<p>im in high school and my parents are going to get me a car soon but ive heard that most colleges dont allow freshmen to have cars on campus. if you are in college, please state the college and give your opinion on if 1) your college allows freshmen to have cars on campus and 2) do you actually need a car or is it more of a hassle than anything else</p>
<p>thanks guys</p>
<p>University of Rochester
1) Yes, but VERY VERY rare (only like a few kids)
2) No, there are free buses for your use</p>
<p>Rochester Institute of Technology (Friend Goes There)
1) Yes
2) Don't know (same buses as UR)</p>
<p>I go to University of Houston and they sure as hell allow us freshmen to have cars but I don't need mine, only use it to drive to and from home. My classes are really close, the farthest one is a 12 minute walk. I gotta get some excercise anyways. We also got a shuttle service, but I'm too lazy to use it, hahahaha.</p>
<p>Duke:</p>
<p>Freshman are allowed cars, and many have them. I would highly recommend bringing a car, especially if you like to be independent. There is bus service between campuses (and to Chapel Hill), but there isn't really anywhere to go within walking distance of campus.</p>
<p>At Wake, Freshmen are allowed cars, but they have to park in an inconvenient location during the week. I didn't have a car my freshman year (still don't), and I rarely felt like I needed one. Most of the time I was glad I didn't have one actually; it seemed like more of a bother than anything else.</p>
<p>Where we can park depends on how much we pay for our parking permit.</p>
<p>W&M - no cars for freshmen or sophomores, unless you get an exception (I have one this year for off campus volunteer work)</p>
<p>Mainly I just use my car to go home and back, occassionally out on the weekends, but I basically stay around campus.</p>
<p>All parking passes cost the same here ($205, which some people think is a lot, but my high school parking passes were $150+ so...)</p>
<p>Embry-Riddle
1.) everyone is allowed a car, and there is enough parking even if it is a bit further away
2.) you don't NEED a car, but it is very nice to have to get around town and go home without bumming rides off everyone (parking is $35/year)</p>
<p>Smith College-</p>
<p>1) No but some people get away with it by just parking on neighboring streets</p>
<p>2) Parking's a HUGE hassle because it's regulated by the town so you have to listen for two snow emergencies- one by the college and another by the town. When it does arise, everyone's cars on the streets has to move down to the pasture near the stables which makes a hell walk back to the campus in snow. Only seniors get an actual decal, which costs $250 per semester I believe. Though parking is very difficult, it's worth having a car in order to get out of the town because the buses can be really slow.</p>
<p>American University-
1) I don't think so
2) Nope because you're in the DC with great transportation system. Plus parking is $1,000 per semester. Yikes!</p>
<p>Colgate University:
1) Yup
2) Sometimes, mainly just to get home but overall, people don't really need it. Free parking all around but there are limits where you can park depending on the color of you decal.</p>
<p>its also important to point out that while you're not "allowed" to have a car your first or second year at alot of schools - theres no one to enforce it (its not as if they have police checking every liscense plate then looking you up to see if A) you go the school and B) what year you are). what they REALLY mean is that they won't sell you a permit. If the town you live in has street parking, you can just park on the street and give a big FU to the administration. I did that my first year, although it was a little walk, it was better because paying for gas is definately cheaper then taking the air plain back home.</p>
<p>University of NH
No Freshmen cannot have cars
It's not a hassle to not have them. We have a great shuttle system, as well as plenty to do on campus, and many of the stores you might need (grocery, hardware, Brooks, gift shops, and some cheap restaraunts) are within a very short walking distance. The only place I can't get to without a car is the beach (close to campus, but no shuttle runs there). But it's too cold most of the year to go there, so not a big deal. We also have a campus shuttle, so if it's insanely cold, we can hop on that to get to class, the hockey arena, or any other place. My opinion of the car might be different if I were a couple hours from home. It's less than 2 hours round trip for my parents to come get me, so they have no problem with it.</p>
<p>Students have cars?</p>
<p>/not much parking space to be found on downtown campus. Everybody is allowed to have a car, but there ain't any free parking...</p>
<p>NDSU</p>
<p>Yes everyone including freshmen can have vehicles, and most do(probably 70-80 %), because otherwise they wouldnt be able to get home or go shopping for stuff--walmart is a couple miles across town, etc. Theres a bus system but it isnt the greatest, especially on weekends. Parkings ok, you just park in a big general lot with the thousands of other freshmen and walk forever to your dorm.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt
1) freshman not allowed to have cars (though I have heard of several instances of freshman parking cars nearby off campus, as jags86 suggested)
2) no. Everything we need is here on campus (or about a two minute walk), including groceries, movies, office supplies, parties, pretty much everything. I ride in a car just once a week to go to church, and then I hitch a ride from one of the upperclassmen who go to my church. Home for me is about 10 hours away though, so I usually fly home and don't need a car for that either.</p>
<p>FIRST COLLEGE (Mount Union)
1. Freshmen could have cars, but most of them seemed to wreck them and all of them were horrible drivers.
2. I didn't have mine up there (and some drunk idiot would have probably slammed into it) and I basically couldn't do without it. I relied heavily on my mom and dad making a 75 mile trek to get me off campus.</p>
<p>SECOND COLLEGE (LaRoche)
1. Everyone can have cars, especially because over half the students commute.
2. Considering I am a commuter, I need the car. There isn't a bus that goes from my house to the college either.</p>
<p>In general, I think most people would benefit from a car unless they love staying on their campus. Even if the grocery store is a mile or two away, that is sometimes a bit too far to walk when it's cold out, especially for someone with a history of knee and ankle problems (like me). I also love going to the mall so I sort of need the car for that.</p>
<p>Wesleyan University</p>
<p>1.yes. I think most colleges will allow you to have a car if you really need it. however, parking may not be very convenient.</p>
<ol>
<li>you won't need it for most of the time. but it can be very useful if you want to go shopping for clothes (the shopping mall is 30 mins away) or groceries (if you cook), or even if you go downtown during winter. sometimes ppl will ask you for ride to train station or airport. I think it all depends on each particular school: the parking, the location of stores and the availability of transportation.</li>
</ol>
<p>My college allows cars yet not that many freshman have them. Actually, there are quite a few upperclass who don't have them. I have my car as a freshman and I enjoy the freedom of having my car. The biggest downfall is that people are always thinking that I'm their taxi. I'm not. I feel bad telling them no ALL THE TIME but I'm not putting miles and wear and tear on my car just because you want to go to the city or the mall... sorry. I almost never drive my car during the week and there are many weekends when it never comes out of the garage. I go home probably two weekends a month so I use it then and then alot of Friday evenings I go out and use my car. The other downfall is that it's expensive. I think it was nearly $800 for parking. Granted you can get cheaper permits but they're really far off campus... like you have to take a bus to your car.</p>
<p>anovice:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Granted you can get cheaper permits but they're really far off campus... like you have to take a bus to your car.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sounds like UCSD...</p>