For Purdue students who do not take classes over the summer, the price of living increases than those who do.

It isn't the housing or the food that does it, it is the amount of fees and payments one must make to use University services. With the few remaining students who do not take the required six credits to be a full student in the area, the extra fees are like a kick in the face.

You spend thousands of dollars to go to school here during the spring and fall semester. Instead of graduating in May, you have to take one more class during Maymester. Then, after you finish your class, you remain in West Lafayette for the rest of the summer. Unfortunately, you become really ill. When entering the Purdue Student Health Center, you are told that you cannot receive free treatment because you only took one class instead of two. The same goes for the Recreational Sports Center. An extra $14 needs to be spent for you to receive services.

It might not seem big to the University, but $14 here and $10 there adds up a lot to the students. Little expenses are what kills a student financially. One might believe that it is tuition and books, but the little things that people have to buy add up.

However, others are allowed access to computer labs and libraries. Doesn't this open a double standard? They are allowed to use some services and some not.

Given the fact that a student remains technically a student during the summer, or have an internship or co-op during the fall, then why don't they have the same services? Just because they choose not to take classes during the summer session, what makes them less of a student?

Some might say, since that they aren't taking classes over the summer, or not enough classes, then why should they be allowed the services the university provides?

Students, who pay thousands of dollars to go to school here during the regular semesters, should still have the opportunity to call themselves students when not in school. Just because one person isn't taking six credits doesn't mean they aren't a Boilermaker. Does it hurt the university so much to allow a few more students the opportunity to use their services?

So next summer, when a new batch of students take classes here, give the ones that don't have the credit hours the same services that they enjoy during the normal year. It can't hurt anyone that much, and it will make students feel better about their university.