!@#^$ Registration Fees!

[kristenk]

Do the churches that have day camp offer more than the 1 week of camp that you're interested in? I've always assumed that registration fees (especially ones that seem high) are sort of put in place to encourage you to participate in multiple weeks/sessions that are offered. Or is there a separate registration fee for each session at the ones you're looking at? (I understand that you're talking about one session at each of 3 different locations, I was just asking how/if it would work if you did multiple sessions at one location.)

A $40 reg fee on $110 tuition does seem high.

[MelissaTC]

Our church charged $65 this year for VBS. The church where I work wants $15 and the one around the corner is free.

Those fees seem high to me.

[bubbaray]

All of the churches here charge for VBS. Its nominal, though. ETA: we are in a very high COL area. ETA #2, IIRC its $40/child to a max of $90/family. 1 week, 9-12.

[ett]

I have never heard of a church charging for VBS.

All the churches around here charge a small fee for VBS. The one DS's are going to this summer charges $20/child with a max amount per family.

[ett]

The registration fee is definitely high compared to the cost of the camp. I would just look at the total cost of the camp (tuition + reg. fee) and determine whether it is worth going to.

I think the reason why VBS is so much cheaper than the summer camps is that VBS is an "evangelism" type program and is part of the church budget like PP mentioned, but the summer camp is not. VBS is probably staffed by church volunteers but they may need to hire people for the camp.

[vonfirmath]

I have never heard of a church charging for VBS.

It is normal around here for churches to charge nominal fees for VBS.

[vonfirmath]

Yeah, but that is a whole year of classes... This is a $40 registration fee for one week of day camp. The camp itself is $110. Doesn't that strike you as crazy that the registration fee is nearly half of the tuition?!?!

If no one will pay it, then they won't get enough campers and they will reconsider. If folks will pay it, then it is not out of line.

Maybe its the same work to get a new person set up in the program, whether it is for one week or a whole year?

[egoldber]

I think it's odd that the registration fee is not applied to the camp fee. Are you sure it's not?

[brgnmom]

All the churches around here charge a small fee for VBS.

This applies to us as well. I just paid $20 for the entire week of VBS for my DS and I thought it was reasonable for the 2.5 hrs per day.

ITA that the OP's registration fees seem high though.

[kozachka]

If $150 is a competitive price for that kind of classes in your area, then you should not care what the different parts of tuition are called. If they are not, then don't enroll, go with a better alternative.