I'm considering spending my time on a second degree with ECU from Cherry Point. Do any of you know someone who made that commute and made it work? If we rent a house in New Bern, it's a 45 minute drive, and from the base, according to the maps, it's about an hour and 15 minutes. So...I would feel more confident about giving it a go if anyone has met someone who made it work or has done it themselves. 

I'm making the trip to Greenville this afternoon. I live in Carolina Pines. I'm usually on the road during "off" hours, but today will be driving home during the evening rush.

I'll let you know how long it takes to get home.

When I travel during the off time, it takes me an hour and 10 minutes. Traffic in and around Greenville is ridiculous, so I would anticipate at least an hour commute at a minimum.

I don't know what kind of degree you are going for, but ECU does offer online classes. 

Thank you! That would be fantastic. I will be pursuing a degree in German. I spoke with the Foreign Language department, and almost all of it must be done on campus.

Have a safe drive, and I would sure appreciate whatever thoughts you have when you get back. 

We left Greenville at 4:20 and got home just before 6pm. 

Havelock sucks. Its nickname is Have-not. Be prepaired to spend a ton on gas. Nice having a beach close. Rent or buying a home isnt worth it in that location. Yeah cheaper than on base. A $1,000 home should really be $800 if you get my drift. Im so glad we finally moved away from there. People are pysco and nieghbors suck. 

Well, after 6 and a half years outside of the U.S., gas under $7/gallon, a full night without gun fire in my neighborhood, a Target store in easy travel distance, and street signs in English...will be a huge improvement.

I also grew up in rural Arkansas, so I'm familiar with the limitations of very small towns. I know it can be frustrating, but I think we'll make it. :) My big concern is being able to leave for classes in the morning after dropping my kid at school, and having enough hours in the remaining time to have a class or two and return to her school to pick her up on time. I'm doing the math, and it looks possible...lots of gas and driving...but possible. 

There is gun fire on base. And to my knowledge Target is a 45 min drive on the same long boring roads.

Good luck with driving to school. Yes its lomg and boring but everyone I know who worked 45 min plus out in distance started showing signs of stress, frustration, and energy drain. They kept looking to see if any classes or jobs were closer to town and couldnt. But good luck. Buy a text book on CD so you can listen to it on the drive. Be prepaired to pay out the arse for electricty in New Bern. 

I'm hoping the gun fire on base is training and not homicide. We currently live in Honduras because we're attached to the embassy here. There was a triple murder three doors down on our street, and our city averages 19 homicides per day. It's not the firing of weapons that bothers me, but what that gunfire MEANS that has been stressful.

Yes, driving 45 minutes to Target is a disappointment. It looks so much closer on the map! That will be a bummer for sure. I've missed Target so much. It's funny the things you miss the most when not in the States. Target and Cheetos. Sigh. Those were the two biggies.

I was also disappointed when I saw there were no universities close by. I'll have to figure something out. 

It's not 45 minutes to Target. Out the back gate, it's 30 minutes tops. 

MrsNix, it's not that bad of a commute. I may switch from MOC to ECU soon. I think it's worth the trip.

Havelock isn't bad. It's like any other town, some areas are nice, some are crap. Shopping isn't that spectacular but it could be worse. 

Boobsy have you yet to move? 

NO. Long story that I'm not going to share with CPU. But, it would make you like AMCC even less...for sure. 

You cant tell me and not tell me. PM me girlie. 

Mmkay. So I have been commuting to ECU for 2 years now. To me it is worth it. I think ECU offers more than the surrounding community colleges and any online college. We live in New Bern in James City and when I travel to campus I go over teh bridge through Bayboro and it takes exactly 50 minutes for me to get there from my house. The commute isnt bad, and it goes by pretty fast for me. Also, its a plus if you can find someone willing to carpool with you. Last semester a friend and I carpooled the whole semester and it saved a lot on gas. It can be challenging since no one has the same class schedule. This summer I have had to drive to campus every day for 2 and a half months to take summer classes, and I will be there M-F all this fall semester. If you are needed more answers to questions feel free to get in touch with me. (: 

New Bern is nicer. To drive to the campus, park, and walk to class would be approximately 70 min. in my opinion. I graduated May 2013, but did most online. 

From James City, to base is another 20 minutes minimum. 

I think if are are working around your child's schedule that worry about getting to her in time after school might cause you a lot of stress and worry if you get held up in traffic. I personally would pay for before and after school care to make sure there is a safety net in place and that would be one less thing you had to worry about.