Common Billing Questions

1. Common Billing Questions

2. What am I really paying for?

3. What is e-billing? • The college has moved to e-billing in an effort to reduce paper use and printing and postage costs associated with large mailings. E-bills are sent monthly to the student’s campus e-mail address. • Using their WebAdvisor account, your student can view account activity and pay the remaining balance. Students also have the ability to download their statements into a .PDF format so that they may be printed and sent or e-mailed home to the person responsible for payment. • Simply put, students can view their current statement at any time and pay the balance on-line using a credit or debit card or direct ACH from a bank account. There is a 2.6% transaction charged by our payment processing provider, Official Payments Company, but e-checks are free.

4. What is Jay Cash and how do I use it? • Jay Cash provides students with a non-cash option to make it more convenient to purchase books and merchandise at the Bookstore, as well as food and beverages at The Commons, George & Tom’s Snack Bar, or the Barista or Roasted Cafés. • Deposit any amount of money into a Jay Cash account at the Business Office via check, cash, credit/debit card, or ACH using the online OPC system and the college ID card will be loaded so that purchases can be made. • Each time the ID card is swiped, the Jay Cash balance is reduced by the amount of that purchase. Any point of sale terminal can provide the remaining Jay Cash balance, which can be replenished as often as needed. • Jay Cash carries forward from one semester to another and from one academic year to the next, but it is not transferable and may not be redeemed for cash. Only balances that remain after a student has graduated or withdrawn from the college will be forfeited.

5. Why did I get charged for health insurance? • Since all students are required to have health coverage, the college charges this fee unless proof of coverage is provided by submitting a completed Health Insurance Waiver, which can be accessed through the ‘Helpful Links’ section of our webpage. • Students who do not waive this coverage by September 1st will be enrolled for the academic year in a group plan made available to the college by an outside provider. Once a student is enrolled, the fee cannot be removed from the student’s account. • Once your waiver has been received by the Business Office, your statement will be adjusted accordingly.

6. What are activity and service fees? Who pays these fees? • The activity fee funds the Student Government so that it may allocate funds to the numerous student organizations and clubs on campus. • The service fee provides all students with free admission to athletic events, lectures, and other campus activities. • All clubs and student organizations are available for commuters to join, and all athletic events, lectures, and campus activities are open to commuters as well. • All full-time students must pay these fees each semester, so commuters and even those who are studying abroad are charged.

7. Why do I have a lab/course fee when my student isn’t taking a science class? • Courses other than science classes have fees associated with them: • Computer Science courses • All courses in the Integrated Technology Leadership Program (ITL) • Most Art ‘Studio’ courses

8. What are Tuition Overload charges? • Full-time students who register for more than 36 credits (9 courses or the equivalent) in one academic year will be assessed an additional tuition charge per each additional credit. • The course overload charge for the 2013-2014 academic year is $988 per credit, or $3,950 per 4-credit course. • These charges will appear on Spring semester billings and do not apply to course registrations for Physical Education & Wellness courses (PED), Applied Music courses (MUA), or the Theatre Practicum Course (THR151). • Students will also incur overload charges if they choose to take more than two Intersession courses during their four years of study. • Note: Billings are calculated based on the number of classes students are recorded as registered for in the year, not what they will actually complete. Registration is tabulated at the end of the Add/Drop period rather than at the end of the term.

9. What is the $200 security deposit used for? • Each new student is charged for a $200 security deposit on the Fall semester billing. Charges for damages and loss of equipment will be made against this deposit and will be shown on tuition billing statements as they occur. • This is not to be confused with the $200 matriculation deposit that was paid when your student decided to enroll at W&J. • Any balance remaining from this non-interest bearing account will be refunded when the student leaves the college and it must be maintained and replenished at the end of each academic year. • Common area damages in residence halls are assessed against the residents of the hall and are divided and charged equally if the perpetrator is unknown.

10. When will I receive my account statement? • Paper statements are mailed in July and August for the Fall term and December and January for the Spring semester. Otherwise, statements will be e-mailed monthly thereafter to those who still have a balance. • A final paper statement for each semester may also be sent to the home address in November and April if a balance still exists. • If you need another copy, you can call the Business Office at (724) 223-6014 and a copy of the statement can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to you. • Students can also log into their “Web Advisor” accounts to view account activity, print out statements, and to make payments. If you’re paying by credit card, please remember that our Official Payments will charge a 2.6% fee on all credit card transactions.

11. When is my balance due? • Due dates are: • Friday, August 9th (Fall) • Friday, January 10th (Spring) • Interim balances are due by the end of the month in which the charges were incurred. • Participation in the external payment plan must be established or standard payment must be received prior to the first day of class for each semester.

12. What exactly is on my student’s statement? • The first statement reflects all known charges and credits at the statement date and will show pending financial aid and the remaining balance. It will not include subsequent charges that could arise later in a semester like parking fines, course materials fees, or residence hall damages. • Once the semester begins, statements no longer show pending financial aid, only the actual aid that has been credited by the statement date. All forms, promissory notes, and entrance interviews must be completed before loans can be posted to a student’s account. • A Business Office accounting clerk will be happy to assist in you determining your balance due.

13. Why are students required to be on a meal plan? • W&J is a residential college, meaning that all students who live outside of commuting distance (less than 15 miles from campus) are expected to reside in college housing and dine in college facilities. • All freshman are automatically billed the 19 meals per week plan until we receive a Meal Plan Form indicating which plan you prefer. • In addition to the eight meal plan options available to first year students, Parkhurst Dining Services tries to be as flexible as it can in meeting the specific dietary needs of students. • Meals are available from 7am-11pm during the week and 10:30am-11pm on the weekends to accommodate busy student schedules. There is also a 50 Block Plan available for commuting students. • Students with strict medical or dietary restrictions must petition the Business Office to be excused from the meal plan service. You can fill out the Meal Plan Form in your folder and turn it in today!

14. When do students get ID cards and what happens if they lose them? • Student ID photos are being taken at LAUNCH. ID cards will be available for pick-up later that afternoon outside The Barista Cafe. • ID cards are used for access to residence halls and academic buildings, meals, and Jay Cash. • Should an ID be misplaced, the Business Office will make a replacement for you. • The ID card replacement fee is $15.

15. Where can I park my car? • Students who bring your car to campus with them have the opportunity for free, first-come, first-served parking for freshmen available in the Lincoln Lot. There is a separate lot available for commuters. • To get a parking pass: • Go to the First Year website at www.washjeff.edu/firstyear • Choose ‘Forms’ • Under Optional Forms, click the on-line “Parking Permit Request Form” and complete the information • Your pass will be in your mailbox when you arrive on campus.

16. I was told by the Office of Financial Aid that my balance would be covered by all my loans, grants, and scholarships. Why do I still owe money? • Call us! The Business Office will assist you by confirming that all loans, grants, and scholarships have been credited to your account and by checking to see if there is any pending financial aid that has not been received. • We will also check to see if you have any outside awards that require an invoice to a third-party. • Remember: Your Financial Aid Award Letter shows a general budget with the 14 Meal Plan and traditional housing. Your actual billed amount could be more if you have chosen a different meal plan or live in non-traditional campus housing since it changes the ‘cost of attendance’ used in the award letter.

17. Why doesn’t any financial aid appear as pending or credited on my statement? • This may occur for one of the following reasons: • The student has not filed a FAFSA. • The FAFSA has not yet been processed and received by the college. • The FAFSA was rejected by the federal government due to missing information. • The student has been selected for the verification process by the U.S. Department of Education and that process was not completed before statements were sent. Call the Office of Financial Aid at (724) 223-6019 to ensure that your financial aid paperwork is in order.

18. Why don’t my loans appear on my statement? • If you receive an e-bill and your loan is not credited by mid-term (October for Fall and March for Spring), you should call the Office of Financial Aid at (724) 223-6019 to see what needs to be done. • Until the September statement for the Fall term and the February statement for the Spring term most loans will appear as pending financial aid credits. • Once the paperwork is completed and the funds have transferred electronically to the college’s bank account, they will appear as an actual credit on your statement.

19. My Stafford Loan was for $3,500, why did I only get credit for $3,465 and why does only one-half appear on my statement? • There is a fee charged on all Federal Direct Loans, so the student’s account is only credited with the net proceeds. • Note that Stafford Loans are split into two disbursements—one for Fall and one for Spring.

20. Do I have to pay the entire balance before my loan has been disbursed? • No! As soon as the Business Office is able to verify that a loan has been applied for, the promissory note has been signed by all applicable parties, entrance interview requirements are met, and the loan is ready for certification and disbursement, the loan proceeds may be deducted from the balance shown on the statement.

21. Work-study is part of my financial aid package. Why isn’t that amount deducted from my balance? • Student wages are paid directly to students bi-monthly around the 15th and 31st of each month. • Because job availability and hours cannot be absolutely guaranteed, even if they have been awarded, it is not possible to know how much should be credited in advance to a student’s account, so it is the student’s responsibility to use proceeds from their earnings. Students with on-campus jobs should set up direct deposit for their FWS earnings!

22. If I still can’t afford to pay my bill in one lump sum, how do I make arrangements for a monthly payment plan? • Monthly payment arrangements must be made through the TuitionPay Plan provided to W&J by Sallie Mae. • There is a $50 annual sign-up fee to participate in the TuitionPay Plan. You can choose from several payment options to better suit your individual financial needs. • The TuitionPay Plan can be reached at (800) 635-0120 or you can go to their website: tuitionpay.salliemae.com/washjeff • Choose “Enroll Now” and you’re only a few easy steps from joining in the program.

23. I don’t want to pay the enrollment fee for the TuitionPay Plan. Why can’t I make payments directly to the school? • The external payment plan is provided to W&J College students and families for the added convenience of making interest-free monthly payments. • The nominal fee of $50 to enroll yearly in the plan is the only fee charged to participants and pays for all the services that Sallie Mae provides for collecting, reporting, billing, and technical support. • This fee is charged by Sallie Mae, not W&J, and it is sent along with the first installment when you sign-up for the payment plan. • These are services that the college is not equipped to handle given the number of participants in the plan.

24. I’ve made three payments to Sallie Mae, so why do only two appear on my statement? • There is a short delay from the time Sallie Mae receives a payment until those funds are released to W&J and appear as a credit on your account statement. • The college receives its disbursement from Sallie Mae weekly. These are credited every Friday for those received that prior week.

25. How are students billed for Intersession trips? • Students who take Intersession courses which involve travel abroad are billed for the cost of those trips separately from their tuition accounts. • Course costs and due dates for payment are determined by the professor who is teaching the course. Unless otherwise indicated by the course instructor, final payments are typically due by December 1st. • Because the additional cost of an Intersession trip can be added to the student’s Cost of Attendance, additional financial aid may be available. Check with that office at 724-223-6019.

26. Business Office Website • Check out our website at www.washjeff.edu • Choose ‘Offices & Departments’ link, then select Business Office • Our web page provides access to forms, contact information for staff, and links to information on financial aid, schedule of fees for the current academic year, FAQs, and detailed information on the various dining options. • We also provide links to the monthly payment plan, health insurance provider, and the Perkins Loan website.

27. Questions??? Office of Financial Aid – (724) 223-6019 Business Office – (724) 223-6014