Students living in residence have to pay anywhere between $7,469 and $12,323 a year. They are the lucky ones; 328 students were wait-listed this year, up from 250 in 2013.
But both the lucky and unlucky applicants for residence will have to cough up an extra $100 next year, thanks to housing services downloading their online application process to an outside website.
Having to pay the fee is unfair. It should be incorporated into the total cost of residence once you’ve been accepted.
Students pay enough for housing on campus already. It costs about $10,000 to live in residence for one year. Top that off with steadily rising tuition and ancillary fees and the cost of university hovers around $20,000 a year.
For the students who don’t get into residence, their bad luck turns into greater misfortune. The website fee is not the same as some other university application fees. You won’t get a refund if you choose another school.
Some students also don’t have other options than living in residence. Those in that position have no choice but to pay $100 more next year.
With this fee, Carleton is squeezing cash out of students at every opportunities.
Housing services shouldn’t turn residence students—many of whom are in first-year and already exposed to the plight of student financial troubles—into cash cows.
