Texas Christian University is approximately 3 miles from The Franklin at Samuels Ave at 520 Samuels Avenue in Fort Worth. If you are looking for apartments near TCU with resort-style pool in Fort Worth, that puts this community close enough to make campus access realistic, but the better test is how that trip fits your class schedule, parking plan, and the fact that TCU is a major university with traffic patterns that can change the feel of a short distance.
That means this is less about a broad claim of “near” and more about whether you want to live north of downtown near Samuels Avenue while traveling to a campus in southwest Fort Worth. For some renters, especially graduate students, staff, or households that want some separation between campus and home, that can be a very practical setup.
What a 3-mile TCU location really means day to day
On paper, 3 miles is a short distance. In practice, a university commute is shaped by class start times, event traffic, and how often you need to be on campus versus nearby neighborhoods. A renter with a few set trips each week may view this as easy access, while someone who needs to be at TCU early every weekday may want to test the trip at the exact times they would actually travel.
TCU is a private university with a substantial residential campus, athletics, and regular events, so the area around campus does not behave the same way all day. A route that feels simple on a quiet afternoon can feel different before morning classes, before football games, or during move-in periods and other high-activity times. Before signing a lease anywhere, it is smart to check live mapping at several times of day and not rely on mileage alone.
The Franklin at Samuels Ave sits on Samuels Avenue in the 76102 ZIP code, north of central Fort Worth and near downtown destinations. That can appeal to renters who want TCU access without living immediately beside campus, especially if their routine also includes downtown offices, restaurants, or entertainment. It is a different living pattern than a student-focused block right outside the university, and that distinction matters.
If your household includes two people with different destinations, this location may be worth a closer look because it is not tied only to the university. One person may need TCU access, while another may care more about downtown Fort Worth connections or airport access, and a home base near Samuels Avenue can sometimes balance those needs better than a property directly adjacent to campus.
Why the pool matters, and what to verify beyond the headline
For many renters comparing TCU-area options, a resort-style pool is not just a visual extra. In Fort Worth’s long warm season, an outdoor pool can meaningfully change how often you use your community instead of leaving home for recreation or social time. If you expect your apartment to double as your study break, weekend reset spot, or place to host friends, that feature deserves more weight than it gets in many listings.
The Franklin at Samuels Ave does list a resort style pool, along with private pool cabanas, landscaped courtyard space, and indoor and outdoor lounge areas with Wi-Fi included. For a renter connected to TCU, that combination can be useful in a very specific way: it gives you places to decompress, read, meet classmates, or spend time outside without needing to make another trip after campus hours.
Still, pool features are worth verifying in person because two communities can use similar language and offer very different day-to-day experiences. Ask to see the pool area during a normal week, not only through staged photos. Check the amount of seating, shade, noise level, and whether the surrounding lounge spaces feel usable for how you actually spend your time.
If pool access is one of the reasons you are choosing this community over a closer-to-campus property, confirm the practical rules too: guest expectations, seasonal access, and any posted policies that affect regular use. Those details can matter just as much as the existence of the amenity itself, especially if you are comparing one community where the pool is central to resident life with another where it functions more as a background feature.
How to evaluate whether The Franklin at Samuels Ave fits your TCU routine
Start with the trip, not the brochure. Run directions from 520 Samuels Avenue to the TCU destination you would use most often, because “TCU” can mean a classroom building one day, a lab or office another day, and a stadium or event venue on weekends. Campus destinations vary, and the best apartment decision usually comes from testing the route to the exact place you expect to reach most.
Next, think about parking and arrival habits. The Franklin at Samuels Ave offers open parking for residents, with reserved carports and garages available based on availability, and controlled access garages and buildings are listed among the community amenities. If you plan to drive to TCU often, secure parking at home may be meaningful, especially for residents who keep irregular hours or want more predictability when leaving for campus.
Your home layout can also affect whether a near-TCU apartment works well over time. The community offers one- and two-bedroom apartments, plus townhome-style layouts, and some townhomes have attached garages in select homes. If you need a second bedroom for a roommate, study space, or work-from-home use on days when you are not on campus, it may be more useful to compare floor plan function than to focus only on shaving a little distance off the commute.
A final practical step is to tour with your routine in mind. Look at the pool and lounge areas if those are part of your after-campus life, check the fitness center if you want exercise close to home, and ask the leasing team to confirm any select-home features that matter to you, such as attached garages or river views. If TCU access is your main reason for searching, the most useful next step is to map your typical campus trip and then visit The Franklin at Samuels Ave to see whether the 3-mile distance feels easy enough to justify the space and amenities you want at home.