As Elon University students slowly emerge from their Winter Term hibernation, they will be forced to acclimate to a heavier course load. Whether they were on campus or traveling in faraway lands, the transition isn’t necessarily easy. Juggling classes that meet at different times of the day — in different buildings, no less — may prompt some students to take the occasional mental health day.
But skipping class at Elon comes at a high price.
The cost of a single class session at Elon depends on the number of credits a student takes and how many times the class meets in a semester. For a student taking four, 4-credit classes, each class period costs about $100, give or take a few dollars depending on how many times per week the class meets.
Skipping a single class session is equivalent to flushing about $100 down one of Elon’s energy-efficient, low-flow toilets. And a class forgone translates to time that can’t be regained and dollar bills that won’t ever be refunded.
The cost of skipping one class in a semester could pay for 11 student-rate movie tickets at the Carousel Cinemas at Alamance Crossings. For the price of two classes, you could buy an iPhone 6. If you skip three classes in a semester, you’ve wasted $300 that could have gone toward a fancy pair of headphones or a pair of Frye cowboy boots.
There’s no shortage of reasons for skipping class — some of them valid — but whether you’re getting the most out of your tuition and time in college is worth considering before committing to a day off or punching snooze one time too many. The material you’re sure to miss in one class is reason enough to think twice.
The value of an education is priceless, but college is expensive. Although tuition at Elon covers a variety of expenses, at least a portion of that money pays for academics. And regardless of the number of classes attended, the cost is the same. If you choose to skip, take a moment to consider whether the reason is worth $100.