Even with over 7,000 colleges to choose from nationwide, over half of college freshmen choose a school within 100 miles of their home town. A combination of economic and relational factors top the reasons why students may choose to stay closer to home.
Economic Reasons to Attend a Local School
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Economic reasons may top the list of reasons to attend locally, with in-state tuition offering as much as half or more off college expenses. Not only do students gain from in-state tuition, but many universities may lean towards local students during admission, meaning good scholarships and a higher rate of acceptance.
In fact there is a correlation between high school students’ GPA and test scores and whether they will stay right here in their hometown or head further out for their education. Of course, students should definitely still consider distant schools as universities also seek to have geological diversity on campus.
Travel Considerations for College Students
Travel expenses are also a consideration. If attending a school on the other side of the country, chances that a student can afford to head home for Thanksgiving or other short breaks are slim. For someone from rural central California, going to school in northwest Georgia may mean only going home over Christmas break.
Expense isn’t the only road block for such long distances. When traveling takes a whole day or longer due to connecting flights or a long drive, a five-day break is hardly long enough to go home as almost half the break will be spent en route.
Relational Reasons for Staying Close
Familiarity is another popular reason. Choosing a school in the same region may means less of an adjustment period. While students are adjusting to the new schedule and freedom of college life, they don’t have to worry about adjusting to a new regional culture. Going from a Chicago suburb to a small-town Texas school can seem as different as another country.
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It isn’t just that students want to stay in an area that they are comfortable with. Many students choose colleges close to home because they have heard of the school and have a better idea about how they would fit in on campus. Going to a school that you have never seen or have only visited can make a student feel insecure about his or her decision.
Knowing other students can be another big reason why some students choose a school. That is the reason one official of the Catholic Pittsburgh Diocese cited for why many local students decided on a top college. It was a school they were familiar with because their siblings and friends attended there.
Between tuition and travel expenses and better knowledge and connections at a local university, it is no wonder that many students choose an in-state university over one across the country.
