Opinion: Out of state college is not the best choice for students
December 5, 2019
The thought of traveling to a different state may sound fun at first, especially for those who love to travel, but attending college out of state has numerous disadvantages. According to The College Solution, 52 percent of students stay within 100 miles from their home when attending college and 73 percent of students nationwide attend their own state schools. These students have advantages students do not get when attending a college or university out of state.
First, the cost is much lower attending an in state college than traveling out. Oftentimes the cost for in state students is less than half of students who attend from out of state, according to Cedar Education Lending. Not only will students and parents save money, but debt won’t be as big of a concern as it would be with higher tuition costs. Out of state tuition is very expensive for the same experience, and often offers less financial aid. Traveling costs also won’t be as high as students will be traveling within a state, not in and out of one.
Homesickness is a big issue for some when leaving for college. Traveling states away may amplify that feeling, knowing driving home may not be an option. According to an article titled “College Student Homesickness” by Skyfactor, separation homesickness is a widespread and common component of first-year students, with 30 percent reporting high levels of separation homesickness. Attending a college in-state means family will be nearby and homesickness levels will be lower.
When sending a student out of state for college, they’re being placed in an unfamiliar area with unfamiliar people. While some may consider this a good thing for getting new experiences, the benefits of staying close to home are much greater. When in a familiar area, students know their way around and won’t struggle to find areas suitable for them to hang out at. Being unfamiliar with their surroundings creates a chance of them wandering into a bad area or choosing an unsafe area to live in. Being close to home also means knowing the ins and outs of good stores to shop at, what stores have the best sales, and the good restaurants with cheap food. This saves them money they can now put towards school.
Exploring colleges to apply for is a hard task for some students. The qualifications required to attend certain colleges limit the options presented. Admission is hard enough as is, but when applying for an out of state college it becomes even harder. According to Prepscholar, in-state students are admitted at higher rates than out-of-state students at public colleges. Victoria Balta in UW News said “approximately two-thirds of the available slots in the freshman class are reserved for state residents.” With residents taking the majority of admission, students should apply to more in state colleges to give them a higher chance of being admitted into the college of their dreams.
While there are some benefits of attending college out of state, staying in state is unmistakably the better choice. Students will be able to save money and overall have an easier experience when they leave home for the first time; choosing a college and creating a path for the future is hard enough. Being near friends and family give the students the support needed to help them get through the next phase in their life.
