As campus-centric as undergraduate life is, there will be times when you need to venture out into the surrounding world. Hopping into your car is always easier than catching a shuttle. Schools usually tailor their shuttle routes around class times -- which isn't convenient if you rely on the shuttle to get to an off-campus job or activity on weekdays.
You'll feel grateful for your four-wheeled friend when the holiday breaks roll around, as your classmates prepare for five-hour bus rides home.
Worried about meeting new people at school? Bring along a roomy five-seater. As long you're okay with becoming the de facto driver, you shouldn't face any shortage of social invites.
Sometimes you and your pals will get stir-crazy in the dorms and need an off-campus adventure. A car parked and waiting in the lot is an undeniable advantage. Not to mention that when you finally get a date with that cutie from chem lab, the last thing you want to say is: "Cool, meet you at the bus stop."
Owning and operating a small-sized sedan costs you an average of $5,636 per year, according to the American Automobile Association. At some colleges, you could pay for a semester of tuition with that money.
The costs of a car at college keep adding up when you factor in parking passes -- which can run into the hundreds of dollars -- and insurance, which hits drivers under the age of 25 the hardest.
In an interview with "Kiplinger Magazine," financing expert Mark Solheim explains that many insurance companies provide discounts when a student attends a college at least 100 miles away from home, but leaves the car parked in the driveway until summer break.
If you move away from home to attend college, a larger portion of the upkeep and maintenance a car demands is going to fall on your shoulders. Sure, it's an opportunity to learn self-sufficiency and all that good stuff -- but it's also a fair amount of added work. For some busy students, the effort may not be worth the benefits.
Safety is another factor. A poll conducted by the Independent Insurance Agents Association reported that one in 10 of the surveyed college students had caused an automobile accident, and four in 10 had received a ticket for a vehicle-related offense.
Car rental programs Like Zipcar (which served over 225 colleges as of 2011) and Connect by Hertz (with offices on 44 campuses as of 2011) offer students the opportunity to rent an automobile at an hourly rate, and then return it to an on-campus location.
A growing number of universities have adopted "bike sharing" programs to make life easier for de-wheeled students. If your school hasn't quite caught on to the trend, bringing your own bike is always an option -- or better yet, get active on campus and start endorsing the idea. Who knows, you might run for president of the student government with "free bikes for all" as your campaign platform.
Can't bring yourself to part with your wheels? Hitching a ride on the school shuttle whenever you just need to do a few errands on its regular route allows you to save gas for weekend trips. Off-campus students can avoid hefty parking pass fees by hiking it to class.
Keep in contact with any high school classmates who've chosen the same alma mater. Starting a carpool club for trips back home will save you some cash over the next four years.