Just wondering cause I plan on buying a bike. And honestly not sure in terms of my use whether spending more is needed. Currently I'm in college and might bring a bike next year when I live off campus. I mainly use my bike in the summer(live in city), currently using a 29ner hardtail mtb. I plan on having a hybrid cause it allows for speed yet still has control with a flatbar

How many miles do you ride per month? How long is the commute you are bringing the bike for? I would say a bike to be parked on campus should cost less than $1000.

Your question leaves out a lot of detail, such as what you intend to do with the bike, where you intend to store it (inside or outside?), etc. Presuming you'll use it for commuting between your apartment and class, I'd recommend a cheap used MTB or hybrid (like, $100 or less), replace the cables and get everything working smooth, and ride it. I wouldn't commute to campus on anything much more expensive than that.

In the summer I ride usually 80 miles mainly for work, but sometimes for fun. For college, it will be mainly 15 minutes possibly since I live off-campus. So it will only be parked on campus during the day, I do have a U lock and a cable.

I intend to store it during the summer in a shed, as of right now I have a DB 29ner mtb which I plan on selling. In college, I plan on living off-campus next year in a house with some friends. I'll be parking the car probably inside. It will only be on campus during the day and I have a U lock and cable. My college is pretty good with bikes in terms of not getting stolen or people taking pieces of it. Occasionally you do see some bikes badly damaged and parts missing, but those bikes are usually only locked by the wheel. My campus is huge and has lots of place to lock, probably around a couple of hundred bikes on campus.

Instead of theft, I'm thinking of the bike just getting knocked around at bike racks. Other people jamming their bikes into a slot next to yours, getting scratches, dings, etc. The bike will have a lot of battle scars pretty quickly, and I'd get something used and already with "character" for that type of duty.

I'm not getting this. From what you (op) says, sounds like you 'need' two bikes: a good one for summer use, if you are indeed riding 80 miles at times, and a beater/dispensable bike for college use.

Unless you can take a bike 'inside' on-campus, anything more than a decent-but-disposable bike for a 15 minute trip to/from campus seems to me silly -- a pointless waste of money. Anything in the 1500+ price range is going to be a theft magnet if left locked up outside; no way around that whatever you may think about campus security etc. That's leaving aside the question of incidental damage.

But hey ... if you can afford to take the loss, go for it.

Any bike will do. When I was in the graduate school I had

1. Sears Free Spirit bike that a colleague (postdoc) gave me. Probably the chain was too short, and one day I shifted to the big-big gear. The rear derailleur was destroyed. I did not know anything about bike mechanics then, this bike had to go.
2. I bought a 26" Magna MTB from Target for $80. I was parked near my building (graduate housing, slightly off-campus) with many other bikes. I did not lock it there. One night it got stolen.
3. Then I bought a used Trek 820 from LBS for $100.

Most of the bikes on campus (both grad and undergrad) will be like this. You do not need to spend $1500. Something like Giant Escape 2 (https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/escape-2-disc-2020) for $600 will stand out of the crowd. If you want to get a new bike, get at least an 8 speed one, it will have a cassette instead of a freewheel. Also, do not buy a Walmart bike.

As hokiefyd said, do not expect people to treat your bike with caution.

Your statement about 80 miles was in answer to the question of how many miles you ride per month. If that is indeed what you meant - 80 miles per month - then that translates to just a few miles per ride. And you say that your commute at college would only be about 15 minutes. Given those parameters, it sounds like your current bike would be just fine. Yeah, a hybrid would be slightly faster than a mountain bike, but I think you'd need to be riding a lot more than what you say before you'd really notice a huge time difference. My recommendation would be to just stick with the bike you've got. And if you're set on getting something new, I would agree with much of the advice you've already received - get a cheap used bike, or at most an entry-level bike shop bike such as a base model Giant Escape, Trek FX, etc.

Op....save your $$$ and use the MTB. A U-lock and cable is only a minor inconvenience for a bike thief.
You want a bit more speed/pavement rideability from the MTB?......get it serviced and put on a pair of City tires.

Just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it......