Payment plans offer different ways to pay tuition

Palomar college implemented the Nelnet payment plan in spring of 2017 and 926 students participated in the program.

The nelnet payment plan is a program that Palomar has set up allowing a student to pick one of three payment plan options in order to pay their tuition in a set of statements.

Carmen Coniglio, Director of Fiscal Services, stated, “One week behind and we were still able to get it going with a good turnout. We are really surprised…It is a great turnout.”

The Nelnet payment plan allows for students to choose between three different options. The student is able to choose if they would like to make their payments over the course of two, three, or four months.

According to Nelnet payment plan data, compliments of Coniglio, 47 percent of participants chose the four month plan, while 33 percent chose the three month /plan, and 20 percent chose the two month plan.

Additionally, out of the 926 students that participated, 81 students missed their payments and will receive holds on their student accounts in the coming semester. This will account for 18, 502 dollars that Palomar will need to collect in the coming months.

As for the remaining 845 students, they have been able to take their classes as normal and pay off their fees without having to pay it all upfront or risk being dropped from their classes.

Kendyl Magnuson, Senior Director of Enrollment Services, was out sick and was unable to comment on the turnout of the Nelnet payment plan.

However, many students did not know about the Nelnet plan. When asked, both Heather Miller, 20, majoring in Kinesiology and Miguel Morales, 21, a Criminal Justice major, both stated that they didn’t know about the plan when asked.

The Nelnet payment plan opened the door for 926 students to make a series of payments on their tuition, and still take their college classes as they planned.

Coniglio stated, “We are really surprised with the turnout.”