True. But it is not fun and you miss out on a lot
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I donât mind commuting within an hour or two, Iâm just trying to figure out where to apply to
Thank you everyone who suggested I really appreciate it so much
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Out of state but I think you would have a solid chance at the Centralis Scholar Award at Central Michigan University. It covers tuition/room/board for 4 years and gives a 5k study away award. Central Mich also has a medical school of which they accept more than a handful of their applicants each year.
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A one hour commute or even a 30 minute commute each way is LONG. I know people do that for work, but really, if possible, for college, choose the closest and most affordable option if you plan to commute.
I donât mind commuting within an hour or two
A one or two hour commute to college each way is way too long, in my opinion.
And keep in mindâŠcommuting isnât free.
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School isnât just class. Itâs living. And classes arenât all back to back. And study groups and project work can happen at random times, including evenings.
Itâs hard to do when youâre not close.
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Has anyone commenting on commuting ever actually attended college as a commuter? Itâs actually what college students do in NYC. Many Juco and community college students around the country do so as well. And frankly students do so in many colleges in Europe as well.
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There are probably at least as many, if not more, commuter students than resident students in the country as a whole âŠjust that those colleges are not discussed much here.
I was a commuter student as an undergrad, but thatâs part of the reason Iâd urge those who can to dorm. My school was largely a commuter school but the kids in dorms definitely seemed to be having more fun than the rest of us! That said, the reality is that the majority if students who commute have to do so for financial reasons, as I did, and yes you manage just fine. However, I also think 2 hours each way is too much.
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I agree - but in this case, the commute might be longer than others - and many drive and that gives them scheduling flexibility - to get back multiple times a day.
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I donât think the OP will need to go back and forth multiple times a day. Many commuter colleges have Lounges or other gathering places for commuter students to be if they are between classes or waiting for a club or social activity. And NYC public transportation is known for being extensive and running very late and very early.
And the OP could also study while on the subway or bus, at least in theory.
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I wouldnât need to go back and forth I think. I would hang out in the library between classes and would study on the bus/ train
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These loans no longer exist.
You, as a student, are allowed 5.5k in federal loans, thatâs it. Anything else has to be taken by your parents - either from federal âParent Plusâ (which may disappear) or as private co-signed loan by your parents (meaning theyâll have to pay back while youâre in med school). In addition, with the newly-enacted lifetime cap, taking loans for undergrad means not being able to pay for grad or med school.
Please run the NPC on a couple colleges with your parents
- so that they see how much costs have increased (assuming early to mid 90s, when they went to college, Harvard tuition was in the low 20s and public instate tuition in the 4-8k range; total cost of attendance would currently be around 90k and 30-35k respectively. As a result, it was possible to âwork your way through collegeâ with a loan and a part-time job back then.. but it isnât feasible nowadays.)
- to see if youâd be eligible for financial aid at generous meet-need colleges.
- BTW they will need to fill out FAFSA for you to get the federal loans (5.5k).
45mn commute on a train one way would be my upper limit.
In addition, you donât go back and forth! The issue is what youâre missing while commuting and while at home.
You canât really compare with Europe, where the library closes at 7pm most days, everything is set up with the university being just one small part of the experience with the city the main option (for food, studying, sports, socializing) and there is no expectations wrt research, ECs, study groups, etc. In the US, these outside activities tend to be crucial to a studentâs professional future. So hopefully OP can earn enough merit scholarships between the STEM scholarship he already qualifies for and any other special program he may apply to or be invited to, to live on campus at a SUNY, or at an OOS university with a full ride for NMSFs.
CUNYs are set up for commuters (99+% students commute on the subway) and some students may even get a free subway pass as part of financial aid. So, if OP lives near NYC, attending a CUNY wouldnât put him as a disadvantage as a commuter.
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I went to a commuter college. About 45 minutes to an hour each way. Either bussed or drove. Just part of life, you adjust.
We live in Chicago. My kids went to high schools with busses and trains up to an hour each way. Again, you adjust.
College kids in Chicago donât really drive. Taking trains and busses each way. I think people that donât live in a major city donât see this as normal but it is. It can be used to unwind, social opportunities and study. These kids adjust.
As stated I think there are more students than not going to commuter type colleges. Sometimes you also have to do what you have to do. Itâs not ideal for some. These students still are active on campus and can do all the same things. Just at the end of the day they go home and not directly to a dorm. The advantage is less time to putz around. Sure you can take breaks etc but lots use the libraries instead of vegging endlessly in their dorm rooms. Lots of commuters have to get more done since they have to during that same time period. Again, you do what you have to do with what is given. This is an excellent student. They will adjust and use their time wisely.
I also think the parents are living in the past and hope the high school has a sit down with the student and parentâs. I worked and put myself through college with financial aid. He wonât get any financial aid. No way I could do it with the constraints of todayâs environment. I hope the parents see they have a talented motivated student just trying to get ahead. Maybe a family member can talk with them. Seems like a cultural divide.
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I will try to reason with them and speak to them about the new bill passed but I donât think they will budge. I am going to run the NPC to see how unaffordable it will be.
Iâm likely only going to apply to Macaulay/CUNYs and maybe a few SUNYs but probably not any of my original reaches. Regardless, I didnât think that I could get into them anyways
Thank you everyone for your advise I really appreciate it
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It sounds like you are the type of student who will thrive wherever you land. And the CUNYâs are a great option!
Wishing you luck. Iâm sure you will have a great college experience!
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Your original reaches are a long shot for anyone, but you have a legitimate chance of getting into one of them. Cost is the bigger issue since your parents donât want to pay.
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CUNY should not be underestimated. I went to grad school at a CUNY and it was considered a top program in my field. As a side note, one of my profs did her undergrad at MIT and her PhD at CUNY.
As it stands now, you have free tuition at CUNY and can commute from home. Will it be hard sometimes? Yes, but it will not prevent you from achieving your career goals.
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You donât always get to sit on buses or subways. I live in an area where hour commutes are the norm (my husband took the bus to manhattan every day for 20+ years, 10 miles, 1 hour, and was thrilled to be transferred to Princeton with an hour drive). My son commutes 10 minutes to college, will come home in between classes. My oldest commuted 45+ minutes for her last semester of college ( didnât want to sign another lease and hated it, but did a lot of couch surfing since she knew a lot of students there).
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I know â thatâs why I said âin theoryâ!
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If a student is commuting to one of the CUNY colleges, theyâre going yo be spending time on a bus or a subway.
Iâm sorry for reviving this thread, I just wanted to ask since I wanted to get a head start on supplemental essays.
If I only can apply in the New York area, where is it wise to apply? Im not wasting time, with ivies or reaches and it feels like I only have two places and I feel so uncertain about that