<p>I am 21 years old and am just considering a change to head for a college 6 hours away from home. I haven't applied just yet but the one i'm considering sounds like "the one". The thing is everyone is telling me that I shouldn't leave because i'm going to miss my immediate family that I live with. I was at first full of hope and encouraged. Ready to finally live practically on my own but now i'm discouraged. My mom doesn't travel much if any at all and my dad doesn't live with us and doesn't like the idea of me leaving so I won't have my parents their to help me move in my dorm. I am pretty much poor so I won't have many added or extra funds. In plus I will be in a completely new atmosphere. I received my GED with high scores and i went to a community college in my local area, but was so unsure that I decided to give up. Then it affected my GPA to the point that the school told me that I could no longer attend unless I pay out of pocket. Now they're telling me different rules have been set so I can't start until next year. The thing is that I have been considering this new school instead that i'm pretty sure of. The admissions counselor has been really helpful in explaining my requirements and the application process. I really wanted to do this but I feel a weight on me to stay just to make everyone else happy in my life. Has anyone else experienced leaving off for college and dorms on their own without much to any help at all? How did you get through and survive being practically on your own with hardly any support? The school i'm considering is in a small midwestern town 80 miles away from a metropolitan popular city. How did you learn your way around and get your dorms and funds situated?</p>
<p>leaky,</p>
<p>I did this a long time ago, but from one big city to another. Your situation is a tough one. I wouldn’t be so concerned about what other people want, but rather what you are able to do and how you will feel about it. </p>
<p>I think your moving to a new place and being independent and excited are excellent reasons for making a change. But my reservations in encouraging you to do so are three:</p>
<p>Money: Since you’re moving away from home, that adds a substantial amount to how much school is going to cost. Can you afford it, will you have to take out a large amount of loans? Will tuition at the new school be more expensive?</p>
<p>Support: I am concerned about you being in a small, remote town. That means it’s important that you fit into the norm of that school socially and academically. If not, you are likely to be unhappy. How big is the school? The larger the school, the more likely there will be many people with a wide variety of interests, some of which that overlap with yours.</p>
<p>The school: I’m wondering why, if you are on academic suspension at your CC, that this new school is so eager and willing to take you. Is it a public or recognized private, is it a for profit school? There are unfortunately schools these days that are willing to accept tuition from students with little concern about how well they will be prepared for a job once school is finished, or for the student’s financial situation.</p>