The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

The Student News Site of Appalachian State University

The Appalachian

Newsletter Signup

Get our news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

* indicates required

Opinion: Financial ramifications for double major are unfair to students

Lindsay Bookout

Lindsay BookoutThe UNC-system has a state-wide mandate stating if a student exceeds 140 credit hours while earning two degrees, you’re required to pay a 50 percent tuition surcharge.

Because I declared my majors at the same time, I’m subject to this charge.

But had I waited an extra year to declare one major, and then I wouldn’t have been forced to pay for these extra hours.

Yes, I made the decision to declare both majors at the same time so I could work on my classes.

But shouldn’t I be rewarded for having a plan the minute I entered college?

So now someone who randomly decides that he or she wants to double major will be allotted extra hours, while I, someone who has known since freshman year that I would be double-majoring, will not be.

One would think the UNC-system would want to reward me for my efforts instead of punishing me.

When I go on to graduate school, I plan to study linguistics. I took three languages in high school, and I had planned to continue these languages so that I could have them in my portfolio when I applied to graduate school. 

But now, all I can take are English, French and communications classes in addition to my general education curriculum.

And even that will take me over the limit.

Luckily, summer classes do not count toward the 140-hour limit. But summer classes weren’t originally in my plans, and they still cost money.

I am fortunate because my parents can afford to pay for my college education.

But it is not fair that they will have to either pay the surcharge, the summer classes or both because Appalachian will not allot me extra hours, but they will to others in a slightly different situation.

Bookout, a French and English double major from Charlotte, is an intern news reporter. 

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

We hope you appreciate this article! Before you move on, our student staff wanted to ask if you would consider supporting The Appalachian's award-winning journalism. We are celebrating our 90th anniversary of The Appalachian in 2024!

We receive funding from the university, which helps us to compensate our students for the work they do for The Appalachian. However, the bulk of our operational expenses — from printing and website hosting to training and entering our work into competitions — is dependent upon advertising revenue and donations. We cannot exist without the financial and educational support of our fellow departments on campus, our local and regional businesses, and donations of money and time from alumni, parents, subscribers and friends.

Our journalism is produced to serve the public interest, both on campus and within the community. From anywhere in the world, readers can access our paywall-free journalism, through our website, through our email newsletter, and through our social media channels. Our supporters help to keep us editorially independent, user-friendly, and accessible to everyone.

If you can, please consider supporting us with a financial gift from $10. We appreciate your consideration and support of student journalism at Appalachian State University. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation, or if you would prefer to make a recurring monthly gift, please give to The Appalachian Student News Fund through the university here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1727/cg20/form.aspx?sid=1727&gid=2&pgid=392&cid=1011&dids=418.15&bledit=1&sort=1.

Donate to The Appalachian
$1201
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Appalachian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *