<p>How do most kids do this at Princeton. Does Princeton have its own banking methods or which banks do they suggest we use? Also, would it be wise to get one of those cards that parents can just refill with money?</p>
<p>Some one had posted that there are quite a few banks within walking distance of the campus. Tow names that come to mind are Bank of America and PNC bank.</p>
<p>There is a Princeton credit union. I think if you join it, then you can use the online ATM for free. Otherwise you can just keep your usual bank and use the ATM. By all means do get a debit card, if that's what you mean.</p>
<p>most people use the PNC bank which is right outside of FitzRandolph Gate, another bank is yes the Bank of America which is a 4-5 minute walk from campus. PNC is closer tho</p>
<p>it also may be a good idea to find a bank with local branch in your home town. It would make it easy for parents to add money.</p>
<p>PNC also has an atm at the u-store. If you are just setting up your account and you have a pnc and a bank of america near you, you might as well wait until housing and see which end of campus you are on. There is also a wachovia in town, alhtough somewhat of a further walk</p>
<p>So, uhm, how close is Commerce Bank?</p>
<p>^ about 2-3 miles</p>
<p>looks like PNC bank might be best. Better student Checking account (free) an couple of ATMs on the campus.</p>
<p>bank of america student checking is free only for the first 6 months.</p>
<p>B of A checking is free if a parent also has a checking or savings account. The only problem with PNC is that its really not a national bank, so if you travel or whatever, or even for the summers, there's likely not a PNC atm nearby, whereas B of A atms are everywhere</p>
<p>what does PNC stand for?</p>
<p>Actually, Bank of America is the one right outside the gates (just across the street, actually). They have an ATM in Frist, though the PNC one outside the U-Store seems to be more convenient.</p>
<p>Great. Maybe I won't get freshman fifteen...lol. Bank of America rates suck. Not that Commerce does any better though. Only that my parents can deposit money conveniently if there WAS one nearby.</p>
<p>^ yes but think about walking 2-3 miles in January.</p>
<p>...........what does PNC stand for???</p>
<p>PNC is the name of one of the local banks. im not sure if it actually stands for anything in particular</p>
<p>You will get a letter from Princeton's credit union...</p>
<p>Another good bank might be Wachovia Bank. Kids from Tx might even qualify for free $150 for opening an account.</p>
<pre><code>* No minimum balance requirement, no direct deposit requirement, and no monthly service fee.
* Free Check Card with free Visa Extras.
* Free Online Banking with BillPay and Balance Alerts.
* Unlimited access to your account anytime, over the phone, in the branch, at the ATM, or online.
* Use of other banks' ATMs with no Wachovia fee plus up to $6 in rebates per month on ATM fees other banks charge.2
</code></pre>
<p>For international kids, don't worry about the solvency of any bank. All banks in US are insured to give you up to $100,000.</p>
<p>They are on 194 Nassau St.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wachovia.com/misc/0,,814,00.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.wachovia.com/misc/0,,814,00.html</a></p>
<p>credit card or debit card?</p>
<p>(I've used a debit card so far but what's a better option for college?)</p>
<p>Well, the debit card is easy to get. It is linked to your checking account and money is debited right away. It is a paperless form of checks.</p>
<p>With a credit card you generally get a grace period and also you don't have to pay the entire bill - you can pay minimum in installments. Of course the interest rate on the upaid balance is astronomically high (25-30%). You never come out of that hole. People have gone in to bankruptcy for charging too much. Many college kids have committed sucides for charging too much and not having money to pay.</p>
<p>Bottom line: Unless you have the decipline to use credit card as a debit card - that is buy only the stuff you can afford to pay off, they are not good.</p>
<p>Another catch - you have to have a credit history to get a credit card. You can't have a credit history unless you have a credit card or history of paying back. S got his first student credit card with a limit of $250. The bank will rob him blind if he goes over the limit ($40), is late in paying ($45) or carries a balance (27%).</p>
<p>Also, you being international may not qualify for a credit card.</p>
<p>Best option for you - have a debit card.</p>