<p>So I’ll be part of the upcoming 2015 class and a questions has been nagging me ever since I got my hands on a scholarship check.
I was happy to learn that the Rhode Island Credit Union is a 25 minute walk from campus (I just don’t like banks)
However I don’t know if I should even open an account with them. I currently have an account at my local credit union, with a debit card and a savings account.
I can deposit checks and cash by mail if I have to.
So is there any reason that I should open a RICU account during my 4 years at Brown?</p>
<p>Deposit cash by mail!?!?!? I certainly wouldn’t do that.</p>
<p>Do you have to pay ATM fees? That alone might be a reason to switch.</p>
<p>What about if you need to take out cash? I hate paying ATM fees. I’d suggest opening a simple student account at Bank of America - they’ve got ATMs on campus, and you can finagle it so that you pay no fees for account upkeep.</p>
<p>In my opinion, there comes a time in every branch-bank hater’s life when you just swallow your pride and get an account with a convenient local bank. You get the lowest-level account you can, and keep as little money in it as possible, managing most of your finances from your preferred account elsewhere (in my case, a direct banking account with ING Direct). The advantages – local ATM access, deposit-taking ATMs, nearby branches, branch tellers who are acquainted with the modern world – are just too plentiful and convenient to ignore.</p>
<p>If you nonetheless decide that banking with a branch bank is still too tough to stomach, I’d just skip RICU, since Brown is not quite close enough (it sounds like) to make the convenience factor all that great.</p>