$50 Registration Fee

Conan · Post by **Conan** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:50 pm

Last time I registered this annoyed me and it still does. I feel like the $50 registration fee that is now added to the Space Camp fees is just a cheap way of trying to disguise an increase in the fees. Just be honest about it and show the true price of the fees in one number (such as $449 for a 3 day program) instead of tacking on a $50 fee that didn't used to be there in the past. I don't mind paying a higher fee, if it is necessary, but it annoys me no end to have it tacked on as a separate registration fee.
What do you others think?

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:12 pm

I agree. Unless the fee can waived by registering yourself online (which it isn't), I think it should be included in the tuition. (I am all for all-inclusive pricing everywhere, from airfres to lollipops.)

On the flip side, I completely agree that they can justify holding $50 from someone who registered and later had to cancel or withdraw (because the camp had to spend time registering and cancelling you), but include that as part of the refund policy, not a registration fee.

My two bits.

Post by **Vincent** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:16 pm

I agree.

Especially considering that when I registered for both alumni camps in 2007, I was charged two $50 registration fees, even though I feel I only registered once (but for two sessions).

Not cool.

pilotgirl21 · Post by **pilotgirl21** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:21 pm

I agree too. I didn't understand why there is a $50 registration fee. What is that fee used for...for camp to send out your paperwork when you register? It doesn't cost that much to print up some sheets of paper and put them in an envelope! Besides, most of us register online now anyways, and those forms are just filled out on the computer now.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:52 am

Vincent wrote:Especially considering that when I registered for both alumni camps in 2007, I was charged two $50 registration fees, even though I feel I only registered once (but for two sessions).

I wondered about that. I thought for sure they would only charge you once for that or if you registered two people in the same session at the same time. I guess not. Definitely not cool.

bnaivar · Post by **bnaivar** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:51 pm

The $50 covers the salary and benefits of the human being that has to take your information off of the registration computer and enter it into the Space Camp computer. All of these online registration sites are handled by something that is called a "lockbox". It's usually off site, sometimes out of the country. They handle the money in a secured fashion that the folks in Huntsville pay them handsomely for, but somebody still has to take the information off of one system and put it on the other. Not efficient, I know, but that's the way the electronic world works. It's the same as the "handling" fee you pay for your Snuggie, or Oxy Clean.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:51 am

But if they charge it for everyone, regardless of how they register (phone, fax, online) or what they register for (SC, P/C, AC, ASA), it should be included in the tuition.

bnaivar · Post by **bnaivar** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:28 am

It's actually a legal thing. It has to be kept separate. I've worked places in the past where the same thing was done. It doesn't make any sense to me either.

I guess the best way to explain it is that "Space Camp" isn't charging you the $50. The lockbox service is. Separate company, separate charge.