Research Blog #9

Argument
For my research paper I have discussed the issues of living off campus for commuting students. It is believed that students who commute to school generally have less success than students who reside on campus. College for young adults is a period of transition. Students come to a secluded environment with similarly-aged residents and form a community in an attempt to develop into independent adults. Commuters are unable to undergo this development as they are usually dependent on their parents. Students who commute typically have to face more responsibilities than the normal college student. This is due to the fact that students who commute do not get the chance to integrate properly on campus. They must work, travel, and deal with their families. As a result they have less time to study, or focus on academics, and socially living at home, in their bubble prevents them from spending time at school where they can interact with other students. Schools should do a better job in creating programs that support commuter involvement on campus.

Counter Argument
The counter argument to my topic would be that students who commute to college do have success  if they commit to engaging on campus. Kuh Gonyea and Palmer's article Fact or Fiction? Commuter Perspectives, the data shows that students who live farther distances (40-50 miles) from their campuses tend to do better in school than students who live closer (5-20). This is due to the fact that they have no other choice but to commit themselves to spending a lot of time in school and on campus as the commute to school takes a lot of time out of their day.

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