Commuting
The financial benefit of having a commuter student is a no-brainer – FREE ROOM AND BOARD! – but there are other positive factors as well, like no chance of an unreasonable roommate, easier access to healthier food and a better vantage point for you to watch what’s going on in your child’s life. Your child will need a way to get to and from school each day and since you saved a significant amount on room and board, you could put those funds toward a reliable vehicle and commuter parking sticker or monthly transit passes (extra bonus: students often get discounted fares).
As a parent, you may think this is the best decision but your child will probably think of living at home as an extension of high school. It is sometimes harder for commuters to form close ties with other students like they would by living in a residence hall and it can also be difficult to find people to study with if they are all staying on campus and your child has to leave to beat traffic.
Also, as your child becomes more independent, they may feel as though long-standing house rules relating to curfews and overnight guests no longer apply to them; this conversation should be had prior to or as soon as school starts so that everyone understands what expectations will be moving forward.