<p>“Are there really that many people who can afford both college and cars?”</p>
<p>A friend has advised that it is not at all uncommon for parents to purchase an inexpensive “clunker” that students use just around campus. The car is registered in the school state (FL, SC or NC) where insurance is less expensive than NY/NJ and the students never drive home or any signif distance. </p>
<p>I’m sure students can survive w/o a car, but who wants to merely survive.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to the on-campus social life, but I can tell you that downtown St. Pete has had a real resurgence. Several outdoor concerts in the parks,and lots of places to go and things to do. Some places are only available to the 21+ age group, but there are still lots of other choices. Cute downtown!!</p>
<p>I am, like the OP, one of those moms who would NOT want to get my kid a car for freshman year of college!</p>
<p>I like the no car for freshman rule as well. 18 year olds tend to be impulsive and are just learning how to handle new freedom. If they’re going to be drinking I’d much rather there were no vehicle to get into. </p>
<p>Our middle child would have been home every weekend but with no car she was forced to make her fun on campus. She joined clubs and made friends. Why not just commute to the nearest school if you’re going to come home all the time.</p>
<p>Our oldest never wanted to come home, wished she had a car, and whined on a yearly basis. But she was also glad we put money towards tuition and not a car. Next year she starts grad school and is now whining about the cost of cars and insurance! A “clunker” costs a ton to insure and keep maintained.</p>
<p>also, thanks for that thread sunnyflorida!</p>
<p>ProudMary, that is really what we have to do too. We cannot afford COA, and a car with auto insurance, and the repair bills.</p>
<p>I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but I bought D a used car senior year in high school - paid about $6k for it as I recall. First year of college, the car stayed home. When she moved off campus the next year she took the car and had it on campus until she graduated. In 5 years she put a grand total of about 8,000 miles on the car - it spent a lot of time just sitting. Too busy on campus I guess. </p>
<p>I passed the car down to D2 for her senior year in HS. She’s now a freshman though, so the car sits in our driveway again except when D3 drives it. We’ve had this car for over eight years now, and the three of them combined have only put 24k miles on the car. </p>
<p>Next year I will likely send it to school with D2 where I imagine it will still spend most of the time sitting once again. She’s “dying” to have it for the convenience of going to Walmart every once in a blue moon. She doesn’t really need one at all as she’s already proven, but it would be nice not having it my driveway. </p>
<p>The reality for us has been that there has not been as much need for a car as we imagined, even on a campus not near a lot of things. They’re just too busy most of the time and end up doing less than half of what they imagine they’ll be doing off campus. The car mostly sits – sometimes for so long they have to pray it’ll actually start when they finally decide they need it. </p>
<p>So, from my perspective, I wouldn’t worry too much about the car. Seems to be more a matter of having some minor conveniences versus being an important necessity. But, like I said, I’m sure it’s probably a little different for some others.</p>
<p>FLVADAD, I’m sure your experience is pretty much the norm, but according to other threads, Eckerd is just off a 4 lane highway and in an area with few sidewalks. I have not visited Eckerd, so I can’t attest to the accuracy of that description. I have, however, visited a number of campuses that are right off the highway or where there are no sidewalks - - Bennington, for example, where one drives from the campus immediately on to a highway; there are no sidewalks and no services within walking distance of the campus. A car would be far more essential at Bennington than at URochester where the town is no more than a 10-15 minute stroll from campus.</p>
<p>Since I would rather that D not have a car at any point in college, I have been pushing schools with remote campuses to the bottom of her list.</p>
<p>Dd will be attending Eckerd as a Freshman in the Fall. She doesn’t have a driver’s license, so the issue of a car hasn’t even come up. Hopefully she will be able to find a way to navigate around.</p>