Payment Processing Options

Payment Processing Options

When using Total Registration, LLC’s (TR) online exam registration service, schools have four options for processing exam fee payments:

School Collects All Payments

Total Registration Integrates with School’s Merchant Account Total Registration Integrates with a Payment Processor Total Registration Sells Exams and Collects All Payments

School Collects All Payments

After registering online using TR’s service, students print a copy of their confirmation page and take it to school with their payment. Schools then receive payment, receipt the student, and record the payment (amount and check number) into TR’s registration system.

Total Registration Integrates with School’s Merchant Account

Schools and districts with existing Merchant Accounts (the ability to accept credit cards) can have Total Registration integrate with their account so that exams fees can be paid at the time of registration using a credit or debit card. In order to use this option, the merchant account must use an Authorize.net or USAePay.com gateway.

Total Registration Integrates with a Payment Processor

TR has existing integrations with RevTrak, SchoolPay and PaySchools. These payment processors create webstores that allow schools/district to collect a variety of fees online. TR can interface with these webstores so that families can pay their exam fees at the time of registration.

Total Registration Sells Exams and Collects All Payments

Schools can now appoint TR to sell all exams and collect payments. Exams can be purchased when registering using a credit or debit card, or exams can be purchased by mail with a check, cashier’s check or money order. With this option, schools will not need to collect any fees or record payments.

Payment Processing Options - Costs and Fees

X1 1.5X 1.5X X Set-up Fees Account Set-up $0.00 $0.00 - $200.002 $0.00 - $200.002 $0.00 Gateway Set-up $0.00 $50.00 - $200.003 $0.00 $0.00 Monthly Fees Account $0.00 $0.00 - $25.003 $0.00 - $15.003 $0.00 Gateway $0.00 $0.00 - $20.00 $0.00 $0.00 Transaction Fees

Fixed Transaction Cost

$0.00 $0.15 -$ 0.304 $0.00 - $0.304 $0.00 Gateway Transaction Cost $0.00 $0.00 - $0.105 $0.00 $0.00 Transaction Percentage Fee 0.0% 1.7% - 3.5% 1.8% - 4.0% 4.0% 1

Where X is TR’s bid for online exam registration and is based on the number of exams administered the previous year.

2

Cost varies according to contract. Set-up costs may have already been paid for if school/district uses an existing Merchant Account/Payment Processor.

3

Cost varies with gateway provider according to contract. This cost may have already been covered if using an existing account.

4

Cost varies by processor according to contract.

5

Payment Processing Options - Comparison Matrix

Ability for Families to Pay Online







Families May Pay At School







School no longer required to accept,

receipt and record payments



1

Does not Require a Merchant Account



?



No Gateway Required



?



No Contract Required



?



No District/Board Approval Required



?

?



Ability to Accept Other School Fees

?



Time to Set-Up Immediately 1 - 6 weeks6 1 - 6 weeks6 Immediately

Funding Time (Time until school receives payment) When Student Returns Payment 2 - 3 business days 2 - 3 business days 1 Month 7

Form of Payment to School/District Many Student

Payments Week Day Deposits to Bank Account Week Day Deposits to Bank Account 1 Monthly7 Check 1

Since TR is selling the exams, no payments will be made at school, removing the need to receive or receipt payments.

2

Most processors will set-up schools/district with a Merchant Account.

3

Since there is a financial/legal contract, most districts require approval by the school board.

4

School or district staff would need to create a web interface to accept payments for other fees.

5

Payment Processors create a webstore, allowing schools/district to accept payments for a large variety of non exam related fees.

6

Set-up time will vary greatly depending on district policies and the Payment Processor. The internal approval process at districts can vary greatly and be very time consuming.

7

TR will purchase exams from schools on a monthly basis. TR will send a check for the exams purchased, minus TR’s fees and 10% reserve in order to handle refunds. The 10% reserve will be paid after exams have been completed, but before the College Board’s invoice is due.

Students Purchase Exams from TR

Total Registration, LLC (TR) is excited to offer a new option for students to purchase their exams from Total Registration. With this new option:

Schools no longer accept, receipt and record payments

Families can conveniently pay exam fees with a debit/credit card at the time of registration

Since TR is selling the exams, schools don’t need a merchant account and gateway, which reduces the approval process and set-up time.

TR manages all payments and refunds

How it Works

Students/Parents register for AP exams using TR’s registration service. TR will calculate the fees according to the school’s fee schedule. Students/Parents will then purchase their exams from TR one of two ways:

Families will purchase their exams at the time of registration using a debit or credit card. This option provides families immediate payment confirmation at the time of registration.

Some families may choose to mail their payment (personal check, money order, cashier’s check) to TR.

With either option, TR will record the payment and provide a receipt via email. Since TR is selling the exams, school staff hours are no longer required to accept, receipt and record payments.

How Much Does it Cost

TR’s new payment service is only 4% ($1.00 minimum per transaction/registration) of collected exam fees. This is the service’s only cost, there are no “hidden” set-up fees, monthly fees, statement fees, transaction costs, etc. that often accompany Merchant Accounts.

Most schools will increase their exam price to cover the cost of the new service. In most cases, the increase would translate into an additional $3.75 per exam, bringing the cost of an $87.00 exam to $90.75.

How Do Schools Pay Their College Board Invoice

TR will purchase exams from schools on a monthly basis. TR will mail schools a check by the second Wednesday of the month for the exams sold the previous month. This check will be for 96% of the fees collected minus a 10% reserve. The reserve needs to be maintained in order to handle any possible refunds. TR will pay the reserve to schools after all the exams have been administered in May, allowing time for schools to pay their College Board invoice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is selling the AP Exams?

TR sells the exams to the students/parents.

HOW DO FAMILIES PAY THEIR EXAM FEES?

Families can pay at the time of registration using a debit/credit card or they may mail TR a check, money order or cashier’s check.

CAN FAMILIES PAY THEIR EXAM FEES AT SCHOOL?

No. Since TR is selling the exams, all payments must be made to TR.

HOW DO FAMILIES PAY IF THEY CANNOT PAY ONLINE WITH A DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD?

Families that do not have the ability to pay online will mail their payments to TR. These families will print a payment stub to be mailed along with their check, cashier’s check or money order. TR will receive and record these payments and then email the family a confirmation showing the recorded payment.

HOW ARE FREE/REDUCED LUNCH STUDENTS HANDLED?

During the registration process, students are asked if they “Participate in the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program”. Any student who indicates they are a Free/Reduced Lunch student will not be permitted to pay until after the school confirms or denies their free/reduced lunch status. After the confirmation/denial process, students will be emailed a confirmation showing their fees with waivers applied (if confirmed) or without waivers (if denied). Students can then login to TR and pay their fees online with a debit/credit card or print a payment stub and mail their payment to TR.

WHAT HAPPENS TO UNPAID REGISTRATIONS?

TR will email reminders to students who have registered but not paid. Schools will also be able to run a discrepancy report to identify these students and remind them to make payment by email or other contact. When schools are ready to place their order with the College Board, TR will remove registrations that have not been paid.

WHY DOES TR KEEP A 10% RESERVE?

TR understands that on occasion, students need to be refunded some part of their exam fee. The 10% reserve allows TR to make refunds without having to invoice schools for refunds made. Any portion of the 10% reserve will be paid to schools in May once the exams have been administered and the refund window has been closed.

WHAT IS THE REFUND POLICY?

Schools determine the refund policy that TR will use. All schools that elect to have TR sell the exams will be required to use a refund policy that outlines the last date that students can receive a full refund, the last date to receive a partial refund (with a cancellation fee) and the date after which there are no refunds. TR encourages schools to allow a complete refund while the registration is active and a partial refund until a couple weeks before the exam. TR suggests not allowing refunds beyond two weeks prior to the exams.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SET-UP THIS OPTION?

Since TR is selling the exams, schools/districts do not need to set-up a merchant account or gateway. TR can begin selling the exams right away.

DOES THIS REQUIRE DISTRICT APPROVAL?

Having TR sell the exams does not typically require school district or school board approval, whereas obtaining a merchant account usually does. In most cases, schools can appoint TR to sell the exams with approval from the principal. Please check with your principal about your school’s policy.

HOW ARE REFUNDS HANDLED?

Schools maintain full control over the refund process through TR’s system. When a student requires a refund, the AP Coordinator will initiate the refund through TR’s registration system. TR in turn refunds the necessary amount via debit card, credit card or check, depending on method of the initial payment. TR will fully receipt and notify the families.

ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS REGARDING REGISTRATION DATES?

Since some students will be paying via mail, TR requires that schools end registration at least a week and half (preferably more) before placing their order with the College Board. This will allow mailed payments to be processed and unpaid registrations to be removed before exams are ordered. TR will require that all payments be post marked one week prior to the school placing their exam order.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL THE CHECKS TR SENDS THE SCHOOLS?

TR will purchase exams from schools on a monthly basis. Each check will be for 96% of the exams fees collected the previous month, minus a 10% reserve.

Let’s look at a sample school that begins registration Jan 15th and ends registration Feb 21st. The school offers full refunds until Feb 21st and partial refunds with a $20.00 cancellation fee until April 15th. The cost of this school’s AP Exam Registration Service is $450.00: Month Fees Collected by TR 96% of Fees Collected1 10% Reserve Refunds Check to School Date Check is Mailed Total Reserve Jan $10,000.00 $9,600.00 $960.00 $0.00 $8,640.00 2nd Wed in Feb $960.00 Feb $30,000.00 $28,800.00 $2,880.00 $350.00 $25,920.00 2nd Wed in March $3,490.002 March $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $100.00 $0.00 N/A $3,390.002 April $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $180.00 $0.00 N/A $3,210.002 May $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $2,760.003 May 25 – Shortly after last exam is administered $0.00 1

TR retains 4% of the fee ($1.00 minimum per transaction) collected as compensation for selling the exams.

2

Reserve decreased due to refunds

3

Last check = Reserve – TR’s fee for online registration ($3,210.00 - $450.00). Handling it this way means that schools do not need to submit a check to TR as their registration invoice is paid in full.