- What Is The Moving Company Student Discounts?
- Student Discounts In Practice
- Bring Someone You Trust Along When Negotiating
- Ask A Lot Of Questions
- Do Your Research Beforehand
- Book Your Moving Company Right Away
- Check That Your Moving Company Is Certified
- Cheap Moving Rates & Time To Move Examples
- The Moving Process For College Students
- A Few Things To Consider
- Should You Drive Your Car Or Have It Moved?
- One More Thing You Should Keep In Mind
- Student Discounts, Do They Exist?
- Here’s What We Recommend

What is the Moving Company Student Discounts?
Most Americans will go to college in their life. Education is an important piece of the American Dream, but like anything, it comes with a cost. Beyond just tuition, students have to spend a lot of time planning their moves.
When it comes to moving, a lot of students seek moving company student discounts. Price is important to students as money is often tight. Federal loans only go so far and most students want to hire a moving service that is reliable, but also affordable.
Does this scenario seem familiar to you?
You have just been accepted to First Choice University. Your start date for classes is in six months. You are looking at apartment rentals for your studies and you also need to hire a moving company to help you move your belongings. After some careful planning, you decide to move 1 week before classes start. If you are like most students, you quickly realize that you have never moved before and have no idea how to approach hiring a moving company.
If this scenario applies to you, have no fear. Moving isn’t that hard so long as you know how the process works and what to look out for. In this article, we are going to discuss the following:
- The different scenarios where college students may receive discounts
- Different strategies you can use to get better prices
- What to look for in a moving company
- A general look at how the moving process works
- The best ways to move your car

Student Discounts in Practice
There are three main situations where a moving company will provide student discounts while a client is a college student.
- When a student is moving to college
- When a student is moving during college
- When a student is moving out of college
These three scenarios are very common, and moving companies that provide moving services to students are accustomed to moving requests such as these. There are many advantages for moving companies to cater to students, such as the following:
- College students are young. A good moving experience can mean a loyal customer for life
- College students generally do not have much stuff. Because of this, the moving process is easier for the company facilitating the move
- Moving services for college students generally do not take that long. Quick service means that a moving company can perform more jobs, more often, raising their quarterly and annual revenues as a result
It’s no secret that college students love moving companies that cater to them, and these moving companies love them back.
But how do you choose a moving company if you have never moved before? Easy answer. Just like studying, do your research and get familiar with the process.
Or use this cheat sheet we designed to make it even easier for you.
A-1 Auto Transport can help you move your household goods nationwide. Call 888-241-3110 to get a free, no obligation to buy price quote on interstate moving services.
Bring Someone You Trust Along When Negotiating
This rule also applies for your first job interview, your first rental, your first car, and almost anything in life that requires some form of negotiation. If you are in a situation where you do not know enough to know what questions to ask, or how to spot red flags, bring along a parent or guardian that will protect you. There is no shame in saving money and getting a better deal.
Any worthwhile moving company will be glad that you are doing your due diligence in regards to seeking out a good moving package, and will not mind it if you have a buddy present to help you negotiate.

Ask a Lot of Questions
When negotiating the terms of your moving requirements and contract, ask a lot of questions. Good moving companies encourage this. The best thing that can happen to a moving company is to have a customer that is not only interested in the moving process, but also willing to understand the process better in order to make the move easier to fulfill. If you are unsure whether a moving company can help you with your moving requirements, just ask.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions like:
- How much does this cost?
- How big is the truck, and how much furniture can it fit?
- What days are you available?
- How many movers will be provided?
- Do you provide insurance?
Keep in mind, these aren’t the only questions you should ask. Your situation may be different and you may have to ask specific questions. Don’t be afraid to ask. If a moving company criticized you for asking questions, find someone else to work with.
Do Your Research Beforehand
Before negotiating with a moving company, take the time to do some research. Have a predetermined budget in mind that is in-line with typical moving budgets for your requirements. Know what services you need, and where you are willing to compromise in order to fill your requirements.
If you want to ship your car, but you need to move within the next two weeks, it may become excessively expensive for you, simply due to the timeframe you have set up for yourself. Extra demands always come with a price tag because it costs a moving company more to accommodate those demands.
As a general rule of thumb, costs increase when you:
- Move somewhere that isn’t connected to major highways, or in or near a major city
- Move while fuel prices are high
- Schedule your move date during peak season
- Require extra services like packing and unpacking, large furniture removal, and other services that cost a little extra.
Any general moving hardships can be avoided if you do your research before contacting moving companies. You will be more prepared and better able to negotiate yourself a better deal.

Book Your Moving Company Right Away
There are many advantages to booking a moving company as early as you can before the official move date. Prices are lower, your requirements are easier to fulfill, and the moving process is stress-free (as stress-free as it can be). Booking in advance comes with very few downsides and it is one of the only ways to find a bargain.
Moving companies love this arrangement because they know they will be able to fulfill your requirements without feeling rushed or stressed, which occurs when people book last-minute. The more notice you give, the better a deal they are able to offer you.
Check That Your Moving Company is Certified
Certifications are great they are one of the easiest ways to check whether a moving company is legitimate and worth hiring.
Many legitimate moving companies will proudly display their membership to the Better Business Bureau, the American Moving & Storage Association, and their licensing information from the U.S. Department of Transportation, just to name a few examples.
If a moving company does not have or display an affiliation with professional associations or certifications, ask why. This may be a red flag.
Cheap Moving Rates & Time To Move Examples
To / From | Distance | Cost (2 BR) | Cost (3 BR) | Cost (4 BR) | Estimated Time In Transit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Island, HI to Columbus, OH | 646 miles | $2,881 – $3,610 | $4,258 – $5,639 | $5,639 – $8,157 | 3 - 5 days |
Ammon, ID to Plano, TX | 1091 miles | $2,609 – $3,529 | $4,425 – $6,951 | $6,227 – $9,099 | 4 - 6 days |
Alsip, IL to Philippi, WV | 440 miles | $1,629 – $2,282 | $2,865 – $4,108 | $4,108 – $6,373 | 3 - 5 days |
Rochester, NY to Carmel, IN | 491 miles | $883 – $1,129 | $1,276 – $1,571 | $1,669 – $1,964 | 3 - 5 days |
Cedar Falls, IA to Olney, MD | 835 miles | $2,212 – $3,030 | $3,656 – $5,350 | $5,590 – $8,230 | 3 - 5 days |
Hollytree, AL to Arkansas City, KS | 622 miles | $2,780 – $3,508 | $4,055 – $5,435 | $5,435 – $7,952 | 3 - 5 days |
Ambia, IN to Anchorage, KY | 184 miles | $1,385 – $1,965 | $2,481 – $3,585 | $3,585 – $4,587 | 2 - 3 days |
Arvada, CO to Bossier City, LA | 1817 miles | $3,404 – $4,621 | $5,226 – $7,876 | $7,996 – $11,173 | 5 - 7 days |
Bangor, ME to San Diego, CA | 2688 miles | $4,439 – $5,943 | $7,280 – $10,113 | $10,113 – $15,342 | 6 - 8 days |
Adelphi, MD to Philadelphia, PA | 117 miles | $210 – $269 | $304 – $374 | $397 – $468 | 2 - 3 days |
*Prices and times are estimated. They can vary depending on the season and other factors.
The Moving Process for College Students
The moving process for college students is the same as the moving process for everyone else. The only variables that will change are the belongings you want to move, and the moving destination. Here is how the process generally works for most people.
- You pack your belongings, seal any boxes, and prepare them for loading
- Your belongings are loaded onto a truck in a way that maximizes space
- The truck is driven to your college apartment or dorm room
- Your belongings are unloaded into your new home and unpacked

A few things to consider:
- If you rent the moving truck yourself, you will need to pick it up from the moving company, as well as return the truck once you are finished with it.
- If you are moving in the city, driving the truck yourself makes sense. If you are moving any distance outside the city or beyond that, make sure the moving company provides a driver. A professional driver is an asset when the moving process can take hours, if not days.
Should You Drive Your Car or Have it Moved?
The answer to this question will depend on your car, and whether you have the budget to move it. Many college students do not own their own vehicles. Your parents may be fine with you taking the car from time to time if you live with them, but taking the family car across country to UCLA from your home in New York may be a different matter.
Many college campuses are located within cities, making cars expensive to park. With rising costs of parking spaces near campuses, as well as the general inefficiency of city driving, many college students forgo driving and turn to transit.
In the case that you do own your car, the most affordable form of shipping for your car is a trucking process called open air transport. A two-level trailer will be attached to a big rig and your car will be placed on one of the two levels (shorter cars go on the bottom level and larger cars go on the top level) and the trailer will be driven to your destination. This process is called “open air transport” because the trailer lacks sides or a roof, and your car is exposed to the elements.
One more thing you should keep in mind.
Older cars present their own unique set of challenges. Above, we mentioned the idea of moving from New York to California. An older car may not be able to make that trip, or you may not want to pile nearly 3,000 miles onto your car. Such a large number of miles may break your car, cause new problems to pop up, or just put more wear and tear than you want to on it.
If you absolutely need your car for college, or if any of the above issues are a concern to you, you will want to communicate with your moving company and make sure they offer auto transport services. Here at A-1 Auto Transport, we offer complete moving packages that are designed to help you ship your car and all of your belongings.

Student Discounts, Do They Exist?
In order to know if you qualify for student discounts, you first needed to know about the moving process for students. Now that you do, here are the best tips that you can have in order to receive discounts.
- Ask - you do not get what you do not ask for. Worst case scenario, you pay the normal rate. Asking for a discount is the easiest way to get one.
- Research moving company promotions and deals - this is good advice for the holiday seasons, and for the month or so before each semester’s start date. Moving companies that don’t have many bookings may offer a discounted service in order to fill up their schedule. Take advantage of this.
- Obtain an International Student Identification Card - there are many great discounts to be had with an ISIC card, especially when it comes to moving
There are no secrets to obtaining a good moving price. Simply start the process early, be aware of the moving requirements (and the difficulty of fulfilling them) that you need, and shop around for rates. Eventually, you will find a moving company that works for you.
Here’s what we recommend.
Don’t be afraid of moving. It isn’t as scary as it seems and most of the negative information you read is nothing more than people who have had bad moves because of their lack of experience and unwillingness to pay for a higher quality service.
A-1 Auto Transport has been helping students realize their educational dreams for many years. We help students move from their hometown to their college town with a reliable moving service at a price that you cannot believe.
If you have any questions at all about the moving process, our moving company student discounts, or anything at all, give us a call and we’d be happy to answer all of your questions.
