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How Far Would You Travel To Attend Class?


Summery

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I would like to return to university in the autumn. The university that I have been accepted to has a good mass communications/journalism program. The main caveat is that it is two and a half hours away one way. I have decided to drive to and from campus. would basically be on the road for at least five hours a day. Would it be plausible for me to drive to and from college each class day? I would try to schedule my classes accordingly (the classes would meet two or three times a week, I would attend campus two or three times a week). Another caveat is that I cannot afford to live there (either on or off-campus) for at least the first semester that I am there. My goal is to afford off-campus housing by my second semester there. I am a young adult, but I cannot relate to the 18-22 crowd. I would not feel comfortable living on campus.

 

I plan on working while attending university. Many universities have online programs, but it is rare for a mass communication/journalism program to be completed online. Besides, I like the idea of interacting with my fellow student journalists and making friends on campus. I have thought about completing a communications or political science degree at another lesser-known school that offers an affordable online program. I know that some people look down on online learning. However, as long as the school is reputable, I see no problem with completing an online education if I truly needed to go that route. I have completed online classes in the past. I can attest to how challenging those courses were since I was basically teaching myself.

 

I am looking for advice.

 

Thank you so much!

 

-Summery-

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In my honest opinion, you might be setting yourself up for failure with this. You plan to work, go to university, and spend 5 hours on the road just to get to and from university. When are you going to have time to study and do your homework? It is honestly very easy to transfer credits to another school, so there's really no reason why you can't take online courses for your first semester from one university while you work and earn enough money to move, then transfer your credits and go to the university you prefer. I think that would be better than getting burnt out and possibly negatively impacting your GPA as a result.

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5 hours is a lot - like a lot lot :o

It also sounds like you are planning to drive yourself - so no learning on the road :(

 

I guess for one semester that might be feasible, but it definitely would not be very fun.

 

I'm also curious: How expensive is the place this college is in?

Just the gas for 5 hours of drive ~15 days a month would probably burn somewhere around $500 a month - prices for a studio in many college cities aren't really higher than that, so I'm not totally convinced you'd even save any money :/

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Grumpy Alien

I wouldn't even attend online classes, tbh

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Hi Summery,

 

I'd say traveling two and a half hours one way for school is pretty implausible, and you're likely to tire yourself out quickly. =/ Colleges tend to make scheduling inconvenient; getting all of the classes you're likely to need two or three days a week (assuming a full class load) is going to be near impossible unless you've already seen the schedule and know you'll be able to limit the number of days you travel to school to two or three times per week total.

 

So, I'd want to know:

-Are you going to be part-time or full-time for the first semester or two? Part-time is likely to make it more bearable, schedule-wise but you may also feel like you're spending more time driving than you are in class. Full-time is either going to make scheduling on just a few days a week very difficult, and for extremely long days including travel time; burn out will be more likely.

-Traffic: is the route you'd be taking to school likely to be very busy during the several hour window you'd be traveling it? If it's a main thoroughfare and/or you're traveling at peak times of the day your drive may be significantly longer than you're thinking right now and that could be a problem.

-Is there any way you can move closer, even if not close enough to call it off-campus? If you can shorten your drive to maybe a hour or hour and a half I'd say your plan would work out much better. I knew a lot of commuters and that's about the max distance you want to be for a fairly normal class schedule, especially if you're also working.

 

If you're sure you're only going to be doing this for a semester and can limit your traveling to school to only 2 or 3 round-trips per week, and don't have a completely full class schedule I think it's do-able. It's not going to be fun, but it's survivable. I've only know a few people who've done that kind of traveling for school and they didn't go more than 3 times a week total while working full-time (and I believe were only in up to 3 classes at a time).

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I am no math wizard but TBH

1 hour ago, Summery said:

I cannot afford to live there (either on or off-campus) for at least the first semester that I am there. My goal is to afford off-campus housing by my second semester there

sounds like a bunch of red flags to me. Back in my days one went to class to scribble down what to learn at home or look up in the library. 5h on the road + cramped school day might drain you a lot. If money is tight now; what kind of miracle besides winning some lotteries will make it "enough" in the 2nd semester?

Another issue: How to afford the commuting? - I am not familiar with American (?) gas prices. Here in Germany I'd go broke. Gas + 1x car service including a not too big repair would equal two tough fulltime months' wages and the mileage would exceed an average car's annual average. - Did you add up the cost of your mileage and are you really confident about your ability to handle it?

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I have to agree with everyone else that this just seems like too much of a commute, for all the factors listed above -- gas money, time, the energy you'll be expending, and the potential stresses of the road. 5 hours total per day is just too much. You'd likely end up having to give up sleep to catch up on schoolwork, especially if you plan on working at the same time. The last program I did, I had 1-1.5 hour commutes by transit each way and it was utterly exhausting and tedious (didn't help that half the commute was by bus, and I can't read on the bus thanks to motion sickness I never grew out of). I worry you'll end up hating the commute and skipping classes just to avoid it, and/or you'll develop burnout quickly.

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Diamond Ace of Hearts

I did a near two-hour commute by train my first year at university. That was three days a week and I didn't work even part-time. I still found it pretty exhausting. Admittedly, I am a trash can fire of a person who would regularly leave assignments until the night before deadline day and then cram it all in to an all-nighter, consequently sleeping no more than a handful of hours most nights.

 

I don't know where you are or how it works there but I think most accommodation is going to be cheaper than 15 hours' worth of fuel a week.

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:redface: I apparently picked a wrong username for this discussion...(Biker at heart):redface:

Anyhow: 5h commute = half or at least third of a shift wasted driving. - Public transport would be much better; 1.5h bus ride grant a chance to get most essential homework done... - My ex called them the key to her academic access. 

Even if your car should  take the mileage easily: Keep in mind you'll be wagering a shitload of $$s! I here would fear being too dumb to adjust my seat properly to take the commutes without physical toll. - I am aware that cooler folks than me do a lot of recreational stuff behind their wheels but lets be honest: That's the tree dings dents and "totalled" are growing on!

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PhycBookGardenWorm

I spend 45 min driving one way to uni depending on traffic (stupid people) and construction (always fricking construction!). I leave my home (still living with parents) about a 1 1/2 hours before the last class ends to make sure i can get there in time to find parking. I pay $435 per year for parking on campus, I used to be able to get my classes MW or TTH but as I needed more advanced classes I ended up having to drive everyday as professors only teach class on certain days and times (Scheduling is a nightmare the more you do). I drive a fairly new fuel efficient vehicle , I fill him up once or twice a week depending how windy it is (Living on the coast can get gusts of 25mph.) It takes about 20-25 per fill up depending on gas prices and that is if i do not dip below a quarter of a tank. so so far I spend $300 on gas for 15 weeks for $20 per week on 1 fill up. Add to that i had my oil changed for mileage about $50 estimating for oil (dad changed it himself) and I will have to get new tires, rotation so about $500 as I have 19 in wheels.

Over all that is $850+ I spent this semester and dose not include tuition and books, it is not over yet and I will have to buy a new parking permit next semester. Living with my parents saves me money but I end up using it just simply going to school that is 45 min away. Driving 2 1/2 hours would kill me. You are better off biting the bullet and living in the city or taking online classes for the first semester or roll down the window and let the money fly out of your hand.

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Thank you, everyone. I just wanted some advice. It's a good school with name recognition. I will be receiving financial aid. I will be receiving a financial aid refund to use towards school-related expenses after my tuition and fees are covered. The university is reasonably priced compared to another major university near it.

 

I have money in savings to cover transportation expenses. With a steady part-time job, I can afford to live with a roommate off-campus once my second semester there happens. I have kept track of how much everything will physically cost. I am just waiting to finish my education.

 

I know that the emotional costs is something to consider. I may burn out. I know that I should consider obtaining an online degree, but I would not know how that would look to future employers (print or broadcast news agencies, for example). I also consider future internships.

 

Public transportation is possible. I plan on attending university at least part-time (six credit hours) in order to have financial aid. Traffic would not be as bad as it would be returning home. I do have relatives who live near the university, but I would not want to impose on them (space is limited). However, I could always ask my relatives if it would be alright with them.

 

Eh, whatever happens in life will happen. I greatly appreciate all of your advice. It helps a lot. :)

 

Thank you! :) 

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You got family around there?

Well there's a good option for the first semester! :)

If it's just for a short time, they might not mind.

Heck, if you chip in and give them the money you'd otherwise be spending on gas, they'd probably be pretty cool with it :D

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On 3/23/2017 at 9:38 PM, Dreamer23 said:

You got family around there?

Well there's a good option for the first semester! :)

If it's just for a short time, they might not mind.

Heck, if you chip in and give them the money you'd otherwise be spending on gas, they'd probably be pretty cool with it :D

I have a lot of family who live around there. My mom would love it if my dad would agree to move closer to family, but she says that he is afraid of change. That does not stop me, though. My relatives would just adore me staying with them temporarily. I clean up after myself, and I would contribute financially to their household. :) I will definitely ask my relatives if it is alright with them if I could stay with them temporarily. Thank you! :)

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I used to take a 3 hour bus ride to and from work. You get used to it, if you use the time to relax/nap on the way. I used to listen to music, and nap. Bus driver knew my stop and we were friends. He'd wake me up.

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1 hour ago, スバル said:

I used to take a 3 hour bus ride to and from work. You get used to it, if you use the time to relax/nap on the way. I used to listen to music, and nap. Bus driver knew my stop and we were friends. He'd wake me up.

Thank you for sharing. Your bus driver sounded really cool. :) That is something for me to consider, taking a bus. There is a bus line that goes between cities in my state for a low rate. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update! I wanted to share with everyone that I secured housing for the upcoming school year. My school has on-campus apartments. There was an apartment available for me. A piece of weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I have been going through a lot with my family. There comes a point where the codependency has to stop. I have to admit though, what I have dealt with has prepared me for my future in journalism. I know I will come across very difficult people and situations that will require my being strong-willed and reserved. I pray that I can finally pursue my dream. :)

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  • 1 year later...

Hi, everyone. I made the difficult decision to forgo attending the university I had planned on attending for mass communication/journalism. I decided to pursue a similar course of study online. I am focused on finishing my education and getting my own place to live.

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