Medical withdrawal costs big bucks

BALLSTON SPA -- Imagine having to give up your dream of becoming a nurse because you have unfortunately become the patient.  That's exactly what happened to a Ballston Spa woman who was forced to withdraw from Maria College due to a serious health condition.   Amy Thurber attended for just two weeks this semester before she was diagnosed but she is now being asked to pay nearly half of the full tuition for the semester.  

Thurber is a mother of two who works as an LPN.  She wants to become an RN so she's been attending Maria College part-time for about a year.  A week into this semester, she started having health problems, "I was losing my hair and getting hair in places that women would not like to get hair and I was concerned about it," Thurber says.  Since she's had medical issues in the past, she called the doctor right away and was told there is a mass on her ovary and she will need surgery right away.  She will likely be bed-ridden for at least a month.  

Thurber called Maria College right away to explain her situation and withdraw for the semester, "It's not...how are you, how are you dealing with everything? It's...what can we do to keep the financial aid and this is what you owe us and have a great day, it was sad, really, really sad," she says.  

The total bill came to just over $1100.  "I said there's nothing you can do for me?  Nothing you can do at all?  The Dean called me back and said the only thing she could do is to have my withdraw be effective the week before, so instead of paying 60% of my tuition, I can pay 40%," Thurber says.  

Administration at Maria College would not speak to CBS6 on-camera and would not talk specifically about Amy's situation but they did tell Factfinder Jennifer Lewke in a phone conversation that the school has just one policy when it comes to students withdrawing and it does not make any exceptions, even in the event of a medical condition.  

The process is fairly complicated but basically, when a student drops out, the school has to give some of the financial aid it got on her behalf back to the federal government.  The college then recalculates the tuition and the student has to make up the difference.  

There are local colleges that take into consideration a medical condition when calculating either a repayment amount or a credit back to the student depending on the financial aid package. Other schools make special arrangements to assist students who believe they will be able to come back to school in a fairly timely fashion.  Union College for example, will allow students who withdraw for a documented medical reason to make up classes without any additional charges.  

Maria College says it's trying to be fair to all students and it will not make an exception. "We'll just get through it, we always do," says Thurber who meets with her surgeon next week.
  
Maria College will allow Thurber to make payments on the balance but for every month there is a balance, there will be a $25 surcharge.