Live on campus vs. commute to college (Pros and Cons)

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Should you live in a dorm on campus or commute instead?

I remember deciding if I wanted to live on campus or commute when I went to college.

You might not have that option because of the university requirements, but if you do, it can be a tough decision.

I ended up living off campus, and my lifestyle was impacted. I still enjoyed the campus life but didn’t get as many opportunities to hang out with friends and go to events because I was living off campus.

I found myself staying in my apartment alone more, which had its perks, but some drawbacks too.

It’s an important decision so make sure you think hard about it before deciding and really consider the pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of living on campus and commuting to campus

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You can save money

If you live on your own, you can decide where you live and possibly afford a lower monthly rent compared to your room and board on campus. If you can live at home, without any costs, I recommend that. Unless you feel like you will really enjoy the college life, try and save some cash by staying at home instead.

According to educationdata.org, the cost of room and board in the United States for a university is between $9,395 – $12,540. If you lived at home, you could save that additional money. But that’s only if your parents or family don’t charge you rent.  

On the other end of the spectrum, you could live in an apartment off campus. This could be more or less expensive than room and board.

The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment was a little over $1200 a month. Then you have all your additional living expenses, and that can add up to more than the dorm room cost I mentioned above.

Now if you lived off campus and split the cost of an apartment with a roommate, you might be able to have a lower monthly living cost compared to a dorm room, but this would depend on your circumstances.

So, start crunching numbers to find out which one is right for you.

You can participate in campus life more

If you are on campus, and living in a dorm, you’ll have access to more campus activities. You’ll likely get to know more people living on campus and be invited to more events.

You’ll also hear about more events and be exposed to the campus life more because of your location.

Some residence halls will sponsor and host their own events, and if you’re living in a dorm, it will be easy to attend.

And you’ll be more likely to attend because you’ll know more people from campus and be invited more frequently. They’ll be plenty of groups to join,

If this is something you prefer, you might like living on campus more compared to the solo life.

You can network

Since you’ll be living on campus, going to college sponsored events won’t be so difficult.

You can walk to most campus events, and you will be more likely to go because of the ease of attending.

Also, you could get involved in student organizations, including sororities, or fraternities, and being on campus will make this engagement more possible.  

Lastly, you can visit with professors more during their office hours to network and hopefully snag a letter of recommendation for later.

You can be a resident assistant

While it might not be possible your first year, you could eventually be a resident assistant and get some perks. You may get some reduced tuition, room and board, or a stipend from serving as a resident assistant.

You can also enhance your leadership skills. You can help build these marketable skills for future employers by gaining these talents during your college career as a resident assistant.

Not only that but you can boost your resume with this experience.

You can show off your leadership capabilities by snagging one of these positions at your college.

Closer to amenities (walking distance)

When you live on campus, you’ll be able to quickly walk to your classes and might be more likely to attend every lecture.

If you live at home, and must commute, it might seem troublesome to attend every lecture. You could find yourself skipping class more often.

But when you are literally steps away from your classroom, you might be more likely to roll out of bed and make it to class instead of skipping.

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Less transportation costs

When you are on campus, you will have fewer transportation costs. I have known plenty of college students who didn’t own a car. Think of the savings!

You can walk to all your classes, eat your meals on campus, and socialize on or near campus instead of commuting.

If you didn’t own a car, and have to pay for gas, car payment, parking, upkeep, registration, etc., you could save tons. Average rent payments for a car are easily over $600 right now.

And sure, you could already have one paid for, but what about all the additional expenses. It’s estimated that owning a car costs its owner nearly $10,000 per year.  Living on campus can help offset those costs.

More alone time

If you live by yourself off campus, you will inevitably be alone more compared to the dorm lifestyle. In a dorm room, at least for your first two years, you’ll likely have a roommate. This can definitely be tiring if you prefer to be alone more often, and consider yourself an introvert.

Your dorm roommate might have friends over often, and this could be overwhelming if you don’t want to socialize all the time. Not to mention the dorm hall life too.

There will be lots of people in the halls, late nights, and plenty of events in the residence halls.

You may prefer more solitude than what a dorm room can offer.

Distance to campus

Before you decide to live at home, you need to think about the distance to your campus.

If you must travel 20 minutes or more to get to campus, you might find that you’re having to drag yourself out of bed and dreading class because of the awful commute.

And the amenities that you are paying for with your tuition, you won’t get to use those as often because of the distance.

Think about on-campus computer labs, the library, and the campus amenities (gym, walking trails, etc).

You’ll miss out on those things more if you live off campus.

Lifestyle

You may miss out on the campus lifestyle, but you might prefer your suburban or city lifestyle much more.

Maybe you already have an amazing home or an apartment in the center of everything you love and call home.

Perhaps you enjoy your friends, and family way more than a few college parties.

It might be best to stay put then.  

Job

Almost all campuses have student jobs available. Getting a job on campus would be very convenient if you lived on campus.

These opportunities are usually plentiful and give you the ability to easily get to and from your job as opposed to having to commute instead.

And the job may prefer someone who lives on campus because of your responsibilities.

Preference

And now it just comes down to what you love most.

Did your whole family attend a particular college and you are excited to experience that lifestyle too?

Or you already purchased season tickets to every football game at your parent’s alma matter?

If you have a distinct love for a university, and will really relish in the college atmosphere, living on campus may be for you.

I have encountered other students who prefer more solitude and want to avoid the college lifestyle. Maybe you already have an amazing living situation and just need a degree. You might want to pass on the dorm life.

Whatever you decide, make sure you think of every angle before you make any decisions because you don’t want to look back and regret it. You only get this opportunity once.

Well most of us do anyway.

And if you absolutely hate living on or off campus, you can make that change the next semester.

You aren’t stuck either way.