<p>If an OOS student already has a checking account from her hometown, is it necessary to open a new checking account with a bank in Charlottesville? </p>
<p>Are there any major problem/inconvenience if the student does not have a local bank account in Charlottesville?</p>
<p>Will the students have time during summer orientation program to go open a bank account if need be?</p>
<p>You can use whatever bank you want, search for threads about Bank of America vs Wachovia etc.
My account technically lives in Philadelphia but it’s never mattered here, you can have checks and other bank things shipped to your local address (just did it a week or two ago) or change your address and so on.</p>
<p>If your current bank has a branch in Charlottesville there is no reason to change. It is more important that the student and parent use the same bank so funds can easily and quickly be moved. Students rarely visit the branch as the debit card is used far more often than checks or cash. On campus students use their student ID that money can be added to and used as a debit.
I would highly recommend that students arrange online access to their account before they leave home and learn how to follow their usage. This will help avoid being overdrawn and encourage fiscal responsibility.</p>
<p>And yes if need be you will have time to open an account during orientation, I know at least with BoA they had the office in Newcomb Hall open with extra staff available to streamline the process.</p>