Getting stuff to and from school
You're lucky if you live within driving distance: Most students manage to move their belongings in one or two carloads. Otherwise, your options are air freight, shipping via commercial bus line, a dedicated freight service company, or postal service shipping.
Air freight
Air freight will get your things to school quickly, but you'll pay for the extra speed. For example, one airline shipper charges between $2.03 and $2.19 per pound for shipping up to 100 pounds for next day delivery, depending on the number of time zones involved. Air carriers require shippers to keep package sizes under predefined dimensions. They offer regular and express delivery service, and usually drop personal freight off at freight forwarding facilities. You can save money by picking up your things from the forwarding facility yourself.
Bus freight
Shipping via Greyhound PackageXpress or another commercial bus line is an option for mid-size items weighing 100 to 150 pounds. Rates vary depending on weight and distance. In one sample scenario, a student using Greyhound would pay 82 cents per pound to ship a 100-pound, 48-inch package between San Francisco and Minneapolis at the company's standard "space-available" rate. Like air freight, you need to observe maximum allowances for package dimensions. Prohibitions may be placed on items such as jewelry or glassware. Insurance claim limitations are also specified for items that are easily damaged.
Dedicated freight companies
Two of the nation's most efficient ground delivery services are FedEx Corporation and UPS. These companies own or work in tandem with air, ground, and ocean freight services, and will deliver your heavier belongings to dedicated storage centers or self-service pickup centers.
Postal Service delivery
Shipping through the United Sates Postal Service is an additional choice. A shipping store can help you compare rates among services.