The proportion of college students commuting to campus grows steadily. Nonetheless, many colleges still think in terms of the residential tradition. A model of institutional adaptation can be used to assess and change college environments for this population. The model focuses on access to institutional programs, basic services, and support. (MSE)

Tested hypothesis that living on campus fostered cognitive growth by estimating relative first-year gains in reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking of resident (n=40) and commuter (n=170) first-year college students. Controlling for precollege cognitive level, academic motivation, age, work responsibility, and extent…

This qualitative report examines a successful public university program funded by the Avon Foundation to provide scholarship and support services to non-traditional female community college transfer students. Female commuter transfer students often manage multiple roles of parent, student, and employee while attending college. This article…

This paper presents the development and validation of a two-level hierarchical cost model for tertiary education, which enables prospective students to compare the total cost of attending a traditional Baccalaureate degree education with that of the same programme taken through distance e-learning. The model was validated by a sample of Greek…

A study was done to explore the relationship between academic achievement and student employment for college students in the arts and sciences and for business students. The study administered a one page questionnaire to students at nine colleges and universities on Long Island, New York, eight of which were primarily commuter colleges with a…

A self-assessment of commuter student programs and services at San Diego State University (SDSU) indicated that the university was doing well in meeting the needs of this population. For many years, most of the students at SDSU have been commuter students. Services and programs that were developed were created with the commuter student in mind.…

In an effort to inform commuter students of services and programs on a regular basis, the University of Maine at Orono launched a campaign consisting of a newsletter and orientation sessions targeted directly at commuter students. The newsletter included topics of special interest to commuter students such as housing services, ridesharing, child…

This section contains brief descriptions of innovative practices used on college campuses by counselors. Further information and relevant materials may be obtained from the author. (Author)

The first phase of a study to predict retention and withdrawal among disadvantaged students at an urban commuter institution is described. Variable selection for the study was guided by Tinto's (1975) and Bean's (1982) models. Pilot testing was undertaken to estimate some psychometric characteristics of Pascarella and Terenzini's institutional…

AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE COLLEGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE IS THE STUDENT'S SEPARATION FROM HOME AND FAMILY. LARGE NUMBERS OF COMMUTER STUDENTS HAVE AVOIDED THE NORMAL DEVELOPMENTAL TASK OF LEAVING HOME FOR REASONS OTHER THAN FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS. THE STUDENT MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY IN THE SOCIAL-SEXUAL SPHERE, OR HIS PARENTS…

AN EXPLORATORY SURVEY INVESTIGATED THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCES AMONG COMMUTING STUDENTS, ATTENDING THREE TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS TO COMPARE COLLEGE EXPERIENCES BETWEEN COMMUTING AND RESIDENT STUDENTS. STUDENTS SELECTED FOR STUDY WERE (1) 100 COMMUTERS FROM A LARGE, PRIMARILY RESIDENT UNIVERSITY, (2) 100 COMMUTERS FROM A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH NO…

Explores the impending crisis of the energy shortage faced by community colleges which depend heavily on transportation. Suggests mass-transit systems and campus decentralization as possible solutions. (TP)

Social and experiential needs of commuting students are discussed along with the role to be played by institutions in meeting these needs as the institutions attract more and more nontraditional students. (LBH)

Describes materials, equipment, staffing needs, individualized study aspects, and career information thrusts for a facility geared to the accounting student attending a commuting college. (TA)

This paper suggests that if a group of commuter students took their introductory courses together and also participated together in small group activities related to their coursework, their acquisition of on-campus reference groups would be accelerated, and the scope of their college experience might be expanded. (Author)