Pros and Cons of Commuting to College

As you are planning where you want to go to college, you might be considering a nearby campus. In that case, you will have the option to either live on-campus or to commute. There are benefits to both, and with my personal experience, I decided to be a commuter. I would like to share some benefits and challenges of being a commuter at a community college and I hope you’ll keep these things in mind when planning your college experience.

Commuting pros

• Saves you room/board costs. This adds up to thousands of dollars every year — strongly consider this option if you are on a tight budget for college.

• Enables you to still live at home during your first two years.

• Gives you an opportunity to work a part time job while attending college.

However, there are some challenges that may arise as part of the commuter life. It did not affect me as much while I commuted to Monroe Community College, just because of the nature of a community college, but the following challenges are important to consider when starting out your college journey.

Commuter cons

• A disconnection from campus life. You may feel somewhat distant from your peers that live on campus. For example, community colleges offer clubs and other activities that take place later in the day. I noticed that the members of on campus clubs were students who lived at the dorms. However, there were some commuters that stayed and participated throughout the day.

• Commuters may not be as enthusiastic about meeting other students when they are not always on campus.

• Meal plan convenience. This is not a huge challenge, but it is one to make note of when weighing up your options. As a resident you can receive a meal plan which you can use throughout the day. Commuters do not usually have a meal plan which means that they end up spending more money on meals. However, if you budget wisely, or bring your own food, you will likely save more money by staying at home than you would on a costly meal plan.

These benefits and challenges may help you as you decide what works best for you. As a commuter myself, I was still able to meet new people and enjoy some of the on campus festivities with my friends. A majority of my friends were commuters as well which enabled me to become more used to the commuter life and allowed me to get to know people with a similar schedule to me. Whether you live on campus or commute daily, you can still create the amazing start to your college experience.

Valerie first attended Monroe Community College and later transferred to Roberts Wesleyan College as a communication major with a concentration in business. Her ultimate career goal is to become a news anchor. Valerie is originally from Rochester, New York and her hobbies include writing and hiking.