Longest Reasonable Commute to School?

[LizUMD]

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What would you consider to be the longest driving commute one could reasonably make while in school? Do you know anyone who lives 45 min away? An hour? More?

When my mother was in medical school at PCOM she commuted from our home in Delaware, about a 50-60 min. drive every day. But she also says it was exhausting. She didn't want to uproot our family, though. I guess things get more complicated when you're married or have children. But she ended up doing well.

Now I am faced with the same situation. I live halfway between Baltimore and Philly, just under an hour's drive to each. I plan to apply to all of the regional schools, including PCOM, and I have good enough stats to get into most of them (except maybe JHU or UPenn). If I could stay living where I am at home, I could save a ton of money, which is very appealing. I wouldn't have to live in crappy student housing, and I could borrow a lot less living expenses in my loans. On the other hand- how big of a pain do you think it will be to make a daily commute like that? Do you know any current commuters at your own schools- are they disadvantaged in any ways?

Thanks for your input.

 

[MaximusD]

What would you consider to be the longest driving commute one could reasonably make while in school? Do you know anyone who lives 45 min away? An hour? More?

When my mother was in medical school at PCOM she commuted from our home in Delaware, about a 50-60 min. drive every day. But she also says it was exhausting. She didn't want to uproot our family, though. I guess things get more complicated when you're married or have children. But she ended up doing well.

Now I am faced with the same situation. I live halfway between Baltimore and Philly, just under an hour's drive to each. I plan to apply to all of the regional schools, including PCOM, and I have good enough stats to get into most of them (except maybe JHU or UPenn). If I could stay living where I am at home, I could save a ton of money, which is very appealing. I wouldn't have to live in crappy student housing, and I could borrow a lot less living expenses in my loans. On the other hand- how big of a pain do you think it will be to make a daily commute like that? Do you know any current commuters at your own schools- are they disadvantaged in any ways?

Thanks for your input.

I'd say its a personal decision. In my opinion, I think that over 45 minutes is too long. Add in a traffic jam or two and you're really looking at a long drive.

I'm living 2 blocks away from PCOM and sincerely believe that it will simplify my first year. I'm not even buying a parking pass for the PCOM parking deck.

 

[HarveyCushing]

I agree with MaximusD. This year at KCUMB I will be living across the street from school. I have friends in med-school that drive 45min-1hr and most of them wish they could live within walking distance of school. Imagine the time that you will be in your car and how that could be used either for more sleep, time with family, or relaxing at home. If you must drive, you will need to utilize this time. If you have lectures on mp3 listen to them during your commute. I would advise you to seriously reconsider where you will be living while in medical school if possible.

 

[ana]

What would you consider to be the longest driving commute one could reasonably make while in school? Do you know anyone who lives 45 min away? An hour? More?

When my mother was in medical school at PCOM she commuted from our home in Delaware, about a 50-60 min. drive every day. But she also says it was exhausting. She didn't want to uproot our family, though. I guess things get more complicated when you're married or have children. But she ended up doing well.

Now I am faced with the same situation. I live halfway between Baltimore and Philly, just under an hour's drive to each. I plan to apply to all of the regional schools, including PCOM, and I have good enough stats to get into most of them (except maybe JHU or UPenn). If I could stay living where I am at home, I could save a ton of money, which is very appealing. I wouldn't have to live in crappy student housing, and I could borrow a lot less living expenses in my loans. On the other hand- how big of a pain do you think it will be to make a daily commute like that? Do you know any current commuters at your own schools- are they disadvantaged in any ways?

Thanks for your input.

I did the 45 minute commute. I had to. If you don't have to, dont' do it. It will cause you to miss class (you will over sleep, realize you will have to drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic and then you will turn roll and say to hell with it and go back to sleep), leave early to avoid traffic, drive home tired after late night group study, etc.

If you find you have to do it, be smart about your time. Shower at night. Go to bed early enough to wake up early, leave home early, arrive early, and avoid traffic. Eat breakfast at school. If you can, take public transportation so you can study while you commute. Find a commuting buddies so you can take car pool lanes, take turns studying while the other drives, etc (also, you will be less likely to wake up late if you know other people are depending on you).

 

[Protease]

I had to commute to college for 45mins by train everyday, it was fine, because I managed to review notes, study, and sleep on the train. But if you can avoid commutting then take the faster route. My cousin commutted 1 hour to medical school, but it takes a toll on you. You show up more tired, and apparently I read study people in traffic are more prone to stress and health related illnesses.

So if you have a way to commutte quickly, take it, you will save time.

Makes me wish I had helicopter lisence, I bet the commute would be quicker, assuming I don't crash the thing.

 

[toothless rufus]

About a year.

 

[Dr JPH]

Lots of factors.

Will you have required classes?

Are you the type of student who needs to go to class?

My first year @ PCOM I lived 10 minutes from school and went to class every day.

My second year @ PCOM I lived in Baltimore and went to school once/week for OMM lab.

 

[MaximusD]

My second year @ PCOM I lived in Baltimore and went to school once/week for OMM lab.

😱 Holy ****.

 

[Dr JPH]

😱 Holy ****.

Yep.

And my GPA and class rank both improved.

 

[Oceaner]

Yep.

And my GPA and class rank both improved.

Recorded?

I ask because here all of our classes are audio/video recorded and streamed online, and we have the lectures from previous years available. Pretty hard to have an excuse for not knowing the material (in addition to having the notes all printed at the beg. of the year)

 

[bigdog8829]

I'd say over 30 min is pretty rough. What happens on the days when it snows?
I commuted first year of undergrad, 30 min drive, and then was like f* this and lived on campus the next 2 years. On top of the time spent commuting, i feel that you are missing alot on campus, have less of an oppurtunity to meet new people. If you have a family, then its obviously a dif story.

 

[Dr JPH]

Recorded?

I ask because here all of our classes are audio/video recorded and streamed online, and we have the lectures from previous years available. Pretty hard to have an excuse for not knowing the material (in addition to having the notes all printed at the beg. of the year)

We had a scribe service, though now I am told that PCOM lectures are all available as MP3s online.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Lots of factors.

Will you have required classes?

Are you the type of student who needs to go to class?

My first year @ PCOM I lived 10 minutes from school and went to class every day.

My second year @ PCOM I lived in Baltimore and went to school once/week for OMM lab.

These are the questions. I could tolerate a long commute my first two years because I hardly ever go to school. If I did the lecture pathway at LECOM, that'd be a whole different story.

 

[Packamylase]

What would you consider to be the longest driving commute one could reasonably make while in school? Do you know anyone who lives 45 min away? An hour? More?

When my mother was in medical school at PCOM she commuted from our home in Delaware, about a 50-60 min. drive every day. But she also says it was exhausting. She didn't want to uproot our family, though. I guess things get more complicated when you're married or have children. But she ended up doing well.

Now I am faced with the same situation. I live halfway between Baltimore and Philly, just under an hour's drive to each. I plan to apply to all of the regional schools, including PCOM, and I have good enough stats to get into most of them (except maybe JHU or UPenn). If I could stay living where I am at home, I could save a ton of money, which is very appealing. I wouldn't have to live in crappy student housing, and I could borrow a lot less living expenses in my loans. On the other hand- how big of a pain do you think it will be to make a daily commute like that? Do you know any current commuters at your own schools- are they disadvantaged in any ways?

Thanks for your input.

I will live no more than a 20 minute drive from school.

 

[HarveyCushing]

I will live no more than a 20 minute drive from school.

I agree. At least for me, anything more than that would just make me cranky. Especially if I had to sit in traffic.

 

[froggiepremed]

I will live no more than a 20 minute drive from school.

Definetly. I am driving 1-1.5 hours to and from work everyday now, and the traffic blows (23 miles one way). The gas money is eating away, but more importnatly, is my truck has taken a brutal beating in the traffic. I have scratches all over my hood from rocks, and 3 cracks in the windshield. My truck was in excellent condition 11 months ago, and since I started driving in traffic, the value has gone down.

 

[JasonUD]

I live with my parents 22 miles east of NYCOM. With absolutely zero traffic it takes me 25 minutes, on an average day 45 minutes. The first month I hated this but now I actually like it. Yeah, sitting in traffic on Long Island sucks but I learned to relax during it and now I think of it as a break from studying where I get to rock out to CDs and the radio. Grant it, as of now attendence isn't required at NYCOM so if there's a day when traffic is extra heavy its ok if I'm a little late but otherwise I do attend every single class.

You need to debate why you're living so far away. For me, its the ~$15,000 that I'm saving per year by living in my bedroom at home and eating my parents food versus living on my own in a crappy apartment next to one of the richest areas of the USA.