<p>No free checking anymore, even for a student account. All three banks (BOA, Suntrust, and Wells Fargo) have implemented new fees now, even on these accounts. Unbelievable. I suspect I will go with Wells Fargo and just let him deal with the minimum balance requirement, but it sure does SUCK. Opinions?</p>
<p>If you get a Bank of America eBanking account then there’s no minimum balance requirement, fee, etc. However, the catch is that you have to use the ATM for most of your transactions. If you deposit cash, checks, etc. with a teller they charge like a $9 fee for the month.</p>
<p>I would check out USAA. You don’t have to be military to access their banking products. They have deposit via scanner or mobile phone and 10 free ATM withdrawals per month. By that they mean they will refund ATM fees from other banks up to 10 per month up to $15 dollars.</p>
<p>I’ve been with them for 25 years and customer service is second to none. My kids both have accounts there. My D will be starting at VT this week. She has a debit card linked to her account and complete access on-line or via mobile app. We also have access ;)</p>
<p>Here is a link that discusses eligibility</p>
<p><a href=“Enable Cookies | USAA | USAA”>Enable Cookies | USAA | USAA;
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>i opened an ebanking account recently, and like the person above said and i dont pay any extra fees as long as i use paperless billing and make all transactions online or at an atm</p>
<p>just went through this process and decided on wells fargo in the end.</p>
<ul>
<li>to avoid monthly fees, bank rep recommended setting up Custom Management package</li>
<li>catch: automatic transfer $25 from checking to savings each month to avoid monthly fees. you get to choose transfer date. sorta like forced savings, i guess. you can recycle the $25 from savings back to checking prior to transfer date. only problem is that you need to remember to have that $25 in checking on monthly anniversary date</li>
<li>pros: 4 campus atm/offices - squires student center(atm), bookstore(bookstore), university mall (math emporium)branch, main street (branch office); free bill pay, free online banking, free debit/check card </li>
<li>cons: remember to have $25 in checking for automatic transfer. service charge for withdrawal from non-wells fargo atm is $2.50, $2 balance inquiry, $2 transfer fee. $12.50 overdraft fee; starter pack of checks but must buy/order for any additional. </li>
</ul>
<p>also, we were trying to figure out how to setup account to handle common expenses for ds’s “apt” w 3 other roommates. need to payout monthly charges - utilities, water/sewer/trash, cable internet, etc and didn’t want to use personal acct to handle these expenses. bank rep was former wachovia bank rep at UVA and was familiar with similar accts for sororities, clubs, etc. where “treasurer” handles expenses for group. but it was unclear whether something like this could be setup with wells fargo. guess wachovia was alot friendlier for student groups. don’t want to hijack the topic, but any insights/experience on how to manage common apt expense are appreciated!</p>
<p>it’s not the best but convenient for atm’s, withdrawals and transfers.</p>
<p>wonder if wells fargo (and other banks) will be on-campus with special promotions or info table during move-in? would be helpful.</p>
<p>Very surprised given that Wells Fargo has a college checking account with no fees that we just opened here in NJ for my D to go to school in NC…</p>
<p>Look on the Wells Fargo website; it’s all there. No idea why you are being given different info</p>
<p>thanks for the info and was surprised that there was better alternative to their college checking acct (which is for college students…) </p>
<p>think the difference was qualifying to waive the monthly service charge ($3), which isn’t too bad actually.</p>
<p>there were several ways to waive the monthly, one of which is having campus debit card. several VA schools make use of this feature, but not vtech.</p>
<p>maybe i’ll pursue this with them again…such a pain to remember to have a $25 minimum in checking for transfer purposes - especially for college students who will zero out balances as quick as anything.</p>
<p>appreciate the feedback…</p>
<p>“If you get a Bank of America eBanking account then there’s no minimum balance requirement, fee, etc.”</p>
<p>Umm…check their site. They absolutely DO have minumums. All the checking accounts have changed, or are changing within a few weeks.</p>
<p>“Very surprised given that Wells Fargo has a college checking account with no fees that we just opened here in NJ for my D to go to school in NC…”</p>
<p>I checked the site, and talked to them as well. It’s laid out clearly. Keep a minimim balance, meet other mimimums, or pay a fee. Plain as day.</p>
<p>@mistymom</p>
<p>"just went through this process and decided on wells fargo in the end.</p>
<ul>
<li>to avoid monthly fees, bank rep recommended setting up Custom Management package</li>
<li>catch: automatic transfer $25 from checking to savings each month to avoid monthly fees. you get to choose transfer date. sorta like forced savings, i guess. you can recycle the $25 from savings back to checking prior to transfer date. only problem is that you need to remember to have that $25 in checking on monthly anniversary date"</li>
</ul>
<p>Yes, that is the choice that we opted for as well. Not what I would have preferred, and certainly different than past options, but I think it was the lesser of the 3 evils. :-)</p>
<p>@VTDAD15:</p>
<p>"I would check out USAA. You don’t have to be military to access their banking products. They have deposit via scanner or mobile phone and 10 free ATM withdrawals per month. By that they mean they will refund ATM fees from other banks up to 10 per month up to $15 dollars.</p>
<p>I’ve been with them for 25 years and customer service is second to none. My kids both have accounts there. My D will be starting at VT this week. She has a debit card linked to her account and complete access on-line or via mobile app. We also have access "</p>
<p>I just found out about USAA yesterday. I like it except for the fact that there is no actual bank where I could go, if for some reason my ATM card stopped working, or I needed some other urgent matter resolved. That’s my main issue with going somewhere like that. And it won’t take long to get to $15 in bank feels…many of them charge 3 or 4 bucks a whack now.</p>
<p>Try BB&T. My son just opened a free student checking account with them and no minimum balance. They have a branch location right next to University Center, plus an ATM machine in the Student Services building – very close to his dorm.</p>
<p>Our hometown bank here in Mass offers a college student checking account that is ideal for us and our VT student. No fees, no minimum, ATM fees from other banks refunded up to $25 per month and online access plus it is super easy for us to transfer funds into the account. Small banks are the way to go.</p>
<p>Yes, VTMom; my daughter’s school in NC does tie the debit card to the school ID avoiding all fees…</p>
<p>I would second USAA. Though their “check scanning” services require a credit card or line of credit. They do, however, have an agreement with UPS stores where you take the check in and they run it in a check reader and your account is credited immediately.</p>
<p>As to urgent situations, they overnight replacement cards if requested, checks, etc. They also do everything online and over the phone. I’ve never had a problem with them.</p>
<p>I’ve been with them since getting my first account in 1995. No problems whatsoever.</p>
<p>If you look up any bank “rating” service they consistently come out on top. They are more like a high end credit union masquerading as a bank.</p>
<p>@rodney</p>
<p>This is a forum for Va Tech…in VIRGINIA. Your child is in a NC school. Wells Fargo does not offer the same options to every school - the student ID thing is not an option for us.</p>
<p>rodney, Thank you for trying to be helpful to a Virginia Tech family . Hope your daughter has a great year at her NC school!</p>