<p>CNBC recently posted an article on ways to reduce the cost of college. I thought some here might find it helpful. </p>
<p>[News</a> Headlines](<a href=“http://www.cnbc.com/id/41626500]News”>Five Ways to Cut the Cost of College)</p>
<p>Lots of people I know are doing a number of the things spotlighted by the article. We’re lucky that we have a number of colleges within a 1 hour drive of our area. The ones that can save you lots of money are living at home and graduating early. But you do give up the “college experience.”</p>
<p>Having our kids commute to college did save us quite a bit of money and also helped our daughter avoid the 'freshman 10. </p>
<p>As you say, you ‘give up the college experience’ by commuting and this is sometimes true. But on the other hand, you may end up better for it. My son had a good friend who, as a freshman, ended up being roommates with a guy who was a major drug seller on campus. His friend didn’t find this out until near the end of the year, but luckily, he was never caught in his room with the drugs or both roommates would have been charged - the guilty and the innocent. That would have been a nightmare for the innocent one to work through. </p>
<p>My son did occasionally stay in a friend’s room overnight (so he didn’t have to leave a party early) and discovered that he didn’t especially enjoy the experience. In the end, he was glad to be a commuter. However, he will readily admit that he had to work extra hard to make friends. For him, commuting beat having to take out a loan.</p>