Would it be more beneficial to live on campus if you live about an hour way from the destined college?

I have experienced both living on campus and commuting (45 minutes - 1 hour).

Some things to think about if you decide to live on campus:

1. 
   

   Do you want independence away from your parents, family, etc.? Living on your own is a very good experience and gives you a break from people you really never get a break from. Don't feel bad if this is a reason why you want to leave.

   
   


2. 
   

   Are you going to want your car with you? Is there a safe place to park it and does parking cost a lot of money? I would have loved my car when I lived on campus, but I made do.

   
   


3. 
   

   Are you planning on getting involved with the school? Or are you going to hang out in your dorm often?

   
   


4. 
   

   Are you planning on going home often? Once a month is great, but if you are going weekly/biweekly I would reconsider.

   
   

Some things you should think about if you decide to commute.:

1. 
   

   How much does living on campus cost? Housing and food plans - these are really expensive and when I lived on campus I paid a lot of money for food (it was required) that I did not use.

   
   


2. 
   

   How much is it going to cost staying at home? My parents did not make me pay rent or for my own food. All my funds went straight to school.

   
   


3. 
   

   Your car. Mines has awful gas mileage, but is reliable. I did not have to spend any money on making big repairs because I drove it every day to and from school. I have friends who had their cars break down often.

   
   


4. 
   

   PARKING! I went to schools that had awful parking during the day, always scope out the parking situation. I had to leave early, but that was fine since I had time to study when I got to school.

   
   

The downside of commuting is the drive, but if you are lucky like me can be very beneficial. You will save a lot of money, campus living can be expensive. College books will be expensive, you are going to want your own money to just do whatever, and if you need to pay for food and gas yourself, this is also a great way to save some bucks.

You can also get away from any drama that occurs, trust me most likely it will. Living in dorms/on campus can be a pain when something happens in your group of friends and you ALL live on campus. Many times I was so glad that I got to leave at the end of the day, my friends were stuck there having to see each other when they went back to the dorms.

Since you'd be commuting an hour please consider the following before making your decision:

1. Bad weather conditions, traffic, and accidents are all unplanned events that could impact your safety and commute time. You would have to factor a travel time cushion into your travel plans


2. What are the costs of travel (gas, tolls, parking, or monthly commuter pass, etc.)? Is the money saved worth any inconvenience?


3. IF you drive --- where is the parking lot and how easy is it to find parking? How will this impact how long it takes you to get to class?


4. IF you take mass transportation --- where will you be picked up and dropped off? How will this impact how long it takes you to get to class? How frequently does the transportation service run?


5. Since you will not have your own "place" to stay, where on campus will you spend time in-between classes?


6. How will not living on campus affect --- making friends, participating in clubs, networking, completing group assignments?

*** Please also keep in mind that travel time will cut into your study/work time. Even if you are taking mass transportation, sometimes it is difficult to study and concentrate in this environment.