Anyone understand the Credit hour payment charged by online schools?

Hello all,
I am about to register for an online distance learning degree with any university. However, some of the universities state that they charge (for example) $250 per credit hour. I do not understand if it means that for a 3 unit course ( a course that weighs 3credit) I am to pay $250 multiply by 3= 750 or what? if this is so, then it means in a semester, if i am taking 5 courses which are 3 units each, I will then have to pay $250 multiply by 15 places. I am in the dark and I will greatly appreciate any clarification on this. Thanks.

 

You are correct. If a credit hour is $250, and you are taking 5 courses that are three hours each, then your tuition will be 5 x 3 x $250 = $3,750.

I should also mention that if you are taking 5 courses which are 3 hours each, you are probably going to fail. Especially if you have a job. That's a huge workload, even for someone taking courses full-time at a brick and mortar university.

 

Thank you for helping me out GeeBee. I was battling with this issue for long until now. I think it is better to settle for the online universities that allow one to pay instalmentaly (let's say$50 monthly) instead of paying $250 per credit hour. What do you think? This way, I can save cost, pay conveniently and of course not run into debt.

 

What level courses are you taking? Depending on your answer members can probably suggest online courses that are much lower cost than $250/semester hour.

There are also challenge exams for credit such as CLEP and DSST.

 

Thank you Ian. I am applying for an undergraduate degree in Management or Business Admin. I will greatly appreciate members suggestion as it relates schools with very cheap tuition fees.

 

Sorry I don't understand are you saying that the cost will be $250 per hour?

 

Courses are typically 3 credit hours and cost 250 per credit hour, hence the $750 course fee.
To graduate, you need 120 credit hours or 40 courses. 40*$750=$28,500
If you are in the US, you can take CLEP or DSST tests for $100 each which equate to a 3 credit hour course and save a LOT of money. If you are outside the US, you are not allowed to take CLEP/DSST as far as I know. You can choose ACE approved credit sources instead, which are very cheap, but are only accepted at a smaller number of regionally accredited universities.
Check out Online Courses - Distance Learning Courses - Online Classes for College Credit - StraighterLine for some low priced ACE approved courses and Thomas Edison State College - Higher Education. For Adults with Higher Expectations. for a school that accepts these courses and has decent prices itself.
This forum is great but CLEP Forum - CLEP Study - CLEP Testing - Study Guide and Strategies is a little better in helping students get through a bachelors degree using testing out options.
If none of this makes sense, spend some time googling and you will get it.

 

Also, just be careful that some university also wants to charge you for technology fees excluding for distance learning students.