To Bring a Car or Not To
This is a biggie. Having a car on campus is very important to some students. Everyone's family circumstances differ. If you are exploring the possibility of your student having a car on campus, consider the following pros and cons:
Pros
- Increases student's ability to get to an off-campus job or internship
- Student is able to travel home more frequently and easily
- Going into town to buy supplies or groceries is less of a hassle
- Student can get away from campus to study or take a break
- Opportunities to get involved in the community become more accessible
Cons
- The availability of parking
- Cost of gas remains high
- Student may travel home too frequently and lose out on campus experiences
- Costs associated with car upkeep, including oil changes and maintenance, can eat into student's meager funds
- College students are considered "higher risk" drivers, therefore insurance rates may increase and strict regulations may be placed on them as drivers
- Students with cars are often pressured by students who don't have cars to drive them places or loan out their car
If the possibility exists for your student to have a car on campus, consider this pro and con list carefully. Many, many students go through their college years without a car on campus. Not having access to a car can help them learn to solve problems creatively and to explore public transportation in ways they never would have otherwise.
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