You can't really generalise. There are tons of communities in the US that are designed for car owners, and are just a nightmare to try and live in without your own fossil-burner. If you grow up in NYC you might get right through college without knowing a single person who owns a car, but if you grow up in San Diego you probably wouldn't know anyone without one.

I would try and avoid car ownership if possible throughout your entire life. Not for environmental reasons (although those are good reasons) but just because it is mostly an expensive pain in the ass and a liability. I come from a car-owning culture and an area that was difficult to live in without one, but once I had the chance to live in an urban area where my apartment was 5 minutes walk from my school so I didn't need a car at all, my life was undeniably better - healthier, less expensive, less trouble with police, insurance, etc.

Once I got into the workforce, I reluctantly had to own a car just to get to work, get to the supermarket, and get to other places for holidays. But in my 3rd job I was given a 'company car' and my entire concept of car ownership was turned on it's head. A Company war is worth far, far more than the simple cost of owning one. They come with full insurance, free servicing, and usually smoeone else int he company will be responsible for tracking servicing and licensing and any other legal stuff you normally have to do yourself.

I vowed then to never own my own car. In the 20-odd years since then, the one time I had a job without a car, I had to buy one and it was a fucking nightmare that only ended when it was stolen (thank god).

So, to summarise: Try to get through college without a car at all. But if you live in a certain type of area, just admit you can't avoid it. Next, once you leave college, give huge priority to any job that comes with a company car... they are a fucking godsend.