<p>I am planning on going to a college not that far from home (30 minutes away) and I am still deciding whether to dorm or commute. I don't want to pay over $2,000 more on my tuition when I can just commute from home but at the same time is it worth it?</p>
<p>Unless it would cause you significant financial hardship, DEFINITELY get a dorm. 2000 dollars may sound like a lot, but IMO getting that independence from your parents is very important. And unless your school is primarily a commuter school, having to go drive home every day is going to ostracize you to some degree.</p>
<p>I’d dorm. Sometimes the experience can suck, but it makes it a lot easier to meet people. If you end up hating it you can always commute second semester (you can probably get housing to release your contract).</p>
<p>edit: and since you’ll be close to home, you’ll always be able to go back to it if you’re homesick or had an awful week or something.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
Said it better than me. It’s one thing to be able to go home whenever you want, another thing to HAVE to.</p>
<p>Dorm, unless you’re in such a financial hardship that $2,000 will ruin you. You will gain so much more from dorming than you will from commuting. </p>
<p>If you hate it, you can always commute next year. Give yourself the experience at least once.</p>
<p>And when you calculate those costs, are you taking in to account the cost of parking permits and all the other costs of cars? Because it adds up.</p>
<p>unless you have a situation where it will break you financially or you would have to take out a 5k loan (hypothetically), go ahead and dorm. It couldnt hurt. then decide next year if you want to stay there or commute. but dont break yourself just to dorm though.</p>
<p>I have read all your replies and I think you guys are right. I’m am going to dorm. I dont mind paying more money if its going to make my life easier. Thank you for your replies.</p>
<p>Since dorming offers you the opportunity to understand your roommate and friends more, I would accept the advantage, for it will make you big for who you are.</p>
<p>It’s worth taking out a federal loan to dorm if that’s an option.</p>
<p>yea that’s true and you probably get more freedom and liberty being in the dorms than with your parents.</p>
<p>$2k seems worth it, but what if it’s more around 12k?</p>
<p>Our son is 40 minutes away and has an apartment. Living there means that you can sleep a little later and that you have the option of taking an early morning class. It also means that you can get an on-campus job and go to club meetings that meet at odd times. It’s an advantage when the weather is iffy but classes are held anyways and it’s good when you have to make it to class for a test or a presentation - and you don’t know if your transportation is going to be reliable.</p>
<p>There’s also the social aspect of being around other students. $2K is pretty cheap for housing. I think that dorms usually run $6K+ for two semesters. Sometimes off-campus apartments are a lot cheaper with roommates.</p>
<p>Dorm. Do whatever it takes. Commuting sucks.</p>
<p>get an off campus apartment or something. this dorm stuff is going to cost you 10,000 more dollars (at least) for only 8 months of living in it. do you REALLY want to pay 1250/month??? and you only get half of the room!!! and its just ONE room! why would anyone put themselves through that agony? i dont understand it. </p>
<p>but if making friends through your half room you pay over 42 dollars a day is wayyyyy easier (as everyone else here says) then by all means pay over one grand a month for friendships. </p>
<p>instead, find an off campus apartment close to your school for much less monthly. If money is finite DONT dorm. if your parents are paying a pretty penny for your tuition bill, then are you being anymore indendent living off your parents at a dorm then living at home?</p>
<p>think about it and dont dorm!</p>
<p>Depending on where your school is it’s cheaper to dorm than rent off-campus. Even though you get less bang for your buck.</p>