Atlanta Metro Students Question Financial Aid and Mandatory Fees

Atlanta Metropolitan State College, one of the most affordable colleges in the University System of Georgia, has mandatory fees that are not beneficial to some students.

Atlanta Metro offers certificates, associates of Science, arts, applied Science and many Bachelors Programs. The financial aid office at Atlanta Metro is designed to assist and help students with options on paying for their college tuition and making important decisions on their funding for education purposes. 

Courtesy of bing.com illustrating how education is expensive

“The fees charged are for the students to use the school resources made available to them on the campus.” An academic support worker Debra Adams states. “Students are welcome to use the library, computer lab, and we also have a weight room that students can use. This is why we highly encourage and recommend students to use these resources to their advantage, because you pay for them”

The students at Atlanta Metro wonder why so many fees are charged when a lot of them don’t really use the school resources. Some may only come to the school to attend one or two classes once a week and don’t need the resources the school has to offer.

Although a student’s financial aid is solely based off of their income and or parent’s income depending on if the student is a dependent student or an independent student. Dependent students are those who gets most of their needs and assets from their parents, an independent student is one who provides for themselves.

 “The mandatory fees, students see on their total payment amount are charges put out by the school” says Latice Ford a financial aid representative at Atlanta Metro. “They’re necessary in order for the school to run.”

All schools have mandatory fees that all students enrolled are required to pay along with their tuition which is currently $96.67 per credit for students who are considered residents. There are mandatory fees added into the tuition which are: activity ($60), athletic ($65), technology ($40), institutional ($100) and student center fees ($100). Where applicable, in addition to these fees stated above students will also be charged an applied music fees, and annual vehicle registration fee, late fee and lab fee.

Most students receive financial aid to help pay for college, but there are some who aren’t eligible to receive financial aid which leaves them to pay out of pocket. No student should have to deal with the stress of having to pay for college and trying to figure out where the money is going to come from. That’s why it is always best to apply for financial at www.fafsa.ed.gov  as soon as possible.

“Although I receive financial aid, I’m considered an out of state student” states Taylor Burrell, a sophomore here at Atlanta Metro. “I had to take out loans just to cover all my classes because tuition for out of state students is about $250 more than a student who is considered in state.”

The students at Atlanta Metro seem pressured to use the schools resources only because it’s included in their tuition, it would be a waste of money not too use them. Some students have jobs, as well as families and may not have the opportunity or time to take advantage of these resources the school has to offer the students. These fees should only be applied to those who utilize these privileges when needed.

Students are responsible for getting their balance paid by the end of the drop period. Not only do they have to make sure their classes are paid for, but the students also have to pay for the required books for the classes they are enrolled in order to be successful in the class. When a student only has enough financial aid to cover their classes they are left to figure out how to get the supplies needed for class. These mandatory fees total is $365.00 without any credits added to it. That’s enough to cover the cost of books for two classes.

“I think there should be more clarity on these fees, as far as where the money goes” says mass comm major Clarence Glenn. “I don’t think all these fees are necessary when it’s a college. Most of these fees don’t really make any sense to me, but if colleges like Georgia State and University of Georgia have the same fees nobody is going to say anything.”

Financial aid is responsible for managing the students financial assistance programs authorized under the Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grants, loans, and work study funds to students attending college.

When students attend college and enroll they have a focus to get finish and graduate, without financial aid and assistance most students wouldn’t be able to attend. Financial aid can remove a lot of burden and stress off students and parents, the mandatory fees that Atlanta Metro charges can either be lowered to a more reasonable price for college students or only applied to those to use what these fees are being charged for.

“Higher education can’t be a luxury.” says President Barack Obama in a quote according to jarofquotes.com. “It is a necessity, an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.”

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