<p>Freshman son would like his car in Hanover. We are unclear on whether the college does not want freshmen to have cars or they just have no parking for them. As we pay outrageous parking fees where we live, we would be happy to pay for private parking around Hanover which is much cheaper. Any advice? Do kids really need cars and where do they park in general?</p>
<p>Very few people have cars at Dartmouth, especially freshmen. Most people park up in A-lot, which is about 10-15 minutes walking distance from the main campus. There may be other parking options, but they probably cost a lot more.</p>
<p>Having come from California, a car was never an option for me and I've been fine. I suggest that your son go to school without a car and then assess whether it's worth it or not. He should probably be spending the majority of his free time on campus making friends, instead of driving home or to the city on weekends.</p>
<p>Just as a warning, if your son brings up a Mercedes (I knew a freshmen who parked his brand new Mercedes outside our dorm), it is like getting laundry service. People will judge.</p>
<p>Yeah Dartmouth isn't too big on being flashy. Everyone drives pretty normal cars. I loved that, the kids of teachers drove the same Jeeps as the kids of hedge fund barons. I personally had a car most of my time on campus and I loved having it. I paid to park at a frat (I think it was like $200 for a term) for a few terms before I moved off campus. That is totally the way to do it. I would try and find the president of Chi Gamm, Phi Delt, or one of the other frat row houses with ample parking and see if you can buy a spot.</p>
<p>Thanks, so it sounds like freshmen can have cars. I will call the college to confirm but I can see how it will be handy to just do some simple grocery shopping. Son is in McLaughlin cluster which seems to be miles from the one supermarket. I know he surely won't be heading home weekends just by the amount of social activity he was enjoying leading up to move in day!</p>
<p>Um, I believe that I read somewhere that freshmen are not allowed to have cars. I think there is a free bus to West Lebanon.</p>
<p>I thought I read that too Consolation, but the parking info on the web site does not mention it and there's no info on the First Year page so I'm trying to remember where I might have read that.</p>
<p>You can't have cars but they'll never know if you park off campus.</p>
<p>The school will tell you he can't bring a car on campus. I agree with slipper, he should at least wait until sophomore year (should he pledge a frat that has a house, he may be able to get parking there, but it is hard to get student parking on campus.</p>
<p>Yes, there is parking right next to Maclaughlin, but your son will not be able to park there (I think it is employee parking only). They gave a little lattitude to park there during graduation, but even then it was hard to get a park.</p>
<p>I heard from some freshmen that they paid to park at frats. If he lives at Choates or Russel Sage, it's extremely convenient.</p>
<p>I never registered my car with the college. You can have a car, park it off campus and don't register it. They will never know.</p>
<p>What was the disadvantage of registering the car Slipper. I don't want to encourage my son to do anything against rules. He is telling me many freshmen have cars and I know him to be truthful. Is this a big deal?</p>
<p>Dont register your car if you can avoid it. It just invites tickets, discipline, etc. Since freshman aren't allowed cars, they can't register them anyway (even if they do bring one and park it off campus). But yeah, regardless of your year, its much better not to register it.</p>
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He is telling me many freshmen have cars
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<p>While my sample size of friends might be small, I don't know of a single freshman with a car.</p>
<p>How much do you think,the average Dartmouth car cost ?</p>
<p>Hmom5-</p>
<p>It does appear freshman can have cars, as there is nothing on the website to the contrary (there was, not too many years ago). Attached is a map - you will see that the official location for student parking, aside from frat space, is the A-Lot and that is at the east-most point (in the North-east quadrant) of this map. </p>
<p>You cannot tell, but just south and a little east of the South-east quadrant of this map is the Hanover Co-operative grocery store - hardly that much further than walking to the car and, distance is a relative thing in a town the size of Hanover. A car would be needed for time-efficient travel to the stores in West-Leb, but not for a quick trip to a decent grocery store. Not sure how many times a freshman would be in need of groceries in any event, but it could be cost effective in your case (ie you explained you have to pay to house back home) to keep the car on campus. He should not get in the habit of relying on it for every day however (nor is there a real need) as its so easy to get fined for parking in more convenient places on campus (assuming he does register it).Dartmouth</a> Maps - Scrollable Map</p>
<p>How much do you think,the average Dartmouth car cost ?</p>
<p>my daughter has found she rarely needs her car while she is in hanover but she feels it is nice to have for traveling home for holidays. she has had a registered vehicle at school since the winter term of her freshman year. parking for freshman can become available in the winter term when upper class students are away from campus while participating in study abroad programs.</p>