Commuter School (Meaning, Schools, Advantages & Disadvantages)

Colleges are traditionally associated with dorms, frat parties, and late-night snack runs. At a commuter school, most students’ stories aren’t like this. But, what is a commuter school and what does it mean to be a commuter student?

Continue reading to learn about commuter colleges, their features, what it’s like to attend one, the pros and cons of commuting to university, and examples of commuter colleges.

Table of Contents

What is a Commuter School?

A commuter school is one where the majority of college students commute to classes rather than living on campus or in college housing.

Commuter colleges typically don’t provide a lot or any on-campus housing, and most are primarily based in big cities.

In addition, an extremely good range of community schools and technical colleges are commuter colleges because they pay less attention to supplying housing and a traditional university-style but greater on schooling and teaching.

Features of a commuter school:

Lots of parking provided on and close to campus for college students commuting to university
Many alternatives for public transportation to and from campus
Little or no college housing
Fewer college students round on weekends, resulting in a typically quieter campus
Dinner may not be served at college cafeterias

Who is a Commuter Student?

A commuter student is a scholar who commutes to the university for lessons.

Most undergraduate commuter college students stay in the house with their parents, travel to and from campus out of comfort, and reserve cash on housing and meal plans.

Older, non-traditional college students are regularly commuter college students, considering that they’ve generally already set up residency someplace nearby.

Examples of Commuter Schools

Here are a few examples of a famous commuter school

University of Houston — Houston, TX
California State University, Fullerton — Fullerton, CA
University of Michigan-Dearborn — Dearborn, MI
Portland State University — Portland, OR
Cleveland State University
University of California–Riverside
University of Nevada–Las Vegas
California State University, Fresno
ArtCenter College of Design | ArtCenter
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona
Adelphi University (NY)
California State University Channel Islands | CSU Channel Islands
California State University, East Bay | CSU East Bay
Florida International University
California State University, Fresno | CSU Fresno
California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton
University of New Mexico

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More examples of a Commuter School;

California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State
California State University, Los Angeles | Cal State LA
Wayne State University (MI)
California State University, Northridge | CSUN
California State University-Chico
University of New Orleans
California State University-Dominguez Hills
California State University-Sacramento
Fresno Pacific University
Laguna College of Art and Design | LCAD
Lincoln University (California)
Otis College of Art and Design
San Diego State University | SDSU
California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-San Marcos
San Francisco State University | SF State
San Jose State University | SJSU
Shasta College University of California, Davis | UC Davis
University of La Verne
Woodbury University Brooklyn College
California University, Denver
California State University, Stanislaus | Stanislaus State
Hunter College (CUNY) New York, NY
California State University-Bakersfield

Advantages and Disadvantages of attending a Commuter School

Every commuter college is distinctive. However, there are a few pros and cons of attending those sorts of schools.

Here are the most important advantages and disadvantages of commuting to university.

Advantages of attending a Commuter School

1. Face-to-face communication:

This may be one of the reasons you choose a commuter college to online classes, which lack the social aspect and a supportive school environment.

2. Extra bendy elegant scheduling alternatives:

Many commuter colleges cater to non-traditional and commuter college students by offering classes at a wider range of schedules and on additional days, including evenings, giving you more flexibility in your daily routine.

3. Attention to schooling:

As a commuter student, you’ll not have as many social distractions considering that you’ll possibly be going home after lessons most days.

This permits you to pay greater attention to your schooling rather than different factors of the university lifestyle.

4. Cash Reserve:

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of attending a commuter university is that you can save a lot of money on room and board if you come from home.

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Disadvantages of attending a Commuter School

1. Freedom:

If you still live with your parents, you could feel like you’re still in high school and aren’t acquiring as much independence as you’d like.

2. Traffic and parking may be infuriating:

While commuter universities aim to accommodate their large number of commuter students by providing additional parking, you can’t always avoid bad traffic or the rush to find parking right before class.

3. Difficult to make buddies and get involved:

You could find it difficult to develop close friends and participate in extracurriculars, impromptu activities on and around campus because you’re heading home after school every day and aren’t living with or among other college students.

Conclusion:

Each commuter student’s experience is distinct, with some preferring to commute to university and others finding it difficult, unsatisfactory, or undeniably boring.

Much of this relies on the student and the college to which they’re commuting.

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Commuter School (Meaning, Schools, Advantages & Disadvantages)