<p>So, I made WellsFargo Bank account simply because there is no Chase in Alabama at all, but now I think
it was a bad choice.</p>
<p>Back in Oregon, I made Wellsfargo college account because I was TOLD there would be no fee for college checking account if I make 10 debit card transactions per month, and saving account will automatically have no fee. But today, I went to Wellsfargo near Publix, and a banker told me completely different info: that the fee waiving through 10 debit card use/month works ONLY for saving account. Now I am really frustrated…lucky that I have 3 months to decide what to do about fee waiving. WellsFargo seems to take money from students in anyway possible. </p>
<p>So I discussed about this with my mom, and she asked me if there is any local bank near campus.</p>
<p>Only bank I can think of is PNC Bank, but I don’t know anything about this bank.</p>
<p>1) does it offer college student accounts?
2) If it does, do I need least amount of fund in accounts? For example, Wellsfargo wants at least 500$ in saving and 750$ in checking, while Chase Bank has none(though I only have checking).
3) how easy is the online banking? Wellsfargo charges me fee for transferring money to my Chase account…so I had to transfer money to my mom and then had her send it to my Chase account.
4) Any other offers for student?</p>
<p>Thank you…</p>
<p>1) My 16 year old has PNC virtual wallet and we do all our banking there. The app is easy, you can deposit checks through your phone and there are no fees. I think a student account is good for 6 years
2) all the accounts (spend, save, grow) are linked.
3) see one. I send money out of our pnc account to another bank–no fees. </p>
<p>-Kellie</p>
<p>Keep your Chase account and do everything electronically. </p>
<p>We use Regions and have not been charged a fee. It is on the corner near the Hotel Capstone.</p>
<p>
That makes no sense - there is no such thing as a debit transaction from a savings account. Debit cards are for checking accounts only. So I believe you’ve misunderstood. At Wells Fargo, if you meet their monthly requirements, there will be no monthly fee for your checking account. Savings accounts never incur charges, no matter what - the only difference between savings accounts will be the amount of interest that accrues. Also the $500/$750 minimum balances you reference make no sense at all. My son had a Wells Fargo account with balances far lower than that. He didn’t incur fees until he stopped using the debit card.</p>
<p>So you can:</p>
<p>(1) keep your Wells Fargo account;
(2) close it out and open a PNC account (as recommended in Post #1 above); or
(3) just keep using your Chase account (as recommended in Post #2 above).</p>
<p>This has been discussed (at length) in other threads, but whether or not you have a local bank account is a matter of personal preference only - there is no real need to have one. If you want cash, you can get it whenever you make a purchase at a local grocery store using your Chase debit card. </p>
<p>I hope your need to open a bank account means you got your visa situation worked out, @paul2752!</p>
<p>FWIW, our son kept his WF account and is using it at UA; we’ve banked with them for several years. You are probably better off sticking with your Chase account or whatever you use to manage the bulk of your funds at home.</p>
<p>^wish I got my visa, but nope.</p>
<p>@dodgersmom and @LucieTheLakie seems like the banker gave me wrong info about College Checking account and Way2Saving account(hope she didn’t do it on purpose). Also i checked wellsfargo and it clearly states info that contradicts the banker. It’s really annoying when three different bankers give three information, all of them which happen to be partially wrong, particularly when I am already frustrated with my other problems. </p>
<p>Thanks for the information, y’all!</p>
<p>It IS frustrating, @paul2752! One thing we older folks have learned via the School of Hard Knocks is to MAKE COPIES of everything and “take names,” i.e., always ask for the name of the customer service representative you’re speaking with over the phone. If someone has given you bad or conflicting information, it’s easier to get someone to correct the situation when you have proof! Be nice, but be firm and ask for a supervisor if you’re pretty confident someone is giving you bad info.</p>
<p>Sorry about the visa situation. Do you have a back-up plan in place (I hope!) if it doesn’t come through in time?</p>
<p>I asked the international office, and i have no choice but to move out.
also, i will be reimbursed for money I spent(mostly) but have to pay for immunization I got in school.</p>
<p>Well if that happens after contacting the congresswoman-I now regret not doing it earlier to Senator-, i have to go to Oregon and wait for 5months. If visa comes out after next Wednesday, I still can keep it. That means i don’t have to re-apply for it(good gracious)</p>
<p>And for your first part of paragraph, that’s exacly what my mom does and have told me. I do that too</p>
<p>Make sure you have a Way2Save checking account tied to a Way2Save savings account with an automatic savings option. That’s the one that’s totally free, not the collegiate checking account.</p>
<p>
How so? Sounds good . . . but who’s reimbursing you?</p>
<p>I should have been more clear. But I meant simply being refunded the money for dormitory, health insurance, international student fee, college course fee, etc. Not a personal expense.</p>
<p>But I m not sure about health insurance…</p>
<p>Re: service charges on savings accounts - I have seen charges on savings accounts if the account has not been used in a long time, or various other ridiculous quibbles. Banks hate savings accounts and want you to buy a Certificate of Deposit or a money market account or something which they can latch fees to. </p>
<p>Now, bank officers can often waive certain requirements and fees, if you holler loud enough. OTOH, a new officer (which happens VERY often in the business) may be unfamiliar with the previous officer’s waivers. I print out whatever information I find online, and then go talk to a real person. Make notes, starting with the person’s name. If they waive something, get them to write it down and sign it.</p>
<p>FWIW, Regions Bank is a large chain that is headquartered in Birmingham. Our account is in Alabama. I tried to cash a check at a Regions office in Atlanta, and was told they couldn’t do that because it was in a different state. Makes no sense.</p>
<p>
Makes no difference - as far as I know, the cost for health insurance is the same whether you purchase for the entire year or just part of the year. So even if you’d waited until January to buy insurance, your cost would have been the same.</p>
<p>And good to hear that you’ll not be charged for dorm, course fees, etc - since you’re withdrawing so early, that’s only fair.</p>
<p>^I know, right?</p>
<p>it would be very ridiculous for charging, even partially, for dorm and other stuff.</p>
<p>One thing that bugs me, however, is that I was told to pay for the shots i got in student health center…which makes no sense. I mean, I am going to school anyway, just later, right?</p>
<p>^^^Wouldn’t you have to pay for the shots regardless??</p>
<p>Paying for the shots is the same as paying for the meals you ate while on campus. You received a product or service, so you have to pay for it.</p>
<p>I was told by insurance that shots are covered and the student health center said that atudent health ibaueance said same thing. I doubled checked to make sure i misunderstood nothing…did i get wrong info?</p>
<p>Don’t know how much you had to pay . . . perhaps it was just your co-pay?</p>