<p>I know Penn is an amzing school but do you regret going to a college in the same town that you grew up in? Do you feel like you missed something not leaving and spending time in a new placee? Thanks!</p>
<p>I grew up in out in the suburbs and never really went to the city, so it's new to me. If you're an ACTUAL Philly local (ie from Philly), you may want to try something else. But Penn is a world unto itself ;)</p>
<p>so what if i live 25 minutes away? i'm friends with kids from all over the country and all over the world, and i find new things to enjoy every day on campus and in the city, even in places i've been to many times before.</p>
<p>so basically, even though you might be more familiar with the area, there's still just as much, if not more, fun to be had (and you can help non-locals find some of the best (and infrequently travelled) parts of the city at which to hang out)</p>
<p>My son is an incoming freshman who is in the same geographical situation as you. He is not one to cling on to the apron strings. He's travelled thousands of miles from home on his own and spent every summer since he was ten away. But he has spent much more time in NYC than he ever did in center city or University City so it's all going to be pretty much new to him. And Penn is about as 180 degrees in terms of an environment as you can get from the Philly suburbs where we live.</p>
<p>One factor you may want to address is to ask your parents if they are willing to treat you no differently than anyone else on campus, ie no going home on weekends, and no pop in visitors! </p>
<p>If we lived 1000 miles away, I'd still have to say that Penn would be my son's first choice for a school. We encouraged him to go anywhere in the country if he thought it was the best place for him. Look at it from that point of view first, and the rest will follow!</p>
<p>i actually am from philly proper, and I have to say that living close to home has advantages that far outweigh the abstract idea of 'going off to college.' I still live on campus, so it's not like I'm home all the time, or even that frequently, but if I need to go hom for something (i.e. to get a car) it's only a $3 septa train ticket away. I worked in a research lab on campus during high school and have been able to continue that in college and over the summer, which has given me a lot more experience by this point than most people have been able to get together. The cost of taking summer classes dramatically reduced if I chose to take them, because I'm close enough that i can commute for something like that. Moving in and out is also much, much more convenient; I tend to do it on my own over the course of a few days.</p>
<p>P.S. a good way to make some extra money: offer to let people store stuff with you over the summer, since the organizations that do it on campus charge insane rates</p>
<p>my brother just graduated from penn and we live like thirty blocks away (there is a river tho, lol). at first, he was a bit hesitant about living so close, but he found that it wasn't a big deal at all, and he really didnt come home that often (despite my mothers wishes). penns campus is really a separate world. i feel like unless you live in university city or a nearby are of west philly, it shouldnt really be an issue. personally, i just want to explore another city, so im going to columbia next year, but i probably would have gone to penn if i hadnt gotten in there. its really a matter of preference.</p>
<p>I live about 20 minutes from Philly, and all my friends are jealous that I get to go to school in Philly because everyone's absolutely in love with that city. It's really a wonderful place that has everything. And if there's something you can't fidn in Philly, NY is only a 90 minute drive =]</p>
<p>you've got to do some insane speeding to get to NY in 90 minutes, but whatever</p>
<p>i live about 20 minutes away as well, and know plenty of people who are going to penn from around the area. quite frankly, it's fine. you live on campus, or nearby, anyway (unless your parents are going to make you stay with them, in that case, don't go to penn). at the same time, ur close enough that you get to see everybody as they come home, even if their breaks dont match up with urs. and you get to visit the people from home (if u happen to be friends with undreclassmen) a lot more often.</p>
<p>Not really. If you keep up to traffic on the NJ Turnpike (i.e. go 100 mph) then it's only like 90 minutes. Well from where I live anyway.</p>
<p>I am from the Philly suburbs and I absolutely love going to school in Philadelphia. I have always loved Philadelphia, but never really explored outside of the downtown historical district and the stadium complex. Going to school in Philly allows me to take advantage of all the city has to offer. Plus, I can take the train home whenever I like, or drive home in an hour or so.</p>