Desr Alma Mater did the same thing pigou's did, and, indeed, BAs were awarded strictly on the basis of courses taken.  'Academic credits' were not awarded or listed--btw how common is that?

[AvidReader]

So my next question is, if total tuition costs are the same whether or not someone is taking 12 or 18 credits, why would any full-time students not take the maximum load every term?

I've had mature students who wanted to be part-time but needed the funding that is often only offered for a "full time" load and would take 2 essential classes and up to 2 easier courses each term to stay eligible.

AR.

[Aster]

So my next question is, if total tuition costs are the same whether or not someone is taking 12 or 18 credits, why would any full-time students not take the maximum load every term?

I've had mature students who wanted to be part-time but needed the funding that is often only offered for a "full time" load and would take 2 essential classes and up to 2 easier courses each term to stay eligible.

AR.

Oh right. They need to be "full time" for most financial aid options and so they sign up for the minimum full-time load.

Yeah, that is a common practice at Big Urban College.