So I just wanted to voice my opinion on the matter of the technology package for 5th year students. So, here it goes:
First of all, anyone who is in their 5th year this fall got the worst possible laptops two years ago - just a reminder, those had an i5 processor, ONLY 4GB of RAM, no backlit keyboard just to name a few. The next year's model included an i7, more RAM, and the backlit keyboard... Additionally, everyone in their 5th year has already paid in full for not one but two laptops, and now making us pay for another half of a laptop without getting anything in return is ridiculous. If we want the new laptop which we are essentially paying for, we have to pay another $1200 at the end of the year in order to "pay it off in full". There are several issues that I see with that idea - as per IT from a previous discussion, the reasoning for the inflated technology package prices is because we are not only paying for the laptop but the software licensing, office access, help from IT, printing, etc. Since the laptops are being wiped before we receive them and we won't be using any of the services provided by MSOE, we aren't really receiving ANY of the mentioned benefits, so why do we have to pay for them?!? And last but not least, why would anyone think that's a good idea and not put in anywhere in clear and concise writing? According to MSOE Laptop Fee - Admissions, Admissions , "Full time undergraduate students, registered for 12+ credits, will be charged $420 per quarter"; however, we aren't really undergraduate students - we are students who take an undergraduate course or two for the sole purpose of claiming undergraduate status for the FAFSA (or at least that is the impression I received from my trip to the financial aid office earlier this year). So why is it we aren't treated like graduate students who can opt out of the technology package as per the link above? It states that "Part time or graduate students can opt in to the laptop program and are charged $100 per quarter." As much as I appreciate what MSOE has done for me over the years, I feel almost extorted at this point. It is not the matter of the extra $1000 but more so the gut feeling of, excuse my language, being screwed by the technology package not once but 3 times in my time here at MSOE.