<p>I know keeping a car on campus is obviously a ridiculous concept at a school like UPenn or NYU, but what about schools that are in a VERY suburban environment where a lot of the internships and recreational facilities are off the campus busing network?</p>
<p>I'm talking about schools like Duke/UNC, which are in the RDC Research Triangle but don't provide a mode of transportation to Durham or Research Triangle Park. Or schools like Rice -- Houston's transportation is known for being inefficient in terms of covering a lot of the city. Or even schools like the University of Michigan/Rutgers/W&M, which have huge campuses and ample space available.</p>
<p>My question is, if I am financially able to have a car and to keep a car on campus, will most colleges allow me to keep a car and to find proper arrangements for it at convenient locations on campus?</p>
<p>At my school (Iowa State), anyone is allowed to have a car. The only people who get a parking permit for the lots right by the dorms are CAs (RAs), athletes, disabled, and students who file for a work permit–usually only granted to students w/ jobs not on the bus route and/or with verifiable late/early hours. Students in those dorms without a pass for the lot by their building are given a Stadium Pass, and fill the lots around the football stadium, which is serviced by the city/campus bus routes every 5-10 minutes. The dorms for older students and on-campus apartments have big enough lots for all residents. </p>
<p>But I know that at UNC, for example, freshmen aren’t allowed to have cars. Or at least they weren’t when I took a tour there a few years ago.</p>
<p>I would say as a general rule of thumb, at most schools, freshmen can’t have their car. My school is the exception in that not only can freshmen bring their cars, but everyone gets a parking permit by their dorm, no matter their grade level.</p>
<p>Freshman are allowed to have cars at UNC; they just have to find a place to park off-campus. There are plenty of businesses (particularly churches) that sell parking spots to students in Chapel Hill, and if you choose to live in Granville Towers you have the option of purchasing a spot there as well.</p>
<p>I brought my car for my first year at UNC and it made things much more convenient for me. Much easier to get to the grocery store, Southpoint, visit friends at NCSU and ECU, and the like. Definitely worth bringing it if you can afford to.</p>
<p>Cuse–thanks for the clarification. I guess my point was that they can’t get a permit to park their cars on campus. </p>
<p>To the OP, no school can keep you from bringing a car if you can locate off-campus parking, free or otherwise. My friend’s apartment complex is in an area near campus with very little street parking, so they provide a parking garage for tenants. Our apartment next year does not provide a parking area (old building, parking lots weren’t needed when it was built…) so I’ll either have to leave the car at my brother’s house (10 minute bus ride away) or try to park on the street, with the nearest free street parking being 7 blocks away.</p>
<p>If your school doesn’t allow cars, find a friendly looking family in a house nearby, and offer them $50 a month to let you park your car in their driveway.</p>
<p>after having mines on campus for the first year, I wouldn’t recommend it.<br>
I’ve found everything from (multiple) parking tickets to (intentionally) spilled artisan glue on my car.</p>
<p>I want to go to Nip iss ing (I have to do that or it gets *** out), which is like the middle of nowhere pretty much and I’m definitely not taking a car there. Often times you have to pay ridiculous parking fees for your residence, and particular LOTS on campus (which would be a pain if you ended up needing to park in different lots if it’s a bigger campus) with varying price ranges. A lot of universities have shuttles, or city buses that will bring you ANYWHERE in the town,with a bus pass included in what you pay for university. Sure it’s a pain in the derriere to travel home but honestly? I’ll be going home for Christmas, Thanksgiving and the End of the year. I can take an 8 hour train ride for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and my dad can come pick me up at the end of the year with my things. Chances are, you probably won’t need it.</p>