November 26, 2012 | British Columbia

Students in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia provinces have numerous colleges to choose from that might be mere minutes away from their homes. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on room and board, young adults can consider the benefits of going back to school as a commuter student. Some adults, especially if it's their second or third time heading back to the classroom to complete a college program, may want to focus solely on their studies and not get caught up in the dorm life. If so, this alternative could be the perfect option for them.

First, commuter students have to find the right college that offers programs in their chosen field. In British Columbia, opportunities in the information technology (IT) sector are abundant at CDI College. Young adults can pick programs that will help them find careers as a network and database administrator, computer support technician or programmer, all of which are potential options at the British Columbia campuses.

After they've chosen the right academic path, students can organize a schedule that will make it easy for them to tend to their other responsibilities, such as full- or part-time jobs and family commitments. The luxury of the college lifestyle is that schedules can be broken up however the student may need it to be, whether they need free nights during the week, spaced out classes during the day or courses scheduled only on the weekends.

While commuter students may not live on campus, they do have the same amenities and services available to them on the school grounds as those who live in college dorms. If they have one class scheduled at 8 a.m. and a later lecture at 1 p.m., they can spend the time in between using the school's library, gym or dining halls. If students are attending CDI College's Vancouver campus, they can take advantage of the city surrounding them and head over to study in Harbour Green Park on the waterfront or sit in a downtown coffee shop and catch up with a friend.

Going back to school as a commuter student can be just as exciting and fun as living on campus in the college dorms - and a whole lot more affordable. To find out more information about the IT courses at CDI College, fill out the form on the right.