Recently, Northeastern changed the way it allows students to finance their education. Unfortunately, the change is not favorable from a student perspective.

In the past, students were allowed to spread their tuition payments out over three billing dates per quarter. The flat fee for using this service was $20 per quarter. So imagine how angered I was when I attempted to enroll in the payment plan this semester and was told I would be charged in upwards of $150 for this service. Did I miss something? Apparently.

NU made a decision some time this year to out source the tuition payment plan service to a company called AMS. This company initially charges an enrollment fee of $30 per semester, or $55 annually. Sounds reasonable, right? Sure, but then tack on a 2 to 3 percent finance charge on each of the payments made on a credit card and the service starts to add up.

From what I’ve heard, the recent change in the payment plan caught many students completely off guard. It’s difficult to budget enough money for expensive textbooks and other fees, so when a change like this comes along, it throws a major wrench in the plans.

According to AMS’ brochure, its monthly payment plan allows students to “choose a convenient, debt-free way to pay education expenses.” My response: thanks, but no thanks. I don’t find anything convenient about being charged a lot more to finance my time at NU.

-M.J. Langathianos is a graduate student in the part-time MBA program.