Whether due to financial reasons, health concerns, family obligations or job responsibilities, students who live a few minutes or think a couple of hours away from their college may consider commuting rather than living in on-campus housing or renting a place nearby.
Some colleges require first-year students to live on campus if residential housing is available – though there are exceptions – and strongly encourage older students to do so in subsequent years due to its benefits. Experts say that commuter students can have a rich college experience, although it may take a more concerted effort on residential campuses.
“There is this narrative out there that commuter students generally are just not as engaged and don’t have an interest in being engaged,” says Jeremy Moore, dean of students at Naropa University in Colorado. “And I think that is a false narrative. Many of our commuter students want to be actively engaged, and the challenge is that the institution has often not been fully designed for them.”
Why Do Students Commute?
Not all college campuses have residential housing. And for those that do, many need family housing. Commuting allows students to live with family, whether parents or children and reduces costs.
“When I was doing my essay, I had students that I worked with tell me, ‘I can either go to school and commute, or I can’t go to school at all,'” says Moore, who is also co-chair of NASPA’s Off-Campus and Commuter Student Services Knowledge Committee. “When we look at the cost of higher education today, we must find ways to support students wherever they come from.”
Beyond costs, students may also need to stay home to control
for a family member or other responsibilities.
“Commuter students may have more privacy and may live more autonomously with rules that may not apply to on-campus housing,” Greg Golden, assistant dean of the finalist at the University of New Mexico, wrote in an email. Campus housing must “maintain strict rules to keep people safe, whereas burning a candle, having a large pet, or not having a roommate may be more accessible to off-campus students.”
Challenges of Commuting
Unlike those who live on campus, commuter students have to plan before visiting campus, including knowing the public transportation schedule, watching traffic patterns or having a set place to park on campus.
“I think about things that we take for granted,” says Brian McGowan, provost associate professor of tutor and associate director in the Center for Teaching, Research & Study at American University in Washington, D.C. “Being a residential student, if you leave something in your room, you can just go get it. You can return things to your room if you need to store them. But depending on your commute, those things may not be easy.”
Additionally, commuter students must consider their meals, whether bringing food from home or visiting a dining hall on campus. Some schools offer meal plans specifically with commuter and other off-campus students in mind. The cost ranges from $100 to $1,430 at the University of New Mexico, depending on the number of dining dollars and meal swipes.
Ways to Stay Connected to Campus
While residential students have more opportunities to mingle with their roommates, hallmates and resident advisers after class and in the evenings, there are other ways commuter students can build connections with peers and the college itself. These include joining a club, attending events, seeking on-campus employment, and taking advantage of resources like commuter lounges.
“Students who find a meaningful connection to campus often boast a stronger institutional and academic commitment,” Golden wrote in an email. “That connection to campus can be an activity, a program, a relationship with faculty, a campus job, etc. The stronger their web of connections, the more likely they are to stay integrated into campus life.”
Join a Student Club or Organization
College campuses offer dozens of student-run clubs for various hobbies and interests, such as gardening, theatre, community service and politics. There are also identity- and religious-based organizations and options to join honour societies, academic fraternities, Greek life and intramural sports teams.
“We encourage our commuter students to get involved in student organizations as one way to connect on campus,” says Kendre Turonie, the off-campus living program director at the University of Minnesota. “It’s a great method to meet others with shared interests and build leadership skills.”
Attend Campus Events
Most college students juggle other responsibilities outside classes, such as work or parenthood. However, experts strongly encourage students to attend on-campus events once in a while, such as a sports game, homecoming concert or speaker series.
“I challenge people, if you can, even one day out of your week, to spend time on campus beyond just for class purposes,” McGowan says. “Think about educationally purposeful activities or even about just having fun. Take risks and try new things. I think college is a buffet, and you can try so many things.”
