How Far Would You Drive?

[lindsayg1993]

Hi everyone! I just received an unexpected admissions offer from Monmouth! My question is, how far would you drive to attend a graduate program? I live about an hour away with no traffic (61 miles). Do you think it would be unrealistic to drive back and forth to & from class? 

Thanks in advance for the input! 

[SLPsingballs]

I go to a university where this is the norm for many students, a "commuter's" university basically.  It isn't fun, but totally realistic.  I do have a friend that lives about 2 hours away.  It is just far enough away where she ended up moving out here half the week, and driving home for weekends to be with her friends and family.  Congrats on the acceptance!!

[kayyyyy_]

I think it would just require a lot of time management and planning on your part. You could always spend more time at the library and drive home later (to miss traffic). It really just depends. I have a couple of friends that commute about 45 min and love it but some hate it. Really just depends on your preference. I definitely think its manageable. 

[jmk]

I was commuting from East Bay into SF for a year. The commute was 1.5 hours one way on public transit which included driving to the train station, waiting, the train ride (50 minutes), waiting, then the bus ride (10-12 minutes).  Distance was 28 miles. Wasn't ideal, but wasn't awful. 

 

[eseteacher]

I am going to live 13 hours away from my home. I think it will be exhausting to live an hour away and try to do your clinical, meet with your cohort and professors, and classes. I would recommend moving thirty minutes closer to campus so you have the best of both worlds. It won't be nearly exhausting driving back and forth, but you'll also be close enough to visit your family. 

[lindsayg1993]

28 minutes ago, eseteacher said:

I am going to live 13 hours away from my home. I think it will be exhausting to live an hour away and try to do your clinical, meet with your cohort and professors, and classes. I would recommend moving thirty minutes closer to campus so you have the best of both worlds. It won't be nearly exhausting driving back and forth, but you'll also be close enough to visit your family. 

Unfortunately due to financial reasons moving is not an option for me It's either Monmouth, Speech@NYU, or (if I get in) Montclair

Edited March 13, 2017 by lindsayg1993

[JcSLP]

I might be commuting that far as well (45mins-1hr depending on traffic.) I know a lot of people that drive an hour for school, I think you'll just have to make sure you plan ahead and stay organized. 

[mcook64]

I'll be commuting about 45min-1hour! I think it's doable! It was this or Speech@NYU and I chose the commute because the price difference between the two programs was insane! I'd rather commute everyday then have 90k in loans to pay back. 

[Afternoonprogram]

I think it's doable -better if you can find someone else along the way to commute with  . . . see if there is a Facebook page and maybe you can meet other people to share the driving.  A lot of people commute for grad school.  Once you get started, you might make friends that would let you sleep on their couch every once in a while if you had to be at campus late then get up early.  Or just offer groceries for sharing their place once or twice a week.  One thing to consider is -where are the placements?  I would contact the school and ask them how close to campus students are placed.  If there is a hospital between the school and your house -that might be great but consider if the medical setting is another 20 minutes on the "other" side of campus -you will be adding to an already long commute.  A frank conversation with the person in charge of placements would make sure you know what to expect.  

[SLP1719]

So far, I've been accepted to Adelphi. It's on Long Island, and I live in the Hudson Valley, NY. If that is the only school I am accepted to, I will commute 1 hour and 45 minutes each way to go there. Relocating my family is not an option. All of the other programs I'm waiting to hear back from are much closer than that. 

[SpeechLaedy]

Yeap. I had an hour commute coming home from Queens College most of the time, although going there was usually less than half of that. But the hour drive was usually fine for me; irritating at times, but bearable since I blasted my music and had snacks handy. I applied to schools in Brooklyn which would be 2 hrs away in traffic (and I live on Long Island) so as much as I would HATE that commute, I may be in the position where I have to consider it. 

[junglebae]

What will your schedule look like? 1 hour each way will be very different going in 3 days vs 5 days a week or early mornings/late nights vs. preferred hours. Also someone else made a good point about your off-campus placements. I had a long commute (1.5 hours each way, luckily most semesters only went in 3 days a week) but was able to do my last placement 10 min away from my home.

[Auuudriana]

I drive 40 miles each way when I go to school. It can take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour and a half depending on traffic but I got used to it.

[apslp]

I will be driving ~30 minutes per day. That's my current work commute, so I'm pretty used to it. Saving money will be pretty nice.