Around this time of year, many seniors already are in the midst of the application process, and surely even choosing where to apply is stressful enough. In a couple of months, however, many students will be faced with the decision of choosing from the schools that have accepted them. When choosing a school, one of the most important factors students pay attention to is location. Some students prefer to stay close to home, while others opt to travel far away for their education. But how far is too far?
Even though it may seem like an adventure to move far away from home, the expenses of travelling to and from school may soon become very expensive. Senior Cate O’Callaghan said, “I’d prefer to stay closer to home, within three hours, because my family can visit me more often than they would if I were further away.” Especially with the price of airfare, most students who live far away aren’t able to just go back home for a day or two. Students who live within a couple of hours from home, have more leeway when it comes to visiting, therefore able to do it more often.
Although it may be more inconvenient to go to school far from home, a change of scenery can also be a good thing for some people. Most students at Bernards have lived in the same town most of their lives, surrounded by the same people for over ten years. Senior Bryce Oels said, “Honestly I don’t have a preference between close and far schools, being that I applied to schools farther like Florida and North Carolina but also some around the area and in-state. I do think that going farther could be a really fun and life-changing experience.” Many students may have an initial shock when they first arrive on a campus thousands of miles from home, but a drastic change in scenery and a slight uncomfortableness can force students to adapt, which can help them in the future.
In addition, many students get over their homesickness within a few months of being in school. When flooded with the overwhelmingness of college and surrounded by people all in the same boat as you, missing home can become background noise. Also, going to college is a great time to reinvent yourself and create a sense of independence from home. That being said, it is important for many to keep close connections with those back home.
In other cases, some students may fall in love with a school, and although it may be a bit farther or closer than what they had hoped, the facilities and education they receive may overshadow the inconvenience of the location.
It is definitely necessary to choose your college not only based on location, but all the college has to offer. A lot of students also take into account the size of the school, the resources available, the programs, and many other factors.
When deciding where to go to school, the best thing a student can do for themselves is to prioritize what they want out of their college experience. If you know you won’t be happy moving too far from home, make that an uncompromising factor. Going far might be better for some people, while staying home might be better for others. It all depends on the student. Both Cate and Bryce said that location was a huge factor in deciding where to apply to schools. The best thing to do is to figure out your preference when it comes to location and work from there.
However, this being said, don’t be afraid to stray from your comfort zone. Even if you aren’t sure about the location of a college, if you like what it has to offer, apply anyways. You may even end up calling that place home one day!
