Is commuting a great idea?

[Itsallpsych]

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I recently got accepted to my first choice psyD program that is a 51 minute drive from my house. My parents want me to stay home and commute since it would be cheaper than paying for rent, utilities, and groceries.
Where I’m from, we have to drive long distances to Orlando or Kissimmee to go shopping or do anything fun and I already commute 45 mins for work (which I hate). Most of my high school classmates went to UCF for undergrad and commuted 45 mins one way each day, but undergrad and grad school is different. I also receive a graduate tuition scholarship so I would be helping a faculty member with their research.
Is it worth it driving 2 hours a day if it will mean saving money? My commute will be an easy and boring one since I’ll be going from one rural city to another. So it will literally be me driving one long road filled with cows for 40 mins.

 

[jdawg2017]

This is a personal choice. If it were me, I would probably opt to save money considering that I imagine that even with a scholarship you won't be netting actual $, correct? If you feel okay living at home, that is probably wise, but it may be something you assess year after you once you begin things like clinical practica.

 

[Itsallpsych]

This is a personal choice. If it were me, I would probably opt to save money considering that I imagine that even with a scholarship you won't be netting actual $, correct? If you feel okay living at home, that is probably wise, but it may be something you assess year after you once you begin things like clinical practica.

I would still be taking some loans but for a psyD program it’s not that bad at all. I do feel comfortable staying home, It’ll just be harder living farther away from my program since I can’t just easily go to campus if I need to quickly do something.

 

[Sanman]

As mentioned this is personal and depends on your time management skills, energy level, and general unhappiness level with what you might have to give up (more free time). Also, it will depend on where practicum sites are. If they are even farther away then it may not be feasible.

Another option, can you rent a bedroom somewhere close for cheap so that you can crash for a few days and head home on weekends or when the schedule is lighter?

 

[ExecutiveDysfunction]

I grew up in a borough of NYC so an hour commute has always been something I think of as an average commute. I always find the differences in what a tolerable expected commute can be.

As others have said, consider if a PsyD is worth it. I got one, I’m doing well for myself now but regret the level of debt.

As for your actual question, it’s probably doable and preferable. At least give it a shot for a few months then change course if it becomes unbearable. A longer commute isn’t so bad if you have music, podcasts, or audiobooks to keep you occupied. Consider location of practical and research duties, that’s a consideration of course.


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[Itsallpsych]

Another option, can you rent a bedroom somewhere close for cheap so that you can crash for a few days and head home on weekends on when the schedule is lighter?

Hmmm, if I really need to I guess I can rent a room if I have a really busy week or so. My program is at a beach city/town so rent isn’t as cheap as I imagined

 

[Itsallpsych]

I grew up in a borough of NYC so an hour commute has always been something I think of as an average commute. I always find the differences in what a tolerable expected commute can be.

As others have said, consider if a PsyD is worth it. I got one, I’m doing well for myself now but regret the level of debt.

As for your actual question, it’s probably doable and preferable. At least give it a shot for a few months then change course if it becomes unbearable. A longer commute isn’t so bad if you have music, podcasts, or audiobooks to keep you occupied. Consider location of practical and research duties, that’s a consideration of course.


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I’m lucky to be going to a partially funded program that tries their best to give most students scholarships and grants. Tuition for this school is pretty cheap too so I’m not that worried since my parents are also willing to help a little.
I’ll have to see what my research duties and class schedule is like, but I assume it’s going to be very heavy.

 

[Psy3727]

Based off what you wrote, I imagine you’re talking about Florida Tech (I’m an upper year student there). There were people in my cohort who commuted from Orlando the first year or two. It’s doable, but not ideal. Your commute sounds similar in that it’s about an hour and mostly easy freeway driving. Cost of living is pretty low out in Melbourne/Palm Bay. I have lots of friends in the program who split renting a 3BR house and pay around $300-$400/month for rent each. A lot of students (including myself) commute 2-3 times a week to Orlando for prac later in be program. You can always live out in Melbourne the first 2 years of the program because they’re more didactic heavy, and go back home to save money year 3/4 when you’re primarily doing prac.

I can also elaborate on some of the cost concerns others have brought up, which are very valid points for anyone looking at a PsyD. The scholarship OP brought up covers around 35% of tuition the 1st year. From there, most people are getting around a $5k-8k scholarship in tuition remission a year. There’s also an IBH prac site that that is grant funded and will fully cover tuition that year. It has plenty of spots, and I’ve never heard of someone not being able to do prac there for a year who wanted to. A lot of our assessment-focused prac sites will pay $10-$20/hr, which isn’t going to cover a ton of tuition, but it’s something. 6 or 7 students in the program right now are on HPSP scholarships, so that’s another possibility (but obviously not guaranteed) if OP is interested in military psych.

All that being said, if you take advantage of most of the funding opportunities in the program you’re looking at around 60k in debt from tuition (not including other cost of living expenses). We’re a good program, especially if you have neuro/IBH/military interest. But I think it’s important for anyone to understand the level of debt you’d be looking at, even in a partial-funded program.

 

[Itsallpsych]

Based off what you wrote, I imagine you’re talking about Florida Tech (I’m an upper year student there). There were people in my cohort who commuted from Orlando the first year or two. It’s doable, but not ideal. Your commute sounds similar in that it’s about an hour and mostly easy freeway driving. Cost of living is pretty low out in Melbourne/Palm Bay. I have lots of friends in the program who split renting a 3BR house and pay around $300-$400/month for rent each. A lot of students (including myself) commute 2-3 times a week to Orlando for prac later in be program. You can always live out in Melbourne the first 2 years of the program because they’re more didactic heavy, and go back home to save money year 3/4 when you’re primarily doing prac.

I can also elaborate on some of the cost concerns others have brought up, which are very valid points for anyone looking at a PsyD. The scholarship OP brought up covers around 35% of tuition the 1st year. From there, most people are getting around a $5k-8k scholarship in tuition remission a year. There’s also an IBH prac site that that is grant funded and will fully cover tuition that year. It has plenty of spots, and I’ve never heard of someone not being able to do prac there for a year who wanted to. A lot of our assessment-focused prac sites will pay $10-$20/hr, which isn’t going to cover a ton of tuition, but it’s something. 6 or 7 students in the program right now are on HPSP scholarships, so that’s another possibility (but obviously not guaranteed) if OP is interested in military psych.

All that being said, if you take advantage of most of the funding opportunities in the program you’re looking at around 60k in debt from tuition (not including other cost of living expenses). We’re a good program, especially if you have neuro/IBH/military interest. But I think it’s important for anyone to understand the level of debt you’d be looking at, even in a partial-funded program.

Yes I was talking about Florida Tech. Splitting rent on a house is ideal and if I can find a house and roommates then that’s the route I would want to go. I heard from students that the first year is course heavy and the transition to a doctorate program can be rough, so I wouldn’t want to add that extra obstacle.
I do intend on going into IBH and working with vets, but I need to look more into whether enlisting and getting my tuition payed for that way is a good option for me. I’m still trying to narrow things out since I have a lot of interest.
Thank you for this post, this helps a lot!

 

[PsyDr]

If you didn't move out in undergrad, it might be time to do so. I don't think I would want to see a psychologist who still lived with their parents at 30...

Not everything is about money. Like a lot of stuff is, but not everything.

 

[psyddreaming]

Hello! First post here! I am wondering about commuting as well so I'm putting this here..may repost elsewhere; my drive will also be roughly 55 minutes one way! I was accepted to Nova Southeastern, in Davie. I am wondering if anyone knows about the weekly class schedule? Especially the first year? Am I looking at classes 5 days a week? Just trying to plan now, as I start in the fall. TIA!

 

[PsyDuck90]

When thinking about commuting, you have to weigh some of the pros and cons. Things like affordability, time lost, and social/emotional factors. I happened to decide on a program within close-ish proximity where I was already living. I commute an hour-2 hours depending on the traffic (the joys of the northeast) because the rents by my school are much higher than the rent my husband and I currently pay, and anything remotely affordable either gives him an unsustainable commute to work or puts us in a high crime neighborhood. We are also currently close to our family and friends. That said, the commute sucks and while I am close with my cohort (we're a very small group), I would probably spend more time with them outside of class if I didn't live so far away. For practicums, I have also had to commute. Since you aren't signing a lease and therefore not bound to a particular home, I don't see the risk in just trying out the commute and seeing how it goes. Research demands, class schedules, and practicum locations will all affect your decision.

 

[jdawg2017]

Hello! First post here! I am wondering about commuting as well so I'm putting this here..may repost elsewhere; my drive will also be roughly 55 minutes one way! I was accepted to Nova Southeastern, in Davie. I am wondering if anyone knows about the weekly class schedule? Especially the first year? Am I looking at classes 5 days a week? Just trying to plan now, as I start in the fall. TIA!

The bottom line basically is: "Do you want 10 hours of your week, bare minimum, spent in a car commuting back and forth, or is the extra cost to live closer worth it?"

If it were me and I had the resources, I would live as close as I can. You will be very busy.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

The bottom line basically is: "Do you want 10 hours of your week, bare minimum, spent in a car commuting back and forth, or is the extra cost to live closer worth it?"

If it were me and I had the resources, I would live as close as I can. You will be very busy.

To be fair, that is assuming that the person will have 0-minute commute otherwise.

From my understanding, Nova isn't cheap (in itself a problem) and an hour drive may be worthwhile if it reduces the total debt burden.

Reminder, the academic calendar will not require 5-days a week, 50 weeks a year of commuting, The decision point is whether moving closer will be too costly. I've never had a graduate class on Fridays. I don't know how Nova does it but it should be simple enough to ask someone there about the first year class schedule.

 

[jdawg2017]

To be fair, that is assuming that the person will have 0-minute commute otherwise.

From my understanding, Nova isn't cheap (in itself a problem) and an hour drive may be worthwhile if it reduces the total debt burden.

Reminder, the academic calendar will not require 5-days a week, 50 weeks a year of commuting, The decision point is whether moving closer will be too costly. I've never had a graduate class on Fridays. I don't know how Nova does it but it should be simple enough to ask someone there about the first year class schedule.

I never was assuming 0 minute commute -- that would by definition mean you live at school. But, if you live a 30-minute average commute vs. a 1 hour commute average one way away from somewhere, that is 5 hours in a typical week that you save. I don't know what the COL is like down there, but for me in a very expensive city on the East Coast I can tell you that for me it is worth it, but I've lost out on some aspects of things I would maybe have liked to do in hindsight (e.g., weekly margaritas with my cohort during 1st year).

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I would certainly consider the commute due to the savings. Yes, the first two years will be very busy and an adjustment and you may miss out on valuable cohort relationship building time. But the potential $$ savings could be large. And if it is too much commuting and doesn't work out, you can always make the decision at any time later on to move closer...

 

[ClinicalABA]

In my program, the first few years were pretty "on-campus" intensive, with classes, research team, clinic team, and TA responsibilities from start of work day up until late-evening. There was also a little more ad-hoc socialization (e.g., "let's go out for a bite/drink" tonight). Also- back in the stone ages when I went to grad school- we had to make physical copies of journal articles if we needed them, so a lot of work was actually done physically in the library. It was much more likely for students to commute more during the 3-4th years, when we had off-campus practicum. Campus was in Amherst, and many students had practica in Boston area (1.5 hours away). With a less class meetings and TA duties, Time on campus and time at practica sites was split 50/50 or even more in favor of practica. It just made sense to live near practica. I stayed near the campus, and one of my classmates would commute in from Boston and stay with my wife and I one night per week. Research and Clinic team supervisors were pretty good about arranging schedules so commuting students could get everything done in the time they were on campus (another benefit of a small cohort program).