I spent my weekend trying to convince parents of high school seniors to let their children live college dorms rather than commute. These were seniors who were accepted to local colleges that provide housing. Finances were not the problem, as the parents could either afford the costs or financial aid would cover the majority of these costs.
Living in college housing, if available, is a huge benefit of the college experience. In fact, students who live in student housing usually do better academically than those who do not.
As June 1 is the housing deadline for many colleges, try to convince a parent you know to let their children live in dorms. Jazmin Robles, a first generation graduate of UC Santa Barbara and I have developed five pros to living in the dorms.