<p>FOr those of you transferring and pan on commuting as opposed to living on campus. HOw much of an advantage would it be to live on campus. I need my own room but because of my budget will not be able to get a single at UCLA and I'm thinking of commuting from home (eagle rock, ca about 14 mi from campus) and stay in my own room. Everyone keeps telling me that I will be missing out on the campus life/ college experience. For those of you who have gone through or will go through the process can you tell me the PROS and CONS of living on campus and chime in on your advice. Thanks in advance</p>
<p>Mex.....only 14?!? that's great. I had no idea. I cannot speak for you, but it appears that you'd really be saving a lot of money by commuting. Anyway, I'm with you....I only want a single room, but thre is no way in....that I am paying ($1400 a month) just for the privilege of living on-campus. Consider this.....living on campus just means that you are living with people that you may or may not get along with and that will affect your studies. I've thought this through and I'd personally rather find an apartment with some friends, pay approx. $500-600, work part-time and just live comfortably with them. And yes, I am sure that living on-campus is a blast and that it's great for some, but it's not the real world. </p>
<p>I feel that if a person lived off-campus and was able to save money in the process it would brighten up their whole life and consequently their studies. It would free them up to "not work", or...join more clubs, have more research and charity opportunities...whatever. Money means freedom and it just doesn't seem like you'll have much of either living on-campus.</p>
<p>I've personall already done the whole dorm thing and living in close quarters and I actually did like it, but then......I was young and didn't know better and room and board was only 400 a month. lol I think UCLA is a whollllle other story. Ultimately, for me, for you, for everyone, you have to make your own college experience and that's pretty exciting to do at a place like UCLA. </p>
<p>I don't know about anyone else, but I have a lot of bills and responsibilities (new car, saving up for another laptop, credit card bills, etc....) Everything's manageable, but I couldn't imagine having to work so hard to make ends meet when you tack on another 1400 for room and board. lol</p>
<p>And yes...I have grants and aid that will cover say.....90% of it, but I'd still rather live with people I like in an apartment, say along the beach, saving money.</p>
<p>That's got to be the roughest 14 miles imaginable, and it's at least 25 miles of actual driving because the mountains are in the way.</p>
<p>You have pretty much two options: head across on the 134 -> 101 and south on the 405, or south on the 2 to the 5, then west on the 10 and north on the 405. Both of these are awful awful awfully awful if you're doing them at peak times, and the 10 freeway route is at least twice as far.</p>
<p>If living on near campus is feasible, it's worth considering. Being close will make all the difference in the world with respect to getting to your classes on time and keeping you sane enough to get the work done.</p>
<p>However, if the cost of living near UCLA (which is expensive unless you get UCLA housing) is unreasonable, commuting might be survivable.</p>
<p>-- Mark</p>
<p>yeah it is a journey despite the fact that it is 14 mi checked it on my car (set my car's trip meter to zero and when I arrived read 14mi). Yeah but I ususally take the 10 or if I'm late I'll take the 5 north exit on Los Feliz to Sunset all the way through and come up on veteran where I always find parking (that's my secret spot) but then the walk to campus is a beeeaaachhh to say it mildly (very hilly and far). I'm going to turn in a housing app and if I get a doube I MIGHT consider it but sharing a room smaller than the one I have at home with two other people is not an option for me. Can't do that for a whole year.</p>
<p>I've got a longer drive, about 30 miles (which is about the same as 300 miles in morning rush hour) however I plan to commute... The fact is, I want to go to law school in two years, and can save myself a lot of money by living at home for another two years. I'd love to live on campus, I think it'd be a blast, but I'd rather save the money.</p>
<p>Well, my commute will be around 22, but it's really not that bad. I could live closer, but I really don't want to. Furthermore, looking at the bigger picture, in terms of Grad School, or saving up for a big purchase like a house, or funding a wedding, you'll see just how fast the 2 years will go by.</p>
<p>Secondly, commuting is a part of life if you're going to live in California. Take this for what you will. I was on the UCLA campus several times last month and I was absolutely astonished to find it nearly deserted at 7:30AM. There I was walking around on one occassion before the tour with my coffee and I just couldn't believe how much ample parking there was and seats at the library and in Kerckhoff. Anyway, for what it's worth, I'm not a morning person, but commuting is a piece of cake when you're up before 7AM. Everyone bellyaches about commuting, but if they left early enough, they'd have no problems, or at the very least, very little traffic........</p>
<p>That's another thing that is drawing me towards commuting, the fact that I can save mula. But then again if I decide to live on campus won't my financial aid adjust to meet those needs? If not, then why would they need info on whether you will be living on campus, off or with parents?</p>
<p>Financial aid should adjust. I would never ever suggest commuting. Living on campus is where you meet people before you move off campus. Live on campus at least a year...</p>
<p>I couldn't disagree more......I think you can have a blast in an apartment with other UCLA students and save money all the while. I mean, at least when you get an apartment, you're in more control of your own freedom and parking is not an issue. Furthermore, living in a tiny space with 1, 2 other people is not conducive to "study" which is why you're at UCLA in the first place.</p>
<p>I mean, Financial Aid is great....but who wants to count on it? It's like counting on a pension that's not going to be there when you retire. lol To the point at hand, I think both situations are fine. It all has to do with preference and ultimately the difference between affording one's lifestyle, or just scraping by. Furthermore, Financial Aid can always fall through in parts. That's happened to me before but luckily I had money saved up.</p>
<p>For someone to tell another person not to commute is short-sighted. I have a brand new car, who the hell cares about a little traffic in the morning. Besides...talk to people you know, UCLA students and ask them if they even keep in touch with the people they "lived with". I haven't kept in touch with my roommates at all. That's just life. But money is forever and for students our age not to be thinking about the future is quite ridiculous and indicative of my careless generation who will have to work until they're 80 because they spent too much on pizza and "records" lol.</p>
<p>Everyone will have to decide for themselves, of course. If I didn't have a close family, a close group of friends and a nice job keeping me here, I'd definitely move on campus, but my gosh, it's only 2 years and (gulp!) it's only UCLA. I mean, I love the school....I'll enjoy my time there, but let's be honest, there are better ones. Here's proof positive, ask the Berkeley students if they mind a commute when they're paying over 1500, 1600 to share an apartment near campus. Ask any other college student in New York for instance who takes several forms of mass transit to get to class...like some of my friends, to them it's worth it and will make them better people. Better in terms of character because things weren't necessrily handed to them.......</p>
<p>anyway....good luck to you all. It's food for thought ...</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I have decided to try it out for a year and if it doesn't work then I'll look into an apartment close to campus. I figure like Michellle says two years will fly and I might aswell try something new so I think this will be a cool experience and I can study in the library walk (not drive) back to bed and knock out. I'll have more time to get involved on campus and meet new people my short time there. Thanks though for the input I took everyone's advice into consideration.</p>
<p>Mex, that's awesome.......if you can afford it go for it....I personally am sick of being a "poor" college student and I am buying a house in 2007, so I need to cut a few corners. lol</p>
<p>If this were say.....Princeton or Colombia things would be different, but my gosh....look how fast JC went by and here we are. ;) It just irritates the hell out of me when people put down "commuting". No problem, see you at AAP!</p>
<p>Yeah hopefully I get to see you in AAP Michelle. Lates.</p>