College Student is being Billed for Classes He Did Not Attend
My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: Michigan
In the Fall of 2011 my 18 year old son (who happens to be ADD) applied for college courses at a local university. He received a bill for the tuition and then found that neither parent (who are divorced) could afford to provide him financial support at that time. I was not aware that he didn't officially withdraw and it didn't occur to me to ask him. Fast forward to 2013, my son started receiving collection letters from an agency in South Carolina stating he owed the university for tuition in the amount of $4,923.72 for Fall 2011 classes. I was furious!
I sat down and wrote a letter to the University Student Business Services office explaining the situation that while he had registered, he did not step foot on campus, nor had he intended or attempted to attend classes because he was unable to pay. I was a little confused at how a University would allow a student to go beyond a tuition payment deadline without paying and not automatically withdraw a student that doesn't pay up. Is this a racquet that the universities participate in?
My son did receive a response from the Office of the Registrar saying....
"After careful consideration, unfortunately, your circumstances do not provide a basis for an exception to backdate your withdrawal for a tuition refund. Requests for Exception to Enrollment Policy, as noted on the request, are not reviewed one calendar year from the end of the term in question. At this late date the circumstances regarding your participation in the aforementioned course cannot be verified. No adjustments have been made to your record and your file has been closed.
Although you hoped for a different outcome, this determination is consistent with university policies in effect for all students enrolled at ________ University. We wish you well on your endeavors."
We wish you well on your endeavors?? How can universities get away with this? Is there anything that I can pursue at this point? The collection agency advised me (my son had given permission for them to talk to me) that if I was not going to pay his collection bill, I needed to go on record in writing that the collection amount would not be paid. Of course, I wasn't going to go on record. I didn't want my credit report to take a hit.
For one, he didn't ask for a refund because nothing had been paid. We were looking for the debt to be dismissed. Is there anything we can do? I'm a single mom with 4 kids and $5000 is ALOT of money....
Re: 18 Year Old Son Being Billed for College Classes He Did Not Attend - in Collectio
It is not the university's job to withdraw a student who does not pay. It was your son's job to withdraw. He didn't do so.
Re: 18 Year Old Son Being Billed for College Classes He Did Not Attend - in Collectio
Your son apparently went beyond simply registering as a student. He apparently went as far as scheduling classes. He was likely presented with a statement of charges along with the policies regarding withdrawing by some specified date to avoid actually having to pay for what he contracted for.
Your argument that he never stepped foot on campus is irrelevant. You need to understand that he took up a seat in his classes by registering and not withdrawing. His seat could not be given to another student due to his actions. That is why he owes even without stepping foot on campus.
To the the school running a scam by not automatically withdrawing him:
i have never dealt with a school that automatically withdrew a student due to a lack of attendance. Heck, I've been to schools that had no idea if the student was there or not as attendance was not taken. A friend attended a freshman class in a state school where there were 1100 students in just one class. They occupied several different rooms and watched the professor via closed circuit television. Do you really think they would even notice 1 of the students missing?
Not or sure why you mention you son has ADD. If he is not mentally competent to run his own life, file for a guardianship so contracts he signs are not enforceable. Otherwise, the mention of ADD serves no purpose other than it appears an attempt to garner sympathy.'