<p>From what I've heard, freshmen at Vanderbilt University aren't allowed to get parking permits. Is this correct?
If it is, what suggestions do you have to get around this? I would like to be able to visit friends and family that are a three and a half hour drive from campus.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure freshmen aren’t allowed to have cars. And parking is …not easy without a permit, to put it one way.</p>
<p>freshmen cant have cars. nearby hotels let you park in their garages for about 100 per month</p>
<p>Do you have a specific reason for regularly needing a car as a freshman? If not, it is likely you can get by using the Zipcars. Vandy now has Zipcars, which are cars that are available to rent by the hour. You just need to be over 18 and have no major accidents on your record. There are a couple of zipcars in the freshman housing parking lot (Commons). Even with a permit, finding parking can be extremely difficult.</p>
<p>The reason I’d really like to have my is car is so I could drive to see family and friends every other weekend or so. They’re between three and half and four hours away by car, so it would be a waste to fly such a short distance.
Could I rent a Zipcar for the weekend? I’m guessing there’s some kind of limit for how long you can have it that that would be way over, but it can’t hurt to ask. If so, how much would that cost?</p>
<p>And thanks for the responses =)</p>
<p>I know you aren’t asking this, but I’m not sure it is advisable to spend every other weekend somewhere else.</p>
<p>If you want a car as a freshman, you will have to arrange private parking with a hotel. I’m not even sure there are enough spots for all of the sophomores, although my son did get one.</p>
<p>You can rent by the day also. Here is the information:
[Zipcar</a> : Organizations : Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://www.zipcar.com/vanderbilt/]Zipcar”>http://www.zipcar.com/vanderbilt/)</p>
<p>You may also want to read an article about it in the Vandy newspaper:
[Zipcar</a> offers convenience, fewer parking hassles | InsideVandy](<a href=“http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/7348]Zipcar”>Inside Vandy)</p>
<p>I actually knew quite a few people who had cars freshman year. Most of them parked in the Loews hotel parking garage. Myself and a couple others took the free route. There are several areas in relatively close proximity to campus (although I’m not sure about the Commons) that have free city parking. I didn’t have an expensive car so I wasn’t worried about parking away from campus in some dimly lit area so keep that in mind. I had no problems whatsoever and didn’t spend a penny on parking all year. Also if you know any upperclassmen and they have a car but are studying abroad, you could ask them for their permit when they leave (I did that sophomore year).</p>
<p>If money isn’t an issue, you will be able to arrange for parking at a hotel or private lot. D transferred in as a sophomore & didn’t get a permit until the end of the year (spring break). She used the Zipcar a few times in the meantime. We live in an area where a car is a necessity & she really missed the freedom of having her own car to use whenever she wanted … so I understand wanting to have a car. However, I do caution against planning to leave campus so often on the weekends (not just from a social standpoint, but also because you will most likely need to study on weekends, as well). Maybe the family members could visit for the day & take you to dinner once in awhile, instead! :)</p>
<p>The Zipcars sound like a wonderful idea! When my d was a freshman, she didn’t have a car on campus but was able to take a Vanderbilt-provided car occasionally to get to off-campus volunteer activities. The Zipcars sound as if they’d provide a lot of welcome flexibility. On-campus health care is excellent at Vandy, but I’m thinking of how convenient a Zipcar would be for dental appointments (which always seem to be off campus) - my d had to count on friends when she developed some unforeseen dental problems.</p>
<p>One year she paid for the most expensive parking option - having her very own reserved on-campus spot. It cost more than $900 for the year, but she swore it was worth every penny! Her senior year, she lived at Village at Vanderbilt, where parking was included. I don’t know how many future Vandy students will be able to this, since it’s become more difficult to obtain permission to live off-campus.</p>
<p>Just want to add - I agree with midmo and kelsmom that you might want to reconsider going off-campus for two weekends a month. You’ll probably find yourself committed to weekend activities (extra-curricular, academic, and social). It will be nice to have the option to see nearby family members occasionally, though. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses, I appreciate them and will keep them in mind =)</p>