Banking Recommendations for checking accounts

[aznbomber]

I was wondering what banks do you guys use and/or recommend.

I am a college student about to turn 18, so I am going to get a checking account. As far as my needs and uses goes: I get bimonthly paychecks that i need to deposit, i am not sure if my school does direct deposits. I dont spend too too much, unless i am online doing bargain hunting =). I hope to do start a paypal account under my own name. I am currently using my parents. Oh yeah and like most other college students, I am nearly broke =). So hopefully a it will have a minimal balance requirement. Finally, I am not looking to save much money because my lovely stafford loan requires me to take out i think 70% of my assets for education. So this is mainly just going to be for my expenses.

[edit] I was also wondering. How many of you use online checking accounts from online banks? What are the differences between online banks and B&M banks? [/edit]

Thanks in advanced.

 

[TechnoKid]

the gaurinty(sp) bank around me doesn't charge for atm use, at any atm. Most banks let you have a free checking with direct deposit. I bank at bank of america, they are pretty good i guess.

 

[jacob0401]

I have a free WAMU checking account and it has no minimum or monthly direct deposit required. It has been great so far. However, I will soon get a BoA checking account (the one for college students) and the first year is free and after that free with monthly direct deposit, which I now get from on campus work. It is also free if you parents bank with BoA. The only reason I'm opening the BoA checking though is for ATMs as th eonly WAMU ATMs are at the bank itself.

 

[Fuzn]

Yeah, I've been using washington mutual for like a year and it really is all free. Really great stuff.

 

[MySoS]

I have been using wells fargo for a while, they seem great to me.

 

[Klandestine]

i use bank of america and they have a student account, but they suck just because they hold my large checks for a week. avoid the noid!

 

[aznbomber]

I am also wondering if online checking accounts from online banks are any good?