How far do you drive to school?

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<p>For about six months, I had a 2:15 commute each day, but 1:15 of it was mass transit. I actually looked forward to the mass transit period; in the morning, I’d put my earphones on (this was before earbuds) and work, and it was the most productive part of my day. In the evening, the earphones would go on, and I’d read the paper and relax. The hour’s drive was over country roads, so except when the weather was bad, that wasn’t too bad, either.</p>

<p>The gig I had where I had a 1:45 driving commute, OTOH …</p>

<p>70 miles is a very long way to drive each way.
She still has to get lunch somewhere, and put $35 gas in the car each day.</p>

<p>What a strange clause for the school to have. They want her to spend $9800 extra per year on dorm and meal plan so that they can give her a $4000 merit scholarship? And she is stuck with this arrangement for 4 years? </p>

<p>Depending on the area/town, she could probably swing a room off-campus + make her own meals for $580 per month for 10 months. And the scholarship is moot.</p>

<p>Plus she would have 3 extra hours per day to work a part-time job!!!</p>

<p>Great for annasdad or any other commuting adult. Commuting adults have a way of turning commute time into an unwinding time to regroup before they hit home.
As a student, you are losing valuable time in studying, social time and taking a daily risk on the roads (which is shown to be greater for younger people.)</p>

<p>This may be a dumb question: how would the school know if she moved out of the dorm but did not actually move home?</p>

<p>I had the same question. I wondered how would they know where she is really staying? I have to sign a form that says she is staying with me, I would assume if they found out that she wasn’t they would just take the $4,000. IDK for sure. We have several family members in the same area as her college. She would be welcomed at any and have one who said she could stay regularly at his house. (As long as she didn’t run in and out at night…lol) I guess I’m chicken and afraid to get caught.</p>

<p>And she has several friends at college, she has brought 2 new friends home with her for weekends and has a few friends from high school there. Her boyfriend actually lives closer to the college than our house. I truely think her motive is the money. It’s not the people, its the living conditions of the dorm and the fact that there are ALWAYS people around. She says everytime she walks in the door she thinks “Im paying close to $10,000 a year to live HERE?” Actually she loves the fitness center and says that she will miss it. lol</p>

<p>She is staying home tonight and going to make the trip in the morning. It’s a short week with the holiday so she wont get the full experience but I’m sure there will be alot of discussion at our Thanksgiving gathering. She will get lots of opinions from family!</p>

<p>I think you should put your foot down and say NO. She really has no idea what she is considering doing.</p>

<p>Have to second Consolation. It’s too far without enough reward.<br>
Just think, ONE accident can easily wipe out savings and change your life forever. Consider it as insurance.</p>

<p>And I third Consolation. </p>

<p>I think she should study in the library (where it’s quiet), and seek a single room as a sophomore. The time, expense, and risks of driving round trip everyday could very easily have social and emotional costs that outweigh any financial benefit.</p>