<p>Hey everyone.
I'm a senior in high school who has just been accepted to school in Chicago. I live in Philadelphia right now.
I can't quite figure out if Chicago is too far for me or not? How did you guys figure out what was a good distance from home?
I'm kind of afraid that I'll be 13 hours from home and I won't like it or something, but who knows.
Just looking for some input.</p>
<p>Go for it. If you don't live in a different area during college, how will you ever know about a different part of the country? </p>
<p>I think it's about a nine-hour drive. Plus, they have these things called airplanes, you know.</p>
<p>Going far away for college was probably the best decision I've made and I think it'll be the same for most people.</p>
<p>Anyone who can afford going to college far from home should take advantage of the opportunity, I think.</p>
<p>I made a similar move. DC to Chicago. Do it, Chicago is great.</p>
<p>it's a 13 hour drive. i did it this summer.</p>
<p>i'm well aware of airplanes, thanks. but there's this thing that my family's doing pretty badly because of the country's economic problems. didn't ask for you to be a jerk about it.</p>
<p>I went from DC Metro to New York but I was thrilled to leave, I couldn't wait to get out of there.
You should consider about how you're going to handle breaks. I used to attend school way in the boondocks of the North Country and it was hellish trying to get home since there were no airports nearby.</p>
<p>i want to leave but my biggerst scholarship offer so far is at Tulane which is about a 3 hour drive since its at the bottom of louisiana and im at the top. i still want so bad to go up north though</p>
<p>I say go for it, I mean how are you going to learn to be independent by staying home where you know everything? you have to take chances and learn, if you don't like it after a while then go back home but I think it's the best way to gain independence and be self-sufficient.</p>
<p>I'm kinda (or was) in the same boat. Not to sure if I could really afford it. I decided to just stay moderately close without being to close or outright ignoring a school i liked because of distance. I figure if I can leave the state and put a few hours between me and home, the real difference is somewhat minimal unless I choose to go running home every minute. And if I do, well, then maybe it will be for the best. I should add, I live in Connecticut so it's obviously a bit different. putting in two hours is leaving the state and then some.</p>
<p>Although, seeing the country isn't something I'll be missing out on. I've lived in 6 states and probably 15 different houses. Where I haven't lived, I've spent some decent time. So I can't really speak for what one would miss.</p>
<p>I made the wrong mistake in choosing a school 20 minutes away b/c I thought I would miss my parents... Should have gone to school in the Bay Area</p>
<p>That's where I'm at right now, also. I wanted to go to a big out of state university or one here in state but still a good distance away and I ended finding out that the small private college 2 hours from home was the one I liked best. I've lived in NY, MA, FL, CA, VA, and now SC and I also lived in Italy so seeing new things had no effect on where I went. If I had never traveled I would probably choose a school far from home.</p>
<p>The closest school I applied to is 1,000 miles away and my #1 is on the other side of the country.</p>
<p>It's weird a lot of people you talk to say they wish they hadn't been so impulsive and moved away to get away. But here, everyone is happy with their choice. Although, a lot of what im basing this off of is kids from a small town in the middle of nowhere, and that probably has something to do with it</p>
<p>most of the teachers in my HS say they dont let their kids go local because they need to find themselves away from parental influence, i took that to heart, to the dismay of my parents, closest college im applying to is like 6 hrs</p>
<p>See, i'm of the opinion that actual distance doesn't matter. What's the difference between one hour and six when you make the decision that you're going to "do it yourself"? I can see how going down the street could be a bit stifling, but even then it comes down to how you act imo.</p>
<p>i went to school 2000 miles away from home. home is in the states, school is in canada.</p>
<p>if you have the opportunity to go to a totally new place, do it. i dont understand the kids who go to school close to home and then go home every weekend to hangout with old hs friends and have their mom do their week's laundry.</p>
<p>I live in Florida, so most of the top colleges are a plane ride away. At least you can drive to Chicago. When I was thinking about Northwestern, I had to factor in the fact that the only way I could get there was by plane.
That being said, I think it's a great opportunity to experience a new part of the country while you're in college.</p>
<p>I'm so jealous of you guys. You should really count your blessings that you are able to move away. I'm living at home to help take care of two chronically ill family members. Eventually I'll have to leave, but things like that make it harder. Take advantage if you can, cause you can always move back!</p>
<p>To be honest, it really doesn't matter whether you go 60 miles or 2000, you can be just as independent and such as long as your parents get the message that you don't want to be coming home regularly. I'm applying to JMU and Virginia Tech which are all in-state and not more than 4 hours away, but it's not like I will be coming home on weekends. I know i'll be just as "free" there as I will at the colleges I'm applying to 600+ miles away.</p>