Does applying to a school from a different region help you?

I live in the northeast and I was wondering if applying to schools in the south or midwest would help my chances. A lot of students in my area always talk about applying to schools from farther away states in order to increase their chances. Is this true? Any ideas/opinions?

Students in my northeast HS apply to schools all over the country – I think most schools have a fair amount of applicants from the Northeast. Could it help a little at some schools? maybe, maybe not. But I don’t think it would be a major “hook” or anything like that.

A lot of state schools prefer those in-state or so they say they do… there has been a lot of debate with some colleges preferring OOS students since they pay more, not sure if it’s true though.

If you are from NY and applying to Florida then there is no bounce from the geography.

But if you are from Delaware and applying to say New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon, geography could help you…

If you are full pay there may be.

I think it’s not so much what area you apply from as it is what state: the more prestigious colleges like people from underrepresented states to increase diversity, but state colleges usually like in-state residents (in-state residents pay taxes to that state which fund the schools).