USFS Collegiate Membership

[Skittl1321]

So I am trying to get the collegiate 4-year membership rate.  Clubs in this area have been hesitant because a)I'm part time (well, some semesters i'm full time, b) I'm a grad student, and c) I don't have 4-years left in college.

Now, clubs are free to charge their own fee. My local club, for instance, has decided that even if you have this 4-year membership, if you are no longer in college each year they are charging you more.  This is what caused me to seek out a new club, to me that was contrary the point of a 4-year membership!  The "rates subject to change" is not something I wanted to commit myself to.

I found another club that a friend is in, and they charge all their extra fees up front (they do charge more than just the USFS membership, but a reasonable amount), so I'm set for 4 years.

Because a friend is the membership chair- she wanted to double check with USFS that she wasn't bending rules for a friend (and that other collegiate members also met the rules.)

Here is what she got back from USFS.
-Do I have to be a full-time college student? no
-Can I be a graduate student- yep
- What if I graduate before the 4 years is over? doesn't matter

So, from USFS- it appears that anyone, full-time, part-time, grad, or undergrad is eligible for this membership.  USFS does already say on their website that transcripts aren't required (it would be nice if they put this other stuff up- I know LOTS of clubs are confused. Another local club does only allows full time undergrads, which is clearly not what USFS is intending).  If you were a college student when you signed up, but then aren't anymore, it doesn't matter- the membership is done.

[CaraSkates]

It was introduced when I was already partway through undergrad - my club had no problem giving me the 4 year membership (they charged me $100, this is the going college rate around my area). I will graduate two years before my membership runs out. I am very involved with them however and there was some discussion about if they would allow part time adult college students (one class a semester, or someone who was about to graduate college) to have this membership as our Board of Directors believed USFS started it aimed at graduating high school seniors...so it may still be at the clubs discretion although USFS is ok with all of the above.

[Skittl1321]

It is still at club's discretion, because they can charge any extra fees they want- but since USFS says it is available through ALL clubs (not participating clubs), and also says it is okay for ANY kind of college student, I don't think a club can turn you down for it.  Incoming freshman are a good place to aim at, but it also makes a lot of sense for a senior.  A lot of students still have their skating paid for them by parents.  If parents bought it for them their LAST year of college, that sets them off as adult skaters with one less expense to pay for.  The graduate students in the club are all very excited about the membership because they are the ones who are most broke.  Since you can only use the option once, it's not like someone who is a lifetime student could keep getting a lower rate- they have to decide when it is most advantageous to use.


My local club charges $110 for the first year, $40 for each additional year you are still in college and $60 for each additional year if you aren't still in college.  However, those last two fees could go up if associate member fees go up- the fact that it is significantly more expensive than joining as an individual, and that they can't say upfront what the total cost will be (it makes me very nervous to have to commit to unknown payments, I don't think you can switch clubs midmembership) is what made me decide to look elsewhere.   

(For anyone wondering joining USFS as a individual collegiate 4-year member is $177.50)

The club I decided to join (not local, at all) is $105 for all 4-years.

[davincisop]

I wish I'd known about this when I joined my final semester of college... my club forgot to notify me of that.

[ChristyRN]

Hmmm, think I would qualify for the collegiate rate at the age of?  I'm in college, ranging from 4 to 8 credits a semester, and still have several years to go.

[Skate@Delaware]

Hmmm, think I would qualify for the collegiate rate at the age of?  I'm in college, ranging from 4 to 8 credits a semester, and still have several years to go.

I hear you! I went back & forth with my club about this (they have NO knowledge of this program at all); I will be in school (part-time) for many more years (working up to my MSN in Nursing)....and yeah, I'll be 50 years old next year.

USFS needs to make it VERY CLEAR to membership chairs the requirements of this program.

[ChristyRN]

I hear you! I went back & forth with my club about this (they have NO knowledge of this program at all); I will be in school (part-time) for many more years (working up to my MSN in Nursing)....and yeah, I'll be 50 years old next year.

USFS needs to make it VERY CLEAR to membership chairs the requirements of this program.

Working on my MSN in Nursing Education through ECU.  That is, if I can manage to pass Chemistry.  I've already failed once.  Or, I got a D that doesn't transfer.  What are you going for?

[nicklaszlo]

Thanks for the clarification.  My club didn't do any verification, but it's nice to know I'm in the clear.

[Skittl1321]

Yeah - I don't know what "college aged members" mean, unless they just mean over about 16ish.  Because USFS made it pretty clear in the email that if someone is in college (full time/part time, undergrad/grad) they are eligible for the membership.

My club didn't seem to want to make it convenient, and for me, they don't offer enough benefits to need to join a local club (even joining as an individual collegiate would have been cheaper.)  It was pointed out to me I'll have to pay guest rate to be in a show.  Unless they do 22 shows in the next 4 years, I'll be okay  I asked my coach and he thinks joining an out of state club makes the most sense for me since the only thing I need it for is to compete.  It's just going to sound weird when I get announced, in Iowa, as a club from Arizona (and I go to a college in the Massachusetts!  But right now I'm actually full time, though my club wouldn't believe me because I'm distance, but I'm a 9-hour grad student, and that is full time, even if I also work full time!)

ChristyRN- if you are in college, USFS considers you eligible for this.  You just need to advocate for yourself and get the membership chair to understand.  Just be aware, they can levy any extra fees they want on you...(my local club just has you pay the associate member fee each year, in addition to the amount you paid USFS for the 4-years, but you are a full member.)

[FigureSpins]

I could swear that this was introduced ONLY for undergraduate students.  There was some discussion about those people in programs that went longer than four years and the answer was "sorry, four-year undergrad only."  Maybe it was, like you said, just one club in particular.

It is, however, a one-time offer, just like the introductory membership.  You can buy this four-year membership but when it runs out, you have to become a full member after it expires.

[Skate@Delaware]

Working on my MSN in Nursing Education through ECU.  That is, if I can manage to pass Chemistry.  I've already failed once.  Or, I got a D that doesn't transfer.  What are you going for?

AFTER I finish my AAS in Nursing (I pin this December hahaha if I survive this last semester), I have my BSN to finish....and the hospital (I am a slave to them while they pay my education which is ok since they are the ONLY hospital in the area and fairly decent to work for), I plan on pursuing my MSN in either Education or Administration. I have 3 years after getting my RN to become a RN, BSN....and they are only too happy to have a MSN nurse on payroll. (They have magnet status and want to keep it).  I've worked for this hospital as a CNA and their benefits are really good.

I am only too glad that I don't have to have chemistry again! I'm in statistics but it's a cakewalk....open book tests and easy projects, no homework, etc. (none of us are math majors)-but I can plot a histogram & bell curve and calculate degrees of freedom lol!

My club had NO CLUE as to the collegiate membership, even after I sent them the LINK and info....not sure why they wouldn't want to offer it, several of us are in college. I think I'll push it next year since I'll be going to school for a few more years (and with nursing, at least in this area, anything over 6 credits is considered full-time).

[Skittl1321]

It seems to me that clubs just look at it as losing money.   I think it makes sense for a club to attach reasonable fees to it- they've got to pay for ice time and such!

My club just didn't attach what I consider reasonable- it would cost more to join the club as collegiate than to be an individual collegiate member- it costs way less to join the club regularly than it does to join as an individual.

I know many people have amazing clubs and need club ice and such, but for me- it's all about money.  The perks of our club are almost nothing, so they priced me out.

[FigureSpins]

They're losing money either way. 

If they offer the collegiate membership using the broad guidelines you've outlined, lots of members might be eligible for the discounted membership. 

The alternative is that they lose your membership entirely, although they make it up slightly on "out of club" fees for tests, shows and competitions.

I really think the original intent of the membership category was to retain high school seniors who skate and would otherwise let their membership lapse.  Keeping the membership and magazine would encourage skating through college or a return after school ended. 

It's nice that it was expanded, but I can understand why clubs would find it a threat or confusing.  It's a one-time, upfront payment and then they have to cover the annual expense for the next three years, so that requires careful budget management. 

I have a few parents who pay for several private lesson up front and we both track the use of it weekly.  There are certain periods that make me feel like I'm teaching for free, lol.  It's all funny-money at that point, but in the Club's case, they have to commit to pay for that membership over the entire time period.  Given the USFSA's approved rate schedule that has increases projected for the next five years, I can understand their concern.


Back in the day, my now-defunct club's registration form offered the USFSA membership separate from the other club expenses, including the Club Membership and Ice Time fees.  Maybe it's time for a return to that.  It seems that only savvy parents and skaters check out what the USFSA actually charges the clubs.  Once you remove that amount from the categories of club fees, the amount should be fair across-the-board.

[Skittl1321]

My local club actually won't do 4 years up front. You have to pay the associate member fee each year, but are considered a full member. That made me feel like the club was holding me hostage to fee increases because the way the membership is outlined you have to be in the same club all 4 years...usfs considers it to be your home club. Even though the usfs part of the membership is paid for, that doesn't do any good if you aren't in good standing with the club. It's not like you can suddently decide to be an individual member if their fees double.  If I could have paid upfront, I may have paid slightly more to join a local club.

[FigureSpins]

Hmmm... my club has kept their collegiate membership at $150/4 years, not passing on the recent USFSA increase.  So we're taking a loss on every collegiate skater that registers. 

[CaraSkates]

I just looked at my clubs membership app for this year...collegiate went up to $120 but it is a full membership - at my club that means you can skate on club ice, buy punchcards (best benefit - I can buy ice as low as $8 an hour if I buy in bulk), test sessions (and we have agreement with 4 local clubs so we don't pay fees there either), be in shows/ice theater team, attend meetings, etc....for comparison, 1 year full membership (non college) is $60.

[PinkLaces]

I looked at our club's collegate membership.  It's $110 for the first year and $40 each year after that for years 2,3, & 4.  A regular membership is $100/yr.  They do require a copy of the college id with the application.

[Skate@Delaware]

It seems to me that clubs just look at it as losing money.   I think it makes sense for a club to attach reasonable fees to it- they've got to pay for ice time and such!

My club just didn't attach what I consider reasonable- it would cost more to join the club as collegiate than to be an individual collegiate member- it costs way less to join the club regularly than it does to join as an individual.

I know many people have amazing clubs and need club ice and such, but for me- it's all about money.  The perks of our club are almost nothing, so they priced me out.

My club doesn't charge membership fee & ice fee in one payment-they are both separate fees.  Another club in the area does have collegiate membership and I seriously considered joining them...and just joining my local club as an "associate" member and it still would have been cheaper! Plus, I would not have been charged the extra $100 for not volunteering (I don't have time to "donate" the 15 hours because their volunteering time is only during ice-time-doh!)

[Skittl1321]

Does the fees your club collects for ice time cover ALL of the ice time?  It was my understanding most clubs lost money on their ice time, so they use membership fees to subsidize it, even if they collect money to skate on the ice (most clubs do)  

[ChristyRN]

My local club only offers the collegiate membership to full time students.  Since I can't go full time and keep a roof over my head (unless I win the lottery) I guess I'll have to pass and not join at all.