Are you a smart and savvy pre-collegiette looking for answers to some of your most personal questions about college? You know, the ones about boys, classes, roommates and parties that your school’s guidance office can’t help you with? Jen is here to answer those questions! Whatever your concern, she’ll do her best to help you so you can make sure you don’t just survive college, but rock it!
How did you decide whether to attend college in or out of state? – Camryn
Camryn,
I’m glad you asked this question, since it shows you’re thinking of the small yet super important details that come with finding the right school for you!
I decided to attend college out of state rather than in state, and the main reason why I decided this was for my major, since sometimes a school in a different part of the country has a better program for your major than an in-state school.
For example, my stepsister went to college in Rhode Island, even though we’re from Massachusetts, because the university she attended has a top-notch engineering program. I originally chose to attend my college because I started college as a nutrition and dietetics major, and my school has an amazing program for it. Even though I’ve changed my major since then to journalism, I decided to stay at my school because I absolutely adore it. I don’t think I would have considered it as an option if I started off college in my current major.
If you’re highly considering going out of state for school, you should figure out if you’re able to handle the distance from your home to your school. I am only eight hours away from home, so even though it’s far, I’m not across the country. Even though I wish I was California dreamin’ some days, I don’t think I could have gone to school across the country for all four years of college. There’s a lot of traveling back and forth during your college years because of school breaks and summer vacation, and moving stresses me out to the point where I become almost as diva-licious as the drag queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race. The moving and distance is definitely something you need to decide for yourself so you know exactly what you’re comfortable with when choosing a school.
Make sure you think about the cost as well when you’re deciding on whether or not to go to school in or out of state. Public university tuition often costs more for out-of-state students than state residents, but private schools generally cost the same across the board for all types of students. This means that if you’re looking to go out of state just for the experience, you should double-check what your financial aid will cover and how much you’ll end up paying to go to the school you want to attend. Plus, there are transportation costs to and from your school during breaks you have to think about. Will you need to pay for flights, train tickets or gas for your car, and are you willing to do so? It can add up quickly, so just keep this in mind when you’re thinking about different schools.
Talking everything over with your parents and loved ones as well as your guidance counselor can help you when you’re making your college decision. After evaluating all of these points, you’ll be one step closer to picking the school that’s just right for you. Best of luck!