<p>Hi, </p>
<p>I have a 17 year old girl that is in the process of starting to choose colleges for next year. We’re going over all our options for where she wants to go. The big question is if we let her take her car.</p>
<p>I’m nervous that she will do as all teenagers do and forget to lock it … it being broken into, stolen, etc. </p>
<p>Any thoughts?</p>
<p>You’re not asking the right question. First check whether the colleges in question even allow freshmen to have cars on campus. Many don’t. Others charge such a premium that it’s not worth it, still others allow it but the cars have to be on lots so far from campus you might as well not have one there. Yet others allow it only if the freshman lives a certain number of miles from the school.</p>
<p>One of my nieces went to college an 8-hour drive away, cars were allowed on the rural campus and the only time her parents took her to school was the first day. They made sure her car was in excellent condition and it worked well for her. She was also very responsible and never forgot to service it or lock it. Another niece went to college in a big city, so space was at a premium. She took public transportation all through school even after she graduated. She didn’t own a car until well into her 20’s. She also lost or killed several cell phones-a car of her probably WOULD have been left unlocked.</p>
<p>Your decision will probably depend on the school your D goes to.</p>
<p>Let her bring her car. As long as she has proved she was responsible in the past, she should be able to bring her car. </p>
<p>I’m 17 as well and my mom didn’t questiok the thought of me bringing my car. A car allows the student to be flexible and independent while away in college. Plus, your daughter is able to come home more often. :)</p>
<p>As for the car being safe. You sort of have to weigh the odds. Get her a nice car. More f a chance of it being stolen. But there are ways to keep your car safe. Park it in well lit areas. Don’t leave valuables in sight. Making sure not to attract attention to yourself when leaving your car. You can get tracking devices. Anti-theft systems. </p>
<p>And if something happens…it happens.</p>
<p>Ultimately, it depends on where your daughter goes. If the area has a lot of public transportation then a car may not be the best decision financially. If she goes to a regular college, a car can be a plus in order to get to work an whatnot.</p>
<p>A car can be a big hassle, depending on the college. Parking is scarce, and sometimes costly. Some colleges don’t even allow freshman to have cars on campus. Everyone always wants to mooch rides, too (even people who are not really your friends). Neither of my kids had a car their entire four years on campus, and it was fine. Everything they needed was on campus or walking distance, and the college ran shuttles to the airport for holiday flights to and from home. Plus, kids without cars stay on campus over the weekends and spend time with their friends – this is a good thing.</p>
<p>Honestly, having a car freshman year was a royal PITA. I had to park it almost a mile away and since I was about the only freshman with one, friends constantly asked me for rides. The only perk was that I had an off-campus job that I wouldn’t have been able to bus or bike ride to.</p>
<p>Maybe if she is living off campus it might be okay, but if on campus there shouldn’t really be too much need in the beginning. As others said doublecheck the rules about freshmen having cars on campus…</p>
<p>Unless your child doesn’t know how to say no, I don’t see what the problem is with people asking for rides. </p>
<p>You want a ride. Pay gas money. Simple as that. The person with the car doesn’t always have to drive. </p>
<p>I know my university isn’t the norm at most top colleges. My parking garage is at most a quarter of a mile away. You pay for the type of parking you want. </p>
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Kids with cars stay on campus over the weekends and spend time with their friends.</p>
<p>I’d say it really depends on the college. I seem to remember quite a few of the ones we visited not allowing freshman to have cars on campus. But assuming they do, I guess I’d decide based on location. For a school in or near a big city, (NYC, DC, Boston, LA etc) a car can be more of a pain than a plus…and as a “city mouse” I think one of the best ways to explore a new city is to get your feet wet with the local mass transportaion. A more suburban or rural school…it’s always nice to have the freedom of your own car, but it will be known immediately to everyone that “she has a car” and she’ll have to decide early on how/if/when to establish boundaries for giving rides to every person who asks.</p>
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<p>And what happens if there is an accident when someone else is driving your car?</p>
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<p>Whether a car would actually be useful (or allowed for residential frosh) depends on the college. Going to a residential urban school versus commuting to a school in a rural or suburban area with minimal mass transit would likely result in different answers.</p>
<p>As far as the forgetting to lock it, etc. how is she with that now?</p>
<p>She’s a very responsible girl and hasn’t got into any trouble before. I hadn’t thought about if Freshmen were able to bring their cars to school. Definitely something that I need to ask/consider when we’re doing school visits. She’s not left her car unlocked before, but lets be honest… in a rush how many of us can’t remember if we used the key fob to lock the doors? I also have heard that a lot of cars get broken into on campuses, regardless of the contents inside the car. </p>
<p>She has several colleges in mind, all across the country. They all are in bigger cities with mass transit. I want her to be able to get out to look for a part time job, but want her to have the flexibility of having her own car. I just worry about the consequences of her car being on campus.</p>
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Why would someone else ever be driving my car? No friend of mine will be behind my wheel. I don’t care how much they need a car. There’s a ZipCar service on campus.</p>
<p>@melissa Well, if they are in bigger cities with mass transits then a car may not be worth it.</p>
<p>Many urban campuses in big cities have very limited parking, which can be an expensive hassle. Having a car in such a situation can be more hassle than it is worth. Some city dwellers (not necessarily students) do not own cars, but just use occasional rental cars when needed to go to places that are difficult to access without one.</p>
<p>Many students have part time jobs on campus, particularly if work-study is part of their financial aid offer.</p>
<p>You are really putting the cart before the horse. Of all the things to worry about this is not one that needs to be decided now. Not even considered. Not even agonized over. There is so much to fret over during the next 6-9mos, do not borrow something to worry about! </p>
<p>As others have correctly pointed out it completely depends on her school. Once she chooses her school you start the process of deciding. If they don’t allow first year students to have cars, decision made. If she’s at an urban campus (NYU, BC, etc) decision made. My son’s school is fairly compact with local public transit free to students. A car would be in the way and an expense. For my younger son, your DDs age, we might make an entirely different decision. I am certainly not adding it to my list of things to think about though. Wait until she picks a school, really.</p>
<p>If her campus is in a big city with mass transit, it’s very unlikely she will need a car. You can always see how the first semester goes, and then make the decision if it makes sense then.
My son took his car to Pomona College. They allowed freshman to have cars and they had plenty of cheap parking. He was able to use it for internships, jobs, and come home on his own schedule. But, Los Angeles has lousy public transportation. It worked will for him. He didn’t allow anyone else to drive it.</p>
<p>Daughter went to school on the east coast where mass transit was great. No need for a car. It would have been a burden, actually.
Whether anyone breaks into the car would be pretty far down on my list of worries. I’d be more concerned about difficult driving conditions if she’s in a place with bad weather, increasing the chances of accidents. Also, how much driving experience has she had, and is she very competent. These are more pressing concerns.</p>
<p>My take: there doesn’t seem to be a good enough reason to have a car as a freshman anywhere. It’s nice to stay on campus, meet people, take advantage of campus events, and learn your way around with shuttles and public transportation. It is true that the one with the car gets asked for many favors and rides…it is hard to say no. I think the safety of the car is probably the least of your worries. It is too tempting to run out for coffee, or to Target, or to the mall or fast food- it can be a time waster. After freshman year you can reconsider and send it with her as a sophomore. we shipped my D’s car to her halfway through sophomore year and she drove it home at the end of the year. So unless she critically needs a job and needs a car to get there I would start with a “no” and work to a “yes”.</p>
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<p>Really… this is behind at least 1,000 other questions that you should be asking. It is one of the least important things I can think of regarding a college choice unless your kid has some pressing personal reason for a car. The ones I can think of are a medical condition that requires her to get to appointments off campus regularly that are inconvenient to public transit. Or a family issue of some kind that requires her to commute home regularly, and the distance isn’t too far (thinking handicapped parent who needs help on weekends or something). A car is NOT needed by almost any college student. Save money and leave it in your garage. Or sell it. The cost of keeping it running, getting it to and from college, parking, parking tickets (!), insurance, etc. would probably offset any part time job she would find to drive to. Note that if she does not take the car, you may be able to get the insurance reduced on the car if it is just sitting in your garage and she is far away at school, too. Keep it at home so she can drive it while home on breaks and in the summer.</p>
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If I had a child and I just bought them a car that was lets say $15,000-$20,000 I would not sell it a year later. That would be an extreme waste of money. I wouldn’t consider letting it sit in the garage because that, too, is a waste. I’d be paying to watch a car deteriorate in my own home. </p>
<p>I don’t know the financial situation of melissa nor do I know if this car is solely her daughter’s. I just know that if I bought my child a car. My child will be using it. </p>
<p>There are ways for a student having a car in college to be low cost for the student. Getting a part time job is a great way to keep the costs down when they only have to pay for gas. Some parents may decide to pay for the payments and insurance while their student is away. If they get a new enough car, the car will be under warranty and therefore the repair costs will be down as well. </p>
<p>A car may not be needed but there are ways where having a car is beneficial and not a drag.</p>
<p>Although, USF is in an “urban” setting, I’m bringing my car. I’ll be able to go to any appointments that I need to. I’ll be able to drive home, to work, to any place I need to go. At most I spend $50 a month on gas. I’m sure this will go upwards to $70 in college due to how often I go to St. Petes, but I will be on campus and will not be driving to my classes. A part time job will easily cover this. My mom considers me having a car a necessity. For safety, flexibility, and reliability. My situation is not the common situation and I would not recommend this for a student who lives in a city with readily available and reliable mass trasnport.</p>
<p>You wrote that it is “her car.” If it is indeed her car, let her make the decision about what to do with it. Explain the advantages and disadvantages about having a car on campus, the school’s policy on cars, why you are concerned, and whatever other information you think is applicable; but ultimately it should be her decision.</p>
<p>Personally, I would buy my kid a car that cost $20K when hell freezes over. 
But obviously, YMMV.</p>
<p>I regard having a car on campus as a liability for most kids, especially freshmen. Maybe when she’s gotten over the novelty of partying…</p>