By Becca Robb | Echo
Taylor University Online is increasing its tuition for online courses from $350 to $400 per hour.
Both types of online courses-summer and guest courses-are increasing tuition, effective June 1. Guest courses are self-guided courses that anyone, including high schoolers, may enroll in.
This is the first time Taylor will increase its online tuition in four years, according to Carrie Meyer, director of online learning & instructional technology. During those four years, tuition for traditional courses increased approximately 10.8 percent and, in June, online tuition will increase a comparable 12.5 percent.
"We increase tuition to kind of stay in line with Taylor's traditional courses," Meyer said. "Additionally, our competition have also increased theirs."
In comparison, Indiana Wesleyan's summer online courses are $345 per hour, Grace College and Seminary's general online courses are $446 and Goshen College's summer online courses are $445, according to each of their websites.
With about 30 total sections to choose from, most courses are open from May 24 to Aug. 19. Students may enroll in online summer classes through the myTaylor portal and must have consistent internet access throughout their enrollment in order to participate in online discussion boards, watch videos and submit assignments to professors.
"The classes that we try to offer are the ones that we know are hard for students to get into," said Online Program Assistant Noelle Brennan. "We're just trying to fill that gap and help students to graduate on time."
Junior Grace Bolinger said she needs to take an online course this summer in order to graduate.
"We gotta do what we gotta do," Bolinger said.
