<p>Do many colleges require this? I find it off-putting and wonder if it does the college much good-- do they often have cause to turn to this, and is it effective when they do.</p>
<p>“A signed SFR is required of each student before the first day of attendance. The use of the SFR provides assurances to the College in regard to collection of fees and makes it possible to offer a variety of payment options to students and parents. This form indicates who, in addition to the student, is responsible for the payment of fees.”</p>
<p>Colleges need to know who is responsible for paying the bills. To be honest, I have no problem with this type of form.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you find it “off putting”. We fill out these types of forms at the doctor and the dentist too. Folks who are in the business of collecting money deserve to know who is responsible for paying it.</p>
<p>We had (at my college) a girl who “enrolled” in classes and ate tons of food at the foodservice. She never went to class and lived there until the university changed her locks. She was able to get about 6-8 weeks of free food and a free place to live until the university finally kicked her out.</p>
<p>But I’m not responsible for paying for my daughters’ college education. (I AM willing to pay for a substantial chunk of it, but that doesn’t mean I’m responsible for any of it, let alone all of it.)
Nor am I responsible for my adult daughters’ medical or dental bills. (Though my insurance happens to still cover them.)</p>
<p>Everyone seems to understand the impulse that leads to the requirement, but do other schools have a similar requirement? DD1’s school did not.
Couldn’t the school just not allow the student to register and hold dorm key if tuition fees not paid in advance or with automatic payments.</p>
<p>SFRs are pretty standard for businesses that advance credit. If you want to pay cash up front, I am sure they will let you start classes without parents signing a SFR.</p>
<p>I would not object to it, personally, but just by way of collecting experiences, neither my daughter’s flagship state u nor my son’s private LAC required a form like this.</p>
<p>I think the OP’s point that she is not responsible for her child’s college costs is pretty much the whole point of the SFR. It wants to know who IS going take responsibility for it. If that is no one but the student, then that may not meet the college’s requirement for attending in the case of a dependent child.</p>
<p>Then just put that on the form…but if you put that your daughter is responsible for paying…and the school asks…be prepared to document HOW she will meet these expenses (this could be with money given by you, loans, finaid, etc). It sounds like the school just wants to know…so tell them. If your daughter is the responsible party…then so be it…put her down.</p>
<p>In OUR case…we are taking the tuition tax credits, not the kiddo, so we are just as happy to be the responsible party.</p>
<p>It’s interesting as I have not encounted a SFR with either of my sons although of course have signed this at medical offices, etc. I can understand why the college does it although most colleges require bills paid in full before a student can register for the next semester classes and require a good chunk of the existing semester paid for before classes begin so their risk is somewhat mitigated. I don’t think I’d have a moral problem signing one and if my son or daughter was exclusively responsible for paying their own tuition then of course they would be the one signing the form. It’s implied that a parent will also sign, but probably not legal to insist that a parent sign for a student.</p>
<p>I do think they can require the kid to essentially have a co-signor.</p>
<p>I did a good search for “statement of financial responsibility.” Several .edu sites came up, but when I followed the link I found that it was either for international students or for the student only (acknowledging obligation, policies concerning late payment and the like; no co-signor). I found only one other in the first four pages of results that asked parents to sign. That one was basically “if you want to get a copy of your kid’s bill, sign this form.” The school that my post is about did not show up on the first fours pages of results.</p>
<p>The SFR we usually see at the doctor’s office is very different from co-signing. That one usually says even if you think someone else is going to pay for your care you are responsible. This isn’t promising to pay someone else’s bills, but to pay your own if your insurance company doesn’t.</p>
<p>I had to sign one when my eldest D went to Colgate. I didn’t sign one for elder S @ Stevens IT, nor for my younger D at either Brooklyn College or Smith College.</p>
<p>I was ok with signing it. I wouldn’t let her enroll if there had been a semester where we couldn’t pay the balance.</p>