Frequently Asked Questions

Tutorial sessions are 55 minutes in length. You may sign up for 1, 1.5, or 2 sessions. Credit course periods are 50 minutes in length. ETC uses the Mercer Island High School bell schedule for most classes. Shortened and block class periods are charged (and awarded credit) at the appropriate rate.

During the school year, we collect an advance deposit for the amount of 1 month of services. After that, bills are sent each month for the previous month’s services. At the end of the program, the deposit is either refunded or applied toward the last month’s balance. During the summer months, all scheduled services are prepaid.

ETC accepts cash, personal checks, and Visa or MasterCard for a maximum of $3000 per month. A 2.5% fee for credit card use is passed on to you if you choose that method of payment.

Once a textbook is selected, your student will need an individual copy of that book. At times, ETC’s lending library may contain the appropriate book. At other times, one may need to be purchased. It is less expensive for the parent to order the student book, because by doing so the State Use Tax is avoided. Most textbooks can easily be ordered from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or powells.com. Please let us know if you would prefer for ETC to order the textbook and pass on the Use Tax to you.

If a teacher edition needs to be ordered for your course, up to 20% of the cost of that Teacher Edition will be passed on to the student. Lab fees are charged at $25 per lab class. Photocopies and teaching aids are included in our Registration Fee. Any other materials or fees associated with field trips or other unusual expenses will be charged at face value.

Students are allowed 2 excused absences per quarter at no charge. Absences are considered excused if ETC receives notice by 7 AM the day of the class. Absences may be phoned to the main office at 206.232.3633 and left on the instructor’s voicemail or with main office staff. If workable for all involved, the student and teacher may reschedule the session at no additional charge. 24-hour notice must be given for zero period classes.

Rather than charge quarterly or yearly tuition, ETC charges per session. In the case of lump sum tuition, there is no money refunded for absences of any kind; we feel that our system of charging by the session allows for more fairness and flexibility for both the student and the teacher. In addition:

• since our instructors are paid hourly, a low number of excused absences helps insure their income
• students tend to complete classes faster and do better with their instructional goals when we set high expectations for attendance
• if we know in advance that a session has been canceled, we can schedule help for a student who has been waiting for tutorial assistance

Phone: (206) 236-1095 | E-mail: etc@etcinc.org | Fax: (206) 236-0998