<p>I think...no I am quite sure...that the economic meltdown is going to change our entire social fabric, from jobs, to income, to expectations, to savings rates, to choosing to be away from home or wanting to be close to home for security sake. So all bets are off. The past is not prologue in this case. </p>
<p>And NYC is going to suffer, perhaps, some of the worst in regards to unemployment among the formerly wealthy and well educated. The NYSE will not be the same.</p>
<p>Strap in, folks. Its going to be very rocky for awhile.</p>
<p>
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Most of the best jobs are in the New York area anyway.
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<p>Well if you mean, "most of the best finance jobs". And yes, if you don't want to go into academia and R&D. ;) And yes, if you assume somehow the economy will recover in time. :)</p>
<p>It makes a difference, I think. There are a number of old classmates who came from afar to my alma mater and stayed there. I don't think they would have just moved there out of the blue, had they gone elsewhere to college. It certainly opens up that possibility. </p>
<p>I know a woman here who was accepted to UNC-CH, many years ago, but was offered a full tuition paid at a local school with an opportunity to get her master's as well for the cost. She stayed local and commuted, saved a ton of money for herself and family, and now lives within a few miles of the college, married to someone local, raising her child in this same area. Advantages to all of this, I can tell. I envy her comfort zone. But then she has never lived elsewhere, either. She does want her child to go away for college.</p>
<p>I think there is considerable value in living somewhere a distance from home for months/years. It really does broaden your outlook some, but as has been pointed out, there are risks. Staying in your hometown also has the risk that you or whomever you become attached to may decide to move anyway.</p>
<p>One of the things I like about kids having the opportunity to go away to college, is that they can have their own lives without a lot of the local and family baggage. This is one of the break points in life where they can actually make a world of their own. It's harder to do when you are still local and tethered to old family, friends, situations. My son loves all the fresh and new opportunities. With older brothers and some history here, he sometimes felt like he was being pulled by the tide rather making his own way. </p>
<p>Not to say there are not advantages staying local. There is a lot of security that way.</p>
<p>I admit that I "reinvented" myself each time I started a new U & also when I started grad school. Having no one who knew you or your family was very liberating (tho I do love & am still very close to my family).</p>
<p>My son is 300 miles away from NY in Pittsburgh. I doubt he'll stay there. Most likely he'll end up on one of the coasts. (Silicone Valley, Seattle, NYC or Boston).</p>
<p>A lot of NYers ended up in the city where my alma mater is located. Lots of NYers in Pittsburgh too after graduating mainly from CMU , it seems. Pitt not so much, but it does not get as many out of staters, but that is changing it seems.</p>
<p>I grew up in Florida, but was captivated with the idea of going to college in the Northeast. I wanted the whole brick buildings and traditions thing. And I did that and was happy with it. And afterward moved to Boston and stayed there. I also wanted to get away from home and stretch myself. I needed time away from my parents. Life's funny though. My parents ended up moving to the New York area. I met someone thru a college connection that lived in the NY area. We got married. By that time, I didn't need so much distance from my parents. In fact, when we moved to Texas a few years ago, we persuaded my parents to join us and they moved down the street from us. We couldn't be happier about that (even my husband -- honest). My D has decided to stay in Texas for college. While we urged her to use this time in her life to explore the big world, she's firm about her choice. Based on my own experience, I'm hoping that her decision may mean that I see more of her in person down the line if she ends up staying in the region. Who can say?</p>
<p>I grew up in Michigan and did my undergrad in Colorado. Almost all of my friends in college were from out of state. About 3/4 of the students I went to school with moved back home after graduation. The rest of us stayed, but in my opinion would have moved away no matter what. Hope that helps!</p>
<p>It depends on the school, the local community, and the local and regional economy, as well as the field of study. Over a third of the undergrad student body at Michigan is OOS. Some end up staying in Ann Arbor because it's a highly desirable community, but it's still a relatively small town with limited job opportunities in most fields. I imagine a relatively small fraction of Michigan OOS grads end up staying in Michigan because the local economy is so lousy, and has been for a long time. That doesn't mean they all go home, however. Many go on to top national graduate and professional schools , others straight into jobs---wherever in the world the jobs are in their fields. But the same is true for Michigan residents who go to Michigan as undergrads. I was one of the latter, went on to grad school in the Northeast and lived in the Northeast for most of the next 20 years, never returning to my native state. </p>
<p>In states and regions with stronger economies, it's probably the case that a higher percentage of OOS graduates end up staying in the region, where their college is likely to have the strongest alumni network and the best job placement contacts.</p>
<p>Bottom line, there's probably some positive correlation between the location of the undergrad school and the location of the first real job, but for those who go on to grad school the location of the grad school is probably the more important determinant.</p>
<p>I'm from California--about to graduate from a big Midwest flagship. I've become spoiled by the low cost of living out here and plan to stay for the next few years at least, unless I receive a better job offer elsewhere. The fact that my fiance is a local plays a small role too :)</p>
<p>I think that going to a faraway college definitely increases the chance of a possible relocation but that is not necessarily a bad thing! We live in NY (Long Island) and my son recently graduated from Washington Univ. in St. Louis. He received a job offer from a company in Chicago which he accepted so he relocated over the summer. Do I wish that he lived closer? Of course...BUT the whole purpose of sending your child away to school is to teach them independence and learn about the world outside of their comfort zone. In today's economy, you have to go where the jobs are...my son would've loved a job in NYC but, realizes now that Chicago has unique advantages (among them, fewer jobs in the financial sector which means fewer layoffs during economic downturns, a much more affordable lifestyle, and pretty cool neighborhoods). He does hope to eventually make his way back to the East Coast but, for now, he's having a blast. So, bottom line, don't worry about the future and where you kids may wind up living...it just may provide them with a unique opportunity!</p>
<p>Same here buzymom--
we are also LIers, and as much as I will miss them, I am hoping ours will experience other parts of the country (and world, even!). If any of them settle in New England or the Pacific Northwest, they might have me moving out THEIR way a few years down the road...</p>
<p>We live in Boston. Oldest went to GA for college and stayed in Atlanta. She hates NE weather and loves the Atlanta weather and corresponding lifestyle. Middle went to DC for college and moved back to Boston after college. He loves the Boston sports teams and just the atmosphere here. I can't imagine him living anywhere else. Youngest is a college student in Boston and plans to stay here. It really depends on the kid.</p>
<p>I've never returning to my home state again. Screw Maine, its anti-business environment, its boring demographic makeup, its polluting paper industry and its smelly oil tanks. The state where I'm currently going to school is so much more exciting!</p>
<p>I agree that being away (far away) for a period of time is a good thing. My time was spent in Europe, and it was a 1 year job from the start. Came home and settled 2 1/2 hours from the folks (which has been the PERFECT distance for us.) Boys are now at two different schools, both 2 1/2 hours from home. Again, it's far enough that they aren't back every weekend and we stay (mostly) out of their business, but close enough that there was no question that we're all getting together for Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>At the age of 15, my suburbanite MI-resident daughter declared that she was going to live in Chicago, Boston, or NYC when she "grew up", and she chose her college accordingly. She went off to school in Chicago with the plan that she would intern in the city as an undergrad and then get a job in the city when she graduated. </p>
<p>She's only a freshman, so ther's no iondication yet if this plan will work, but so far, she still has no intention of coming back to MI. That's okay; I'm hoping to leave too........</p>