tuition refund insurance?

NJSue
Thu, 23 May 2013 10:10:18 +0000

Further to QuantMech #35: anyone who works in higher ed has seen numerous examples of students getting sick in November, whether with mono, flu or something else, and having to withdraw with limited refunds. We decided to buy tuition, room and board insurance because we felt the cost was worth it to ensure a full refund of our $27K semester payment in the event that D became ill at an inopportune time. I think what people don’t realize is that you can’t always “make up” college work after the semester is over very easily, if at all. Once that train passes, it’s gone and you’re behind. You will be staying an extra semester to finish. Colleges don’t sell credits for which you can get a refund; they sell seats in classes, professor attention, etc. on a term-by-term basis. You often have to pay for all of that even if you don’t end up finishing the semester, regardless of the circumstances.

Different colleges have different refund policies, and there are many limits and exclusions to insurance plans. But tuition insurance is not something to dismiss out of hand.