Commuting to grad. school? How feasible?

[glasscandie]

I'm looking at the Virginia Commonwealth University at their behavioral pharmacology program, and I'm really excited about it. More than 4 researchers there do the type of research I'm interested in, and I have extensive lab. experience doing the types of studies they do (discrimination, novel object, etc.).

However, right now I live in Maryland, between DC and Baltimore. If I were to stay in the DC/MD/VA area for school, my husband would be getting a job in DC or at the NSA in Maryland. Conversely, if I ended up getting accepted elsewhere (Emory, for example) we'd be moving there.

I was looking at Fredericksburg, VA to move to if I got accepted at VCU. It's about an hour away from VCU, and an hour and a 1/2 away from the DC/MD area my husband would work in. There's really no jobs for him in VA, except maybe the FBI, but his skill set is very specialized, which is why he'd end up staying in DC.

Is it feasible to make that type of commute daily to grad. school? Any experience here?

[washdc]

I used to live in the Northern VA area- going from Fredericksburg to VCU shouldn't be bad, as you're going the direction opposite of where all the normal traffic flows (towards DC), however if you're husband is going to live with you in Fredericksburg it'd be awful. I lived in Woodbridge, only a couple exits from Belvoir, where I worked- and every morning it'd take roughly 30min - 45 minutes to get in, even though it's the distance of a couple of miles. My mom's assistant lived in Fredericksburg and commuted to Belvoir everyday as well, and his commute was 90 minutes each way- he'd refill his gas twice weekly, and his gas bills were incredible! Because the metro only goes out as far as Springfield, it's pretty difficult living in VA and commuting towards DC- there are carpools and what not- and cost of living is MUCH better in fredericksburg and further south you go as opposed to the closer you head towards DC. But your husband is going to have the roughest time. My best advice is carpooling (they have an HOV lane, 3+ all the way from Stafford I think to DC) for him. Like I said, your commute should be a lot better than the DC route, but still, going towards Richmond there could still be some traffic- especially because 95 is a two lane.

[glasscandie]

I used to live in the Northern VA area- going from Fredericksburg to VCU shouldn't be bad, as you're going the direction opposite of where all the normal traffic flows (towards DC), however if you're husband is going to live with you in Fredericksburg it'd be awful. I lived in Woodbridge, only a couple exits from Belvoir, where I worked- and every morning it'd take roughly 30min - 45 minutes to get in, even though it's the distance of a couple of miles. My mom's assistant lived in Fredericksburg and commuted to Belvoir everyday as well, and his commute was 90 minutes each way- he'd refill his gas twice weekly, and his gas bills were incredible! Because the metro only goes out as far as Springfield, it's pretty difficult living in VA and commuting towards DC- there are carpools and what not- and cost of living is MUCH better in fredericksburg and further south you go as opposed to the closer you head towards DC. But your husband is going to have the roughest time. My best advice is carpooling (they have an HOV lane, 3+ all the way from Stafford I think to DC) for him. Like I said, your commute should be a lot better than the DC route, but still, going towards Richmond there could still be some traffic- especially because 95 is a two lane.

Ah, that sucks. I'm not too familiar with this area, I've only lived here for a few years and mainly stay north of DC. I'm from NJ originally. Well, I hate to cross a great school off my list, so I guess I'll see how it works out after this round of applications. Thanks for the input

[washdc]

Yea I'm sorry Unfortunately the DC/VA/MD area in terms of traffic is just ridiculous- 95 is the worse because it stays a two lane.. everyone refuses to commute and must drive by themselves to DC, and park who knows where.. I wouldn't necessarily cross it off your list, he CAN do it- I know plenty of people who do it, but carpooling would definitely be the only option. It's really not so bad and totally worth it. No one carpools so you're looking at a straight shot once the HOV lane opens up, and a straight shot going 70mph will get him to DC within 30-45 minutes. Also, if his job is flexible, a lot of people I knew would get up earlier, go to work earlier, and get off earlier- to avoid the rush. When I was working at the Pentagon I knew a bunch of people doing 6 - 2pm and 7 - 3 pm shifts. Traffic starts up between 7 and 830, and dies down by 9 AM, so he could try going earlier or going later.

It is manageable.

I hope that helps!

[glasscandie]

Actually, that is a thought, for him to do an earlier or later shift. I'm not really sure how it works for his job - he's military working in federal right now, but will be civilian (probably) working in contracting for at least a year, and then hopefully civilian in federal after that. All I know is right now he's on a ridiculous 4am-1pm shift, which is just impossibly awful lol

[washdc]

Military is pretty tricky. If he's a COL and above, or for an NCO, possibly a MSG, but most often only a SGM- then he can definitely make his own hours (if he's working in an military organization- shouldn't be a problem because military is accustomed to getting up earlier)- my mom is an SGM, so she pretty much made her own hours, and then her assistants (who were civlian) could pick theirs as well. As a civilian working contracting and then in the federal government it'll definitely be different. If he's working at a civilian organization within the federal gvt I would definitely say it could be slightly harder because most civilians do a 8-4 or 9-5 job, and if he's only working a few hours while they are, it might be more difficult for him to actively contribute in the organization and therefore harder to get different hours (I worked at a military organization that let civilians choose their hours and we would always run into the awkward, okay such and such leaves by 2, so now I can't get them to sign this document until tomorrow.. or when does such and such leave, and everyone has to learn everyone else's hours etc)- I worked as a civilian at a military org, and could choose my own hours, but when I worked at a civilian org (contracting as well) for the federal government I only had an 8 am option or a 9 am option- But he should definitely talk to his future boss as soon as he arrives and let him know his commuting situation and where he lives- they should be fairly flexible most people understand VA traffic is pretty ridiculous-

4 - 1 is crazy though.. . I give him a lot of props