I feel like I might not get the full “college experience” if I don’t. I don’t have to pay tuition so I would only be paying room and board (& other fees)
the school is, however, mostly commuter. And I live 15 min away driving (25 min by bus). If I stayed at home I could get a car as well.
If the school is mostly commuter, it may not be a detriment to your social life to live at home and commute. (And you could save money.)
Find out from the school what they offer in terms of social bonding activities for commuting students. Maybe they have a whole system in place to help commuting students get to know one another.
Otherwise, I agree with you that living on campus may help you develop independence from your family and, more importantly, help you get to know your fellow students and immerse yourself in the life of the college. Living on a campus is a big part of the college experience for many, though not all, students.
It really depends on the college itself and its prevailing social norms and systems. Talk to some folks at the college (e.g., a dean for freshmen or student life?) before deciding.
Either way, best wishes for a wonderful college experience!
Also could your family afford room and board?
One way to do it is live on campus freshman year and then commute.
They don’t offer much for commuters. There are clubs and stuff but idk how active they all are. A good amount of people go to class and go home. It’s a CUNY school, but I’m in the Macaulay program. The dorms are still new (there weren’t ANY before 2013) so not many people live on campus (but some do, and a decent amount from the Macaulay program).
If I do live on campus, it would probably be for the first year only… we’ll see
It’s worth it for Macaulay students because they form their own small community and, you’re right, there isn’t much for commuters usually.
But could you afford it?
Yeah, and I will also likely be getting a part-time job which would contribute to it (always available on this particular campus)
Stay on campus. My youngest sister’s oldest daughter goes to school 12 minutes from their house (it’s a well-ranked college that they happen to live by) and she lives a completely regular freshman life there…she doesn’t even ‘go home’ for weekends! If you can pull it off financially, it’s far better (and don’t worry about having a car…you have years when you can have a car).
If it’s affordable, stay on campus. The growth that comes from that experience will be invaluable (the good… the bad… and the stupid :p)
CUNY = Commuter University of New York.
Even at NYU more than half the kids live off campus.
The college experience is tricky in NYC. It’s not a real college campus. The college is build into the city. On campus housing may be a train stop or so away. Even if you live on campus you might still feel like a commuter.
^ but there’s still a sense of community due to living with other students, plus activities offered by the residence and more ease for the Macaulay activities.
Besides the college experience, it will give you a sense of independence. Learning to be responsible for every day
decisions and responsibilities, especially in NYC, it forces you to grow up and gain some street smarts. You will have the best of both worlds. The cost of a car, insurance, gas, tolls, parking isn’t that much cheaper. The savings would be minimal for the experience. Good Luck