But what about your car?
Should you bring your car to college, or are you better off leaving it at home?
Well, the answer to that question depends on a number of things! First and foremost, you should be asking yourself the following questions:
- Does the university I am attending allow students to bring their cars?
- Where is the college located – is it in a major city or in a rural area?
- Is there any on-campus transport system in place?
- Is there a public transport system that serves the campus?
- Will I have a job or internship off-campus?
- How often will I go back home and will I drive or fly during those trips?
For some students, having a car at college is incredibly convenient. For others, it can turn into an unnecessary expense (and headache) where the vehicle spends most of the semester sitting in a parking lot.
Do You Need a Car in College?
You may not need a car at all, especially if you attend school in a larger city or on a campus where just about everything you need is within walking distance.
Take Columbia University in New York City, for example. Students there have access to New York City’s extensive subway and bus system, and bringing a car can easily create more headaches and expenses than it’s worth.
On the other hand, having a car can make a lot more sense if your school is in a smaller town, the campus itself is somewhat isolated from major population centers, you live off campus, you have a job or internship, or public transportation is limited.
Auburn University in Alabama is a good example. Auburn is a large university in a classic college town, and campus transit can handle a lot of day-to-day student travel. But once you need to travel off campus for internships, flights, shopping, weekend trips, or travel to larger cities such as Atlanta or Montgomery, having a car can be incredibly convenient (if not necessary).
Your lifestyle matters too. If you spend most of your time on campus you may barely use a car, while someone who works several miles away, travels home frequently, or regularly needs to get around beyond campus may need one all the time.
Pros of Bringing a Car to College
Taking a car to college definitely has its advantages, including:
You can go where you want, when you want
One of the biggest benefits is simply having the freedom to leave campus whenever you need to. Whether you want to go out to dinner, see a concert, visit friends, go shopping, or just get away from campus for a while, having your own car makes it much easier.
You can be of help to your friends
Having access to your own car puts you in a great position to help friends who might need to move something, run an errand, or just need a ride to the airport.
You don’t have to worry as much about transportation during breaks
When you have your own car, getting home can happen more on your own terms. You don’t have to worry as much about expensive flights, delayed trains, long bus rides, or other transportation hassles during school breaks.
Road trips are easier to plan
Having a car also makes it much easier to plan weekend trips, spring break getaways, or visits to friends at other schools. You have more control over when you leave, where you go, and how you get there.
Your car can help you get a job or internship off campus
Getting an off-campus job or internship certainly isn’t dependent on owning a car, but having one can make commuting much easier. It may also open up opportunities that would be difficult to reach by walking, biking, or relying on public transportation.
Your car can help you save on shopping
Bringing your car to college comes with added costs, but it can also give you more options for where you shop. You may be able to drive to less expensive grocery stores, discount clothing stores, or other retailers that are outside the walking area or not easily reached by public transportation.
You can go home when needed
If you need to get home for a family event, holiday, emergency, or even Grandma’s birthday party, having your own car makes it much easier to leave when you need to. You won’t have to worry about finding the right flight, train, or bus schedule every time something comes up.
You can cut down on some of the walking
College life involves a lot of walking. You may be walking to and from classes, the dining hall, your dorm, the library, and other parts of campus every day. Having a car won’t eliminate that, and in many cases you’ll still be walking quite a bit, but it can save time when you need to get somewhere farther away.
Your car will give you a sense of independence
When you have your own car, you don’t have to ask other people for rides or arrange your schedule around someone else. You can come and go on your own schedule, which can give you a greater sense of independence while you’re away at school.
Cons of Bringing a Car to College
Although bringing your car with you to college could definitely make your life easier and awards you with a certain amount of freedom, it also has some serious disadvantages that could make your college life a bit more difficult.
You will have to service and maintain your car:
Cars are expensive to own, and that can be especially tough on a college budget. In addition to gas, you’ll need to think about oil changes, tires, repairs, insurance, registration, and other routine expenses.
If something major breaks, the cost can add up quickly. Before bringing a car to college, make sure you have room in your budget for more than just filling the gas tank.
Parking can be expensive:
Depending on the school, student parking permits can cost quite a bit, and convenient parking may be limited.
Before bringing your car, find out how much parking costs, where students are allowed to park, and whether there are additional fees for garages or reserved lots. That money may be better spent elsewhere if you rarely plan to drive.
The weather can be challenging:
If you attend college somewhere with harsh winters or frequent bad weather, owning a car can create some extra headaches.
Snow and ice can mean scraping windows, digging your car out, dealing with icy roads, or moving your vehicle when parking lots need to be cleared. Bad weather can also increase wear and tear on your car over time.
You may feel obligated to do people favors:
If you’re one of the few people in your group of friends with a car, don’t be surprised if people start asking for rides.
Trips to the store, airport runs, errands, and other favors can quickly add up in terms of your time and gas. Helping friends is great, but you may have to get comfortable saying no once in a while.
Getting your car to school can be a hassle:
If your college is far from home, simply getting the car there may take some planning.
A long drive can mean spending many hours, or even several days, on the road. You’ll also need to think about fuel, hotels, meals, and whether the drive fits into your move-in schedule.
If you don’t want to make the drive yourself, professional auto transport is another option, but that adds another expense to your college move.
It can be distracting to your academics:
Having the freedom to leave campus whenever you want is definitely a benefit, but it can also be a distraction.
When your car is sitting right outside, it may be easier to decide on a last-minute road trip, late-night drive, or weekend away when you should probably be studying instead.
A car gives you more freedom, but it also puts more responsibility on you to balance that freedom with school.
Accidents do happen:
More time behind the wheel means more exposure to the possibility of an accident, whether it’s your fault or someone else’s.
For younger drivers, insurance can already be expensive, and an accident can affect both your finances and your ability to get around. It’s worth considering the cost of insurance, deductibles, and possible repairs when deciding whether bringing a car to college makes sense.
Where Do You Keep Your Car While Going to College?
In addition to assessing the pros and cons, you need to consider where you’ll be parking your car if you decide to bring it with you.
Depending on your school and living arrangements, your options might include:
- A student parking lot on campus
- A parking garage
- Parking at an off-campus apartment
- Private parking near campus
- Leaving the vehicle at home
If you aren’t going to use the car very often, leaving it at home may actually make the most sense.
If you do bring it, make sure you know where you can legally park, what the permit costs, and whether there are any restrictions on overnight or long-term parking.
When Bringing a Car to College Makes Sense
There isn’t one answer that’s right for every student, but having a car tends to make more sense when:
- You live off campus.
- Public transportation is limited.
- You have a job or internship away from school.
- You plan to travel home regularly.
- Your campus is spread out or located away from stores and services.
- You frequently need transportation outside the immediate campus area.
If several of those apply to you, you’ll probably appreciate having your own vehicle!
When You May Be Better Off Leaving Your Car at Home
On the other hand, you may not need your car if:
- You live in a dorm near your classes.
- Your school has good campus transportation.
- The surrounding area is very walkable.
- Public transportation is readily available.
- Parking is difficult or expensive.
- Freshmen aren’t allowed to have vehicles.
- You don’t expect to leave campus very often.
There’s no point in paying hundreds of dollars for parking and other car expenses if you’re only going to drive a few times each semester.
Decided to Bring Your Car to College?
If at this point after reading this you’ve decided that bringing your car to school makes sense, now you have to ask the question: How am I going to get it there?
If your college is relatively close to home, driving may be the easiest option, but if you’re attending school hundreds or even thousands of miles away, driving to campus can mean spending a full day, or several days, on the road.
One option is to ship your car to college. We provide college car shipping for students traveling to and from schools throughout the country. We can help with your first trip to campus, returning to school after a break, transferring to another college, or getting your car back home for the summer.
Learn more about our college car shipping service, including how the process works, shipping costs, transit times, and campus delivery options.
Whether you decide to drive or ship your car, the important thing is choosing the option that makes getting to college as simple and stress-free as possible!