Welcome to the second installment of our college series. You may want to take a look at our first post, The Drive to Orientation & Meeting the Roommate.
Your child is getting prepared to head off to college this year, and as they do, a debate regarding the bringing of their vehicle comes into play. I actually had this conversation with my own daughter. She had just graduated high school and had just gotten her very first car, a Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, and also her license. While her college allowed first-year students to bring their vehicle onto campus for a fee, of course, many college campuses do not allow cars to be stored on their property or even let first-year students bring their own vehicle.
If your child is attending a college that allows a vehicle to be transported, then you will have to discuss some other areas of interest as it pertains to whether or not your college student will take their car to school.
Will it be an inconvenience for the family if your college student takes the car to school with them?
If this car is ultimately owned by the college student, then the answer is no, but if the parents are in ownership, you may want to consider if the family will need the car more than the college student.
How responsible is your college student?
This is a huge thing to consider; if you know that your child may be irresponsible and make a poor judgment while having access to a car at school, then you may want to restrict them from bringing a car that first year so they can get accustomed to college life first. No matter how responsible they are, they will need proper insurance. Having them on your insurance when they were learning probably meant your car insurance went up, and they will need their own coverage when they head to college.
Will your college student hold a job on or off-campus?
If yes to an off-campus job, then the use of having quick access to a car may be a safer option for them, depending upon the location of their job as it pertains to the college campus. Taking into consideration your student’s job they hold while at college may help decide to let them take a car to school or not. For example, my daughter lives in a college town where there is very limited public transportation. I feel safer knowing that she has her own vehicle to get to and from work at her part-time job.
Does the college allow students bring their cars?
Usually, first-year students are not allowed to have a vehicle brought with them to college. This would be a campus rule that has to be followed regardless of whether you want your child to have access to a car at school or not. Research the rules pertaining to whether first-year college students can bring their car to school or not.
These are just some of the questions to think about when the debate of whether your college student should bring their car to school or not. The biggest concern for many colleges, when it comes to students bringing their cars on campus, is that most college students overwork themselves, and having an exhausted college student driving the roads isn’t safe. When discussing this topic with your soon-to-be college student, try to think of all the pros and cons involved and come to a reasonable decision based on your own family’s comfort level.
Do you have a student who’s headed off to college? Be there, no matter where they go. Read more stories from parents like me on betheremoments.com and join in the conversation by using the hashtag #BeThereMoments.
