Myth: Commuter students all fit the same mold.
Reality: Commuters are diverse in all ways: age, racial/ethnic identity, family status, how they get to campus, distance they commute, living arrangements, etc.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

Myth: Parking is commuter students' biggest dissatisfaction.
Reality: Although parking is often the first articulated, commuters are equally dissatisfied with the difficulty in developing relationships with peers and faculty, often feeling as though they do not belong.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

Myth: If commuters wanted to be "real" college students, they would get more involved in campus life.
Reality: Commuters often are involved in community service, employment and family relationships in addition to campus life.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

Myth: The commuter student population is so diverse that commuters have nothing in common.
Reality: Commuters share concerns about how they will get to campus, balance their multiple roles, manage their time and integrate their lives on and off campus.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

Myth: Commuter students are apathetic and not as academically motivated as residential students.
Reality: Commuters have a high degree of motivation when pursuing their academic goals. In the face of obstacles and full and demanding lives off campus, commuters often have clearer educational goals and pursue them more tenaciously than do traditional students.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

Myth: Commuter students are a small percentage of college students and mainly attend community colleges.
Reality: Approximately 87% of all college students (nationwide) commute to campus. Commuter students attend all types of institutions. For example, 68% of full-time students at public four-year institutions are commuters.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs

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